The Ritz-Carlton, Baku Exterior

 Review: The Ritz-Carlton, Baku [Azerbaijan]

 

PositivesNegatives
Lots of suite types and apartments you could get upgraded toSomewhat awkward location
Great value and delicious breakfastRoom design feels cookie-cutter
Reasonable value on room service for its tier

Overall Rating

 

The Ritz-Carlton Baku is one of the hotels I looked forward to reviewing the most. The hotel’s building has a very interesting history. It was meant to be a Trump Tower, but it has been vacant since after some scandals. Just in late 2022, the building was repurposed to be a Ritz-Carlton.

I also think it would make for a nice comparison with the JW Marriott Absheron Baku, another Marriott luxury hotel by the Caspian Sea.

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Booking

I booked a 2 night stay with a combination of a 35K Free Night Certificates plus 30,000 Marriott points.

The Ritz-Carlton Baku is a Category 5 hotel, and is a great Ritz-Carlton for a 35K or 50K Free Night Certificate redemption, with points topups if necessary.

Cash rate for this hotel tend to hover around $300-$500 a night, so booking on points is likely the way to go for better value.

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Location

The Ritz-Carlton Baku is located across the Heydar Aliyev Center, a cultural center of Baku with a very imposing and seamlessly curvy modern architecture designed by the late Zaha Hadid. Some rooms may come with a frontal view of it!

One downside to the hotel’s location is how it’s surrounded by highways and rail tracks, so there’s no way to safely walk outside of the property, even when you try to go to Heydar Aliyev Center.

A car will be a must to enter and exit the hotel. Fortunately, Bolt taxis are very cheap in Baku, and they accept credit cards as payment. A ride to anywhere in the city would cost you $1-3.

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Check-in & Lobby

I got to the hotel at around 3pm after checking out from the InterContinental Baku. Check-in was fast and easy, but the room won’t be ready until 15 minutes after arrival. I also asked on the chat for the Executive Suite room upgrade for my birthday, and they gladly confirmed it the day before!

Since Ritz-Carlton hotels don’t typically give free breakfast, I was offered a deal of 45 AZN per night for breakfast. For a Ritz-Carlton, I thought it was a very reasonable rate, even in Azerbaijan, which I feel is the most expensive country in the Caucasus. I accepted and paid 90 AZN for the whole duration on breakfast.

 

Lobby

The Ritz-Carlton Baku lobby is beautiful with gold ornaments combined with regal purple furniture and Azeri decorations.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Ornaments
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Ornaments

The spiral staircase can take you down to the ATM machine should you need some cash with you.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Spiral Staircase
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Spiral Staircase

During the evening, a piano will be played at the lobby. This purple Whaletone piano apparently retails for at least $87,000!!

Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Whaletone Piano

Also, there was a lady in traditional Azerbaijani clothing at the lobby preparing tea and shekarbura, an Azerbaijani dessert pastry with ground nuts inside.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Afternoon Tea
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Afternoon Tea
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Afternoon Tea & Shekarbura
Ritz-Carlton Baku Lobby Afternoon Tea & Shekarbura

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Executive Suite

The Executive Suite I was assigned to was Room 1109. The Executive Suite is very massive at ~1500 sqft!

There seems to be at least 2 different types of Executive Suites at Ritz-Carlton Baku. The only notable difference I can think of is the difference in the master bathroom. The one shown on the hotel’s site has a long rectangular bathroom with a round tub at the end by the window (Room 1108). But, the one I received is replaced by a private office. The size seems to be similar from one another.

I was slightly disappointed since I wanted to have the room with the round tub, but I just didn’t think it warrants the effort to move room since it was a free upgrade at the end of the day, and the room was functional.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Floor Plan
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Floor Plan

Living Room

 

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Foyer
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Foyer

The hallway to the master bedroom is to the left of the main entrance.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Hall to Bedroom
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Hall to Bedroom

To the right of the entrance is the half-bathroom.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Living Room Bathroom
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Living Room Bathroom

The living room has a big space for sofas and TV

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Living Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Living Room

I was gifted a birthday cake and bowl of fruits. The grapes were really nice, fruit that’s really good in Azerbaijan! The birthday cake was chocolate with hints of wine aftertaste to it. It’s really interesting and taste very good as well.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Dining Table & Welcome Gift
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Dining Table & Welcome Gift
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Living Room Bluetooth Speaker
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Living Room Bluetooth Speaker

