The Ritz SL ⭐️
April 2024 - Note, The Ritz is currently shut for refurbishment.
This article was originally put together for Attention SL Magazine. Take a look at the issue here. All pictures by Aria Christen, rights reserved
Hotels in Second Life come and go, but The Ritz SL, at two years old, stands as a beacon of excellence, celebrating its two-year anniversary with a makeover.
Owner Vlad Korobase has struck a balance between preserving the hotel's charm and classic European look and feel, and introducing a range of new features, including a branch of Fete, one of our favourite SL dining experiences.
As a result, whether you've been before or whether you are a first time visitor, now is the perfect time to go. With Fall now here, the grounds now also have an Autumn brown, which Aria has captured in these images.
The Ritz SL remains one of our favourite Second Life hotels and resorts, now even more so thanks to these latest enhancements. Without hesitation, we highly recommend this destination for anyone looking for a virtual getaway.
Website for further information
What you need to know
1 - This is a self-check in Hotel. You can browse the available rooms via the rental kiosk at reception or via the website. Once in the room, you have a short amount of time to pay the rental box
2 - Prices start at 800L per night, depending on the room
3 - This is a place where you are largely left to your own devices, but if you are after RP services, there is now a branch of Fete, where you can book dinner. Website for more information.
4 - The grounds are moderate. Just like in an RL hotel, you are expected to keep a certain amount of decorum in the public areas. The rooms themselves have adult furniture
5 - The rooms have privacy settings to avoid anyone just walking in
6 - Most of the resort is sectioned off for guests, you get a group tag when renting the room. There are a few public areas, such as the Fete restaurant, Hitchcocks Bar, and the street in front of the hotel with the art galleries
What we like about The Ritz
1 - The rooms and suites. We stayed in a brand new Imperial Suite, which has space for two couples, with two bedrooms on either side of a common living area. The highlight however is your own private spa, which you reach via an elevator.
For 1400L per night, this is really good value for money - especially if you go on a double date vacation.
2 - Fete. This is one of our favourite Second Life dining experiences, and we were really pleased to see them open up in The Ritz. Though we didn't manage to visit this time around, it is on our list of things to do soon.
3 - The Art District. This is open to the public and curated by Vlad's partner, Minerva Morningstar. Minerva is an art aficionado, has a long track record of running galleries in SL, and it really shows.
4 - The scale and size. It's easy to get lost here, there is a tonne to see and do.
5 - The main spa, which has been completely redecorated, looks great. This is now also occasionally used to host events.
Facilities
Here are just a few of the things you can do while at The Ritz:
There are plenty of outdoor games and activities, ranging from a football (soccer) penalty shootout game, which we enjoyed a lot, to a horse riding enclosure. You can easily spend a full afternoon or morning here, trying everything out
Hitchcock's Bar is open to the public, as is the art district and Fete restaurant (though for the latter you'll need a reservation)
The ballroom is being redone, we had a sneak preview, and it looks fantastic. When open, it will be used to stage regular live events
There is a wedding pavillion, and honeymoon suite
The Caves De Clisson is a full underground experience, complete with a 14th century backstory of love and betrayal for you to explore.
Overall
Whether you want to have a break with friends, take your significant other somewhere special, or even go on a solo vacation, The Ritz SL has it all.
One of the few places in Second Life which actually manages to mimic the look and feel of an actual RL hotel, the scale, design, attention to detail and the amount of effort that went in is amazing. Definitely worth a visit and a stay.