Whether you are dreaming of a romantic getaway or a relaxing poolside escape, nothing says luxury quite like the Ritz Carlton. Known for its understated glam and blending seamlessly into the dreamy mountainscape, the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain is perfect for friends, couples, professionals, and even families. Tucked into the Tucson, Arizona landscape less than two hours from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and 40 minutes from Tucson International Airport (TUS), this desert oasis offers stunning views, first-class amenities, and unmatched service.

Depending on the time of year, a room can set you back anywhere from $300 during the summer months to over $2,000 a night peak season, not including your resort fees. (The $2k room being the presidential suite in the cooler months, naturally). 

So, is it possible to stay at a Ritz Carlton for under $100? Well, yes actually. In April, my fiancé and I did just that. With the right credit card and points or a free night award, you can too. Read on for our experience and tips to have your own luxury stay.

The Experience

If I had to describe my experience in one word, it would be ‘serene’. The drive up to Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain was a scenic, private road complete with a secure gate and ending in valet parking (included with the resort fee). We arrived on a Saturday and were greeted with friendly smiles, and the valet team took our bags for us and whisked the car away while we were shown to the check-in desk. Check-in was easy and we received a complimentary upgrade from the basic room to a fireside mountain view room. (How to ask for an upgrade, coming soon). We were offered sparkling rosé to welcome us to the property, and since the room wasn’t ready yet, we went to explore the pool. On the path over we encountered the resident desert tortoise, who really brought a “bring-the-desert-to-you” vibe. We were offered towels, water, and even sunscreen at the pool entrance. The sparkling infinity pool was surrounded by stunning mountain views and offered all the expected luxury. Fluffy towels, shaded loungers, and poolside bar service accompanied the upbeat music, and the pool was busy but not overly crowded. There was plenty of seating in both the sun and the shade. We had packed our swimsuits in my tote, so we changed and got to enjoy it right away. The poolside bathrooms were very clean, surprisingly dry, and spacious enough to change comfortably (not at all a typical poolside bathroom). The people at the pool were a big mix of young 20-somethings to older adults, and no kids (there is a separate family-friendly pool complete with a water slide). It was perfectly relaxing. Later in the day, live Native American flutes were played and amplified throughout the resort which we were able to enjoy from the pool. The sound was so peaceful and added to the tranquil ambiance.

Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain is surrounded by numerous walking paths and hiking trails, and we wandered around the paved paths for a while. At the base of the guided hiking trail, there were picnic tables and horseshoes. Playing horseshoes was such a fun, unexpected moment and it really added to the magic of the overall resort. Walking back, we passed an adorable, surprisingly busy smores bar set up for families. We also encountered a lone javelina munching on cactus who may be a frequent resort guest, because he didn’t mind the passersby at all.

That evening, we headed to Ignite bar for a cocktail (a little tradition of ours – we get a drink at every hotel we visit). The experience was top-notch. The bar had mood lighting, lively music (that wasn’t too loud), and great seating options with plenty of cushioned barstools at the bar itself. I highly recommend the Ignite margarita - a little bit of chipotle spice, a little bit of mango sweet, and a generous pour of tequila. A fun group was at the bar next to us, and we bantered for a bit. Fresh sushi was being made off to the side of the bar, and all of the bar eats looked delectable. All this is to say Ignite is not your usual sleepy hotel bar; it’s a can’t-miss experience.

We headed into Tucson for a late dinner at Wild Garlic and when we came back, the hotel was pretty quiet and the bar was closed. We took the opportunity to relish the starry view from our patio with some drinks.

Unfortunately, the air conditioning didn’t want to play nice around 4:00 AM and we could not get the room under about 80 degrees. I’m not sure if this was a hotel-wide issue, but the front desk said that all of the box fans were already distributed and offered to send an engineer to take a look. A friendly technician was in our room less than 20 minutes later but couldn’t get the unit to work. The front desk offered us a late checkout and either a new room or a $100 resort credit. Since I was tired and didn’t want to pack our things, we accepted the room credit. Leaving the patio door open helped significantly until the sun came up, but I am confident this is because we were there in spring. If this happened in the summer, we would have had to switch rooms. The staff was so professional and polite that the A/C situation really didn’t taint the overall experience (other than necessitating an extra shot of espresso later that day).

In the morning, I promptly used the Nespresso for a much-needed caffeine boost. We walked the property again with our coffee and soaked in the peaceful views. Later, Turquesa Latin Grill by the pool offered great views, shade, and delicious fish tacos and ceviche for lunch. Around 2:00 PM, we headed to check out.

Checkout was smooth, valet was quick, and it was finally time to say goodbye to the Ritz Carlton. The weekend was so relaxing. I definitely have to give this experience a 5 out of 5 stars and I hope to be back again soon. Want to experience it for yourself? Read on for several different ways to find yourself at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain for only $68 of resort fees and taxes.

The How-To

There are a few ways you can go about staying at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain for only the resort fee. For starters, you will need either a Marriot credit card that earns an annual free night, or a credit card that lets you transfer points to Marriot. If you are a Marriot Bonvoy loyalty member, you can also earn points with each stay.

Some credit cards also offer free nights as sign-up bonuses. For example, the Chase Marriot Bonvoy Boundless is offering three free nights as a sign-up bonus (as of May 2023).

Once you have acquired your free night certificate or enough points, you can head to Marriot’s website directly to book.

If you don’t yet have credit card points and you still want to experience this beautiful hotel, you can still find a great deal! At the time of writing this, the Ritz is offering ‘Prepay and Save’ rooms for $279 (which includes the resort fees) on select summer dates. These are prepaid, non-refundable, and non-changeable, but will save you over $50 on select rooms.

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