The pantry has an Illy coffee machine and plenty of snacks and drinks in the minibar. But, the minibar items are chargeable.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Pantry
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Pantry
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Minibar
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Minibar
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Minibar
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Minibar

Heydar Aliyev Center can sort-of be viewed in my particular Executive Suite.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Heydar Aliyev Center View
Ritz-Carlton Baku Heydar Aliyev Center View

On the back left of the living room is the door to a private office in a long rectangular room. On the other type of Executive Suite, it’s repalced by a bathroom with a round tub, which I would’ve preferred to be honest.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Office
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Office

 

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom area starts with big storage spaces to the left and the bathroom door to the right.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bedroom Storage Space
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bedroom Storage Space
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Closet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Closet

 

Ritz-Carlton Baku In-Room Safe
Ritz-Carlton Baku In-Room Safe

Going further straight is the main bedroom area. The bed was very comfortable, and the body pillow with Azeri rug design smells like blueberry all the time. I’m not sure how, but it’s very pleasant and improved my sleep.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite King Bed
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite King Bed
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bedroom
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bedroom
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bedroom Chairs
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bedroom Chairs
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite View
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite View
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite View
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite View

The Executive Suite also comes with an accessible balcony! Flame Towers can be seen at a faint distance from my room, but you won’t be able to see much of the Caspian Sea from the Ritz-Carlton.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Balcony
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Balcony
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Balcony View
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Balcony View

But, there’s construction by the rail tracks, so the view won’t be pretty on some sides any time soon.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Balcony View
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Balcony View

 

Master Bathroom

The master bathroom is all-marble and has a mostly open design with the sinks at the center and a bathtub to the left by the frosted glass.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bathroom Sinks
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bathroom Sinks
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bathroom Tub
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bathroom Tub

The right side has separate toilet room and shower.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Toilet Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Toilet Room

The shower pressure was great and there’s a bench embedded.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bathroom Shower
Ritz-Carlton Baku Executive Suite Bathroom Shower

The bath amenities are made by Diptyque; a Ritz-Carlton standard.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Diptyque Amenities
Ritz-Carlton Baku Diptyque Amenities

Overall, the Executive Room is quite nice and very spacious. But, it feels like a cookie cutter Ritz-Carlton room that I wish there were more of Azerbaijani influence and design put into the room.

 

Room Service

On one of the days, I was feeling lazy and ordered room service. The prices are surprisingly cheap for a Ritz-Carlton. It’s even cheaper than the room service in JW Marriott!

I ordered butter chicken with rice, bucket of naan bread, potato fries, and a chocolate cake dessert for a total of 50 AZN. Definitely a good price for a room service at a Ritz-Carlton, and they all tasted delicious!

Ritz-Carlton Baku Room Service
Ritz-Carlton Baku Room Service

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Breakfast

Breakfast takes place in Tribeca Restaurant on the lobby floor. A California-inspired restaurant that serves international cuisine. Breakfast is a buffet with variety of hot dishes you can order for as much as you want under the same price!

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant

The buffet spread consists of fruit, cold cuts, pastries, and desserts. While the spread is small, they’re high in quality. Though the buffet isn’t the most exciting part of the breakfast experience here.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Pastries
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Pastries
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Bread
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Bread
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Salad
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Salad
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Cold Cuts
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Buffet Cold Cuts
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Egg Station
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Egg Station

The a la carte menu is shown below that offers variety of hot dishes. What’s cool is that you can order as much as you want since typically you’d be limited to just one item.

So even though the buffet isn’t the strongest suit of the hotel’s breakfast, the cooked to order menu makes for interesting tasting menu experience for breakfast.

