A few years ago, we spent a week in Puerto Rico exploring a Caribbean island I didn’t know too much about. We fell in love with the people, nature and beaches and even got engaged there!  I was lucky enough to spend a day at the Ritz Carlton Reserve in Dorado Beach post-engagement, enjoying the beach, the spa and a dinner at Mi Casa, a Jose Andres restaurant.

Arriving at the Ritz Reserve

Pulling up to the subtle, beautiful entrance to the hotel, you are greeted by security who directs you into the property. They are friendly, helpful and direct you through the expansive property that is Dorado Beach.

The Beach

As day visitors, you are directed towards the beach club to the left of the property.

Walking in, you are surrounded by Buddha Bar music playing from speakers all over the property. There is a stunning infinity pool right in front of you with loungers both surrounding and inside the pool.

We went straight to the beach and were helped by the beach boys who set up our lounge chairs and provided us with towels. Honestly, of all the beaches we visited on the Puerto Rico mainland, this was absolutely the best beach.

The Ritz has placed large boulders out in the water to prevent waves from crashing into the beach. This has caused there to be a stunning, crystal clear lagoon that is perfect for swimming and lounging.  The stretch of beach is long and the sand is beautiful.

Of course, we headed over to the hotel’s private beach/pool area to check it out.

The pool area for the hotel guest’s is slightly larger, but also has the same in-pool lounger with jets that the Encanto beach club has.  There are hammocks, loungers and great music playing that gives it a great, loungey beach vibe.

The Spa

At 4pm, we had a spa appointment and let me tell you, it’s worth it.  The spa is BEAUTIFUL. The entrance has a large banyan tree in front of the traditional, Spanish building.

Inside, you walk through a lavender filled main room before reaching the check in desk on the other side.

We had a couples deep tissue massage that was fantastic and afterwards, spent several hours enjoying the facilities that included a plunge pool, a hot tub, a relaxation room, outdoor showers and a beautifully appointed changing area.

The spa offers a variety of services, but the real standout was the facilities.  They had the same facilities for both males and females and I had the whole place to myself. Save yourself about 2 hours to enjoy it- you won’t regret it.

If I could have done anything differently, I would have added on a bath after the massage because each massage pavilion had a beautiful bathtub outside that would have made it extra special.

Dinner at Mi Casa, by Jose Andres

After we were thoroughly relaxed, we were shuttled over to Mi Casa in a golf cart. Mi Casa is located in the main area of the Ritz Reserve hotel.

They offer an a-la-carte menu as well as a chef’s choice menu. There were so many things on the a-la-carte I wanted that we decided to pick our own selections.  Everything was absolutely fantastic.  The service was also 5 stars. Our waiter was always there when we needed something but never lingered or took our plates before we were ready.  He anticipated our needs and nailed it.

We chose 4 items from the tapas menu and then 2 from the main course.

We sat outside watching the sunset and enjoying a perfect meal.  I would absolutely recommend Mi Casa and will definitely return.

Overall, the Ritz Dorado is an incredible property. We left feeling relaxed, happy and enjoyed the luxurious experience it offered. The Encanto beach club is a beautiful accompaniment to the property and maintained the famous Ritz Carlton service standards and facilities offerings.

Have you ever been to the Ritz Reserve Dorado Beach? Did you love it?