1/5

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay • Three Rocks Beach • OVER THE TOP

avg. $836 / night

Includes $44 / night in cash back

Cash back is redeemable via Virtual Visa, Venmo, or bank transfer starting 24-48 hours after check-out

Marriott Bonvoy® property

Exclusive PressBeyond Benefits

Get to where you see yourself

Ultra-clean, global, hand-picked hotel curation & imagery designed to help you visualize enticing environments and the elevated social experiences they create

Cash back

5% cash back on all completed stays (redeemable via Virtual Visa, Venmo, or bank transfer starting 24-48 hours after check-out)

Credit card points

Credit and debit card charges are processed directly by the hotel (i.e. not PressBeyond), meaning that any travel-specific credit card points or incentives that you normally get as a cardholder for direct hotel bookings are preserved

Hotel loyalty points

Points accrual and status eligibility with major hotel loyalty programs: Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, and others

Free breakfast

Breakfast-included rate options available

Room upgrades

Complimentary room upgrades (subject to property availability)

Extend your stay

Early check-in and late check-out (subject to property availability)

Location

Loading map...

PB hotel design editorial

Perched on the edge of sandstone cliffs above Half Moon Bay's Three Rocks Beach, where the land simply ends and the Pacific begins with no gradual transition, the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay was conceived as a grand coastal manor in the tradition of Northern California's shingle-style resort architecture. Opened in 2001 and designed by Hornberger + Worstell, the five-storey, 261-room property draws its massing from the great Edwardian resort hotels of the Atlantic seaboard — steeply pitched rooflines, dormered gables, brick and stone cladding — reinterpreted for a dramatically wild California headland where Pacific storms roll in without warning. The interiors move between two registers. Guestrooms, refreshed in a later renovation, carry a restrained coastal palette of dove grey, warm sand, and white panel moulding, with upholstered headboards in silvered linen and custom carpets patterned with abstracted tide-pool forms. The corridor rooms frame unobstructed ocean views through generous windows, while lower-level rooms open directly onto private terraces with fire pits set into the fairways of the adjacent Ocean Course. The dining spaces shift in mood: the main restaurant is dressed in deep mahogany-stained millwork beneath a coffered vaulted ceiling hung with cluster globe pendants, whereas the lighter breakfast room deploys white-painted exposed rafters, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and a botanically patterned rug that borrows colour from the coastal wildflowers visible just beyond the glass.

Travel notes

35min drive from San Francisco airport (SFO)

About

When the surrounding area is rich with natural resources and beauty, luxury comes with a distinctly local touch. At The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, guests can savor the Northern California sunset on a beautiful evening. Sample fine wines from vintners along the coast, craft smores over an open fire on their private terrace, discover the nourishing benefits of pumpkin at the spa, or tee off on two championship golf courses that are as beautiful as they are well-designed. Holding court on a bluff overlooking the ocean and just 20 miles from San Francisco International Airport this hotel in Half Moon Bay, California, celebrates its surroundings with an experience rooted in the element of fire and the discovery of wine.

Amenities

Kids Club

Pool

Room service

Restaurant

Fitness center

Kids Activities

Spa

Beachfront

Suites

Wheelchair Access

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay Reviews

2,745 reviews

"If you are not staying at this hotel, be prepared to be treated poorly. Stopped here for lunch on a girls day out, thinking this would be a great treat. Boy were we wrong!! Sat down on the patio outdoors. The view was gorgeous. Waitress (Jolene I think her name was) immediately asked for credit card before we ordered anything, since we weren’t staying at the hotel. Odd, but whatever. She took our drink order and we ordered appetizers. Came back with drinks and app plates. Took food order. While later our food comes out delivered by food runner. Never saw our waitresses at our table again until we were finished eating. Didn’t ask if we needed drink refills, couldn’t ask about our missing appetizer. She was vey attentive to the 3 other tables, but wouldn’t even make eye contact with us so it was very difficult to flag her down. She finally shows up and we let her know we never got our app. She acted surprised that we even ordered it, even though she provided us with plates. Then comes the bill. We wanted it split 4 ways. Seemed to not be a problem, except when we got our cards back, she charged one card for the wrong table whose bill was $20 higher. Food and poor service was not worth the price. This experience put a bit of a damper on a nice girls day out."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Mar 04, 2026