The only item with an extra charge is the black truffle supplement.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant A La Carte Menu
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant A La Carte Menu

You can see how small the portion of the smoked sturgeon omelet is. That will leave for room to order some more items from the menu.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Smoked Sturgeon Omelet Breakfast
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Smoked Sturgeon Omelet Breakfast
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Breakfast Side Potatoes
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Side Potatoes

On the final day, I sat outside to change things up. Even though it was hot that day, the nice shade made for a nicer temperature.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Outdoor Seating
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Outdoor Seating

You can sort of see the Heydar Aliyev Center in the background from Tribeca’s outside seating.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Outdoor Seating
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Outdoor Seating

The shakshuka is really nice. It reminds me of the Turkish menemen, but instead of scrambled eggs, the shakshuka is poached. The sauce goes well with the crunchy breadstick.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Shakshuka
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Shakshuka

The minute steak is nice too, but I still liked the shakshuka better.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Grilled Minute Beef Steak
Ritz-Carlton Baku Tribeca Restaurant Breakfast Grilled Minute Beef Steak

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Blind Tiger

The hotel has a speakeasy bar named Blind Tiger. The bar has Prohibition-era inspirations in the design.

However, due know that it’s a cigar lounge. Due to me not being a smoker, I only briefly checked it out while waiting for my room to be ready.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger Cigar Collections
Ritz-Carlton Baku Blind Tiger Cigar Collections

We received our welcome drinks of pomegranate juice in the bar while we wait for the suite to be ready.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Welcome Drinks
Ritz-Carlton Baku Welcome Drinks

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Pool & Spa

The swimming pools are located on the 2nd floor. The hotel has 2 pools separating family pool and adult pools. Though both of them look the same. It’s still pretty nice to have 2 separate pools for different types of guests.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool

The pool interiors look elegant and enigmatic with tones of blue and dark brown with gold lighting.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool

There are detox water readily available to drink by the pools.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool Refreshments
Ritz-Carlton Baku Pool Refreshments

The changing rooms are nice where they prepare bathrobes and slippers. You can shower here before and after pool use, and use the lockers to store your belongings.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Men's Changing Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men’s Changing Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men's Changing Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men’s Changing Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men's Changing Room Shower
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men’s Changing Room Shower
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men's Changing Room Lockers
Ritz-Carlton Baku Men’s Changing Room Lockers

By the pools are the sauna facilities consisting of Turkish hammam, steam room, and a Finnish sauna room. I didn’t get a picture of the Finnish sauna as it turned out bad from my phone.

The all-marble rooms are beautiful, but the sauna facilities were nothing compared to the Paragraph Freedom Square in Tbilisi! Not to say that the one in Ritz-Carlton Baku is bad.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Spa
Ritz-Carlton Baku Spa
Ritz-Carlton Baku Turkish Hammam
Ritz-Carlton Baku Turkish Hammam
Ritz-Carlton Baku Turkish Hammam
Ritz-Carlton Baku Turkish Hammam
Ritz-Carlton Baku Steam Room
Ritz-Carlton Baku Steam Room

You may also book a massage from the spa receptionist, though I didn’t take up on it.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Spa Lobby
Ritz-Carlton Baku Spa Lobby

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Fitness Center

The gym is also on the second floor and is open 24/7. It comes with some of the most modern equipment I’ve seen in a luxury hotel.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym

The strength training machines even have motion detectors that count your reps in.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym Refreshments
Ritz-Carlton Baku Gym Refreshments

 

Ritz-Carlton, Baku- Shuttle Service

The hotel offers a free shuttle service to Baku Boulevard and Old City (Icherisheher). The stop by the Baku Boulevard will be at the JW Marriott Absheron Baku.

I find this service to be largely useless since taxis in Baku are very affordable with the Bolt app. One ride to pretty much anywhere in Baku from the Ritz-Carlton would cost $1-3 at most. Plus, they’re much more convenient to use than having to plan your way around the shuttle’s schedule.

Ritz-Carlton Baku Free Shuttle Information
Ritz-Carlton Baku Free Shuttle Information

 

Conclusion

The Ritz-Carlton Baku is a  great hotel that offers nice value for points or Free Night Award certificates booking. The breakfast is really nice (even with paid), and room service prices are very reasonable for a Ritz-Carlton.

But, some rooms might not offer the best views due to location and construction by the rail tracks. So, definitely request a room with Heydar Aliyev Center view for the best experience. I also wish there’s more Azerbaijani inspirations instilled into the rooms since they feel sort of cookie-cutter.

The location is admittedly not the best due to it being surrounded by highways, so it’s impossible to venture on foot from the hotel. But, cheap Bolt taxis mitigate this problem. Nonetheless, it’s still a good luxurious hotel to take respite in.

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