"Visited for 4 nights to attend a series of business meetings. Arrival was met with helpful and courteous greeters; check-in experience was professional, attentive and efficient. Assigned room that overlooked the ocean. Room was of a large size, and nicely adorned with comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and functional furnishings. Large windows provided favorable views of the ocean (despite the rain); draperies could be controlled electronically but when closed blocked access to power plugs needed to power peripherals on the work desk. Everything worked as would be expected; there was a very large TV, the bed was very comfortable, climate control was responsive, wifi worked well and there were ample power outlets next to the bed that was appreciated. Bathroom was generous in size but design required opening and closing doors to access to the room, shower and WC. Water pressure from the shower was adequate but not great. Hotel premises (lobby, restaurants and meeting rooms) were Rtiz-esque - all good. Less than 5 star recommendation refers to the hotel's offerings of food at their restaurants and room service. Food was overly priced ($85 for a club sandwich plus soda + room service) - which I would not mind as much except that the food was badly prepared and flavor-less. Offerings from the restaurants and at organized venues were equally marginal - expensive mediocre food. But service was good and attentive throughout - if not a little perfunctory."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Feb 20, 2026

"From the moment you arrive, the property feels cinematic, perched dramatically above the Pacific with sweeping bluff-top views that make you pause. The grounds are immaculate, the air is crisp, and the fire pits at sunset are quintessential Northern California luxury. (Tip: Get an ocean view or even partial ocean view - because you cannot put a price tag on falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing). Check-in was admittedly impacted by an unexpected system outage. While this could have detracted from the experience, the front desk team handled it with professionalism and composure. They communicated clearly, remained gracious under pressure, and did everything possible to minimize inconvenience. It was a strong example of service recovery in action. During my stay, I encountered a few unexpected personal needs, and this is where the property truly distinguished itself. Guest Services Manager Kate was exceptionally understanding, responsive, and solution-oriented. Her attentiveness and discretion made a meaningful difference, and I felt genuinely cared for rather than processed. That level of individualized hospitality is what defines a luxury experience. Danny was incredibly sweet and helpful with my luggage. The rooms are elegant and comfortable, with a calming coastal palette and the kind of quiet that allows you to fully reset. Waking up to the ocean views alone is worth the visit. Overall, despite the initial technical hiccup, the service, setting, and staff professionalism more than delivered. I appreciate when a property stands behind its hospitality standards, and this one absolutely did. Looking forward to returning."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Feb 06, 2026

"Overall, I really enjoyed our stay. The property is absolutely gorgeous—the oceanfront location, the dramatic cliffs, and the coastal walking path are truly stunning. Our room was lovely as well, and the setting right on the water is spectacular. The service was exceptional throughout our stay. Every staff member we interacted with was warm, attentive, and proactive. Any time I requested something—extra towels, ice, etc.—it arrived quickly, which I really appreciated. My husband also had a great experience golfing and felt the course was beautifully maintained. As for the beds, they were extremely soft. I didn’t mind them, but my husband prefers a much firmer mattress and found it uncomfortable, so that may depend on personal preference. I do have two significant complaints: 1. Dog Fees The pet fee was shockingly high. I’ve stayed at many five-star resorts, and this was by far the most expensive dog fee I’ve encountered. It’s $250 per dog plus an additional $20 per dog, per night—as a simple boarding fee. For our two dogs over three days, this totaled $640. It felt excessive and honestly almost made us reconsider our stay. Other luxury resorts charge a fraction of this. 2. Breakfast Pricing I fully expect higher prices at the Ritz-Carlton, but some charges felt unreasonable. My $38 omelet didn’t include toast (an additional $6), which wasn’t a huge deal. However, being charged $10 for a small cup of water at breakfast felt outrageous. I’ve never experienced that at any other luxury property and found it very surprising. Aside from those two issues, our stay was wonderful, and we truly had a great time. I would stay here again, but I do hope the hotel considers adjusting some of these fees"

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Dec 07, 2025

"My husband and I took our guest to Ocean Terrace for lunch. The view was beautiful and our server was very good. Food is overpriced for what you get, but that's what it is at The Ritz. However, our brand new car was damaged while valet parking. I understand accidents happen sometimes. We had to take a car to get an estimate to repair shop first, then take photos, exchange emails multiple times with their insurance company. Now, I need to adjust the schedule and find someone who can follow me to drop off and pick up my car for repairs on weekdays of this busy season, unless you use Uber out of pocket. What makes us upset is that the hotel didn't even contact us about all these hassles. I assume the hotel does run valet parking, but we were guests for their restaurant who paid $50 for parking, $250 for lunch just 3 of us."

A Tripadvisor traveler review

Nov 26, 2025

Guest photos

Guest photo
Guest photo
Guest photo
Guest photo
Guest photo

+124

Reviews and certain descriptive content powered by

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay | Best Design-Driven Stays in Half Moon Bay