My Incredible Stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, in Azerbaijan [Review]

With a brand as synonymous with luxury travel as The Ritz-Carlton, you have certain expectations: good service, luxury amenities, and a comfortable bed. The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, was much more than that.

I spent 1 night here in late March 2026, and it was 364 nights less than I’d like to spend at this property.

From impeccable service to top-notch amenities and a beautiful design, this hotel has it all. Then, there’s the treatment for elite members.

While Ritz-Carlton properties normally have a steep price tag, this property in Azerbaijan’s capital was comparatively affordable.

Here’s what I loved about my stay and why it should be on your must-visit list for an affordable luxury hotel stay.

Booking The Ritz-Carlton, Baku

The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, offers a variety of room types, including residences. For my 1-night stay in late March 2026, the hotel offered standard rooms (Deluxe Guest Room) at a prepaid, nonrefundable rate starting at $283 for Marriott Bonvoy members. Flexible rates started at $354 per night.

However, one of the benefits of my Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card is an up-to-7% discount on eligible bookings. This rate was $336 per night — cheaper than the flexible rate but not as cheap as the prepaid rate.

Room prices climbed quickly, starting at $380 for rooms with club lounge access, $400 for a junior suite, $547 for a 1-bedroom apartment, and reaching $7,771 for the presidential suite.

Award bookings using Marriott Bonvoy points started at 37,000 points for a Deluxe Guest Room. Using 37,000 points to save $283 (the cost of the prepaid rate) provided a redemption value of 0.76 cents per point. That’s slightly above our valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each. The value is even better than the flexible rates.

Suites were available starting at 60,000 points per night. The 3-bedroom apartment I was upgraded to was available for $880 per night.

Hot Tip:

Marriott’s credit cards range from introductory to premium. Having one of these can help you earn extra points on upcoming stays, and all of these cards provide some level of elite status — meaning they can meaningfully improve your upcoming hotel stays.

Location of The Ritz-Carlton, Baku

The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, is in the Nasimi District of Baku, Azerbaijan’s bustling capital. The hotel is on Babek Avenue, putting it in the heart of the city’s modern business and cultural hub, and it’s close to the iconic Heydar Aliyev Center. It’s also relatively close to the Baku train station, bazaar, and “I love Baku” sign. However, the area isn’t really walkable due to the presence of highways.

What’s So Great About The Ritz-Carlton, Baku?

Let’s talk about why I loved this hotel.

Unreal Upgrades for Elite Members

If you have Marriott Bonvoy elite status, this is a hotel to get excited about. While the Ritz-Carlton brand doesn’t offer complimentary breakfast or lounge access to Bonvoy elite members, the perks I received were excellent.

A few days before arrival, my Marriott Bonvoy app notified me that my room had been upgraded to a junior suite. At check-in, I was upgraded again — to the best room available at the property.

I stayed in a 3-bedroom apartment, and each room had a king bed. Just the main bedroom alone would be a nice hotel stay, offering a comfortable bed and tech-forward controls for the lights and curtains.

The room also had a small sofa and a desk at the far end.

The gray marble in the bathroom looked beautiful, and I had a bathtub, a huge shower (with a nice bench), a toilet closet, big mirrors, and dual sinks. No amenity was lacking.

My apartment also had a living room with a chair and 2 sofas, a dining area with a wooden table and 4 chairs, and a full kitchen — including an espresso machine. Unfortunately, I needed to provide my own coffee to use it.

From my room on the 11th floor, I had great views toward the Heydar Aliyev Center and other parts of the city.

The apartment had 2 additional rooms and 2.5 more bathrooms to explore.

The 2 additional bedrooms were down a hallway adjacent to the living room. The first room had a small desk and a chair in the corner, along with a TV, a king bed, control panels, and more. Its small bathroom was across the hall.

At the end of the hall, another bedroom also boasted a king bed, lights, and its own bathroom.

Every room had abundant closet space. Closets also lined the hallway that led from the entry to the main bedroom. This hallway also led to the guest bathroom (a half bath) and the butler’s pantry next to it.

This apartment was immense. I used only a small corner of it. Any of the 3 rooms would be a great hotel room on its own, but together they made for a really incredible space.

Beautiful Design

Baku has some incredible buildings. The most famous examples are the Flame Towers and the Heydar Aliyev Center. The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, tower fits well into this design-forward landscape with its rounded tower.

Inside the building, the design hits kept coming. Bright, open spaces and local artwork filled public spaces.

I loved the sand-colored marble and geometric patterns on the floors. The mirrored elevators made them feel larger than they were, and the subdued signage had a refined look.

Fantastic Amenities

Picture Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap saying, “These amenities go up to 11.” Every amenity at the hotel was excellent, including the second-floor fitness center with a variety of weight machines and cardio equipment. The staff was actively cleaning the gym both times I stopped by.

My favorite amenity was also on the second floor: the wellness area. The wellness center had more than just a spa. Beyond the spa, the center had 2 identical facilities, one for adults and one for families.

There was also a sauna, steam room, relaxation room, and a hammam (often called a Turkish bath) on both the adults-only and family-friendly sides — meaning there were 2 of each. These were complimentary for guests, which I found incredible. Spa staff said it was possible to reserve a time at the facilities to ensure space availability.

Below the lobby, the underground area offered more seating and a hallway connecting to the ballroom, as well as high-end shops selling perfumes, purses, and more.

The ballroom was massive, and the hallway leading to it had local tapestries on the walls.

The most unique amenity was found in the lobby: a Whaletone piano that was equal parts musical instrument and space ship prototype. A pianist played nightly at 6 p.m.

Excellent Food and Beverage Outlets

The hotel’s restaurant, Tribeca, was on the ground floor. Its vaulted ceilings and countless windows gave it a very spacious feel. I had breakfast here during my stay (50 Azerbaijani manat, or around $29).

The breakfast buffet was impressive. There’s no other way to describe it. The multistation buffet had pastries galore, fresh fruits, cereals, pickles, olives, spreads, fresh jams, and more.

Beverages included fresh orange or pomegranate juice as well as homemade kombucha — something I’d never seen on a hotel buffet before.

Hot dishes were available upon request, and the menu clearly indicated allergens. Choices included waffles, pancakes, omelets, shakshuka, and even açaí. I was excited for the vegan breakfast. (Other hotels of the world, please take note that it’s possible to offer vegan options! Thanks.)

Tribeca was open from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., then again from 5 to 11 p.m., daily. It served 3 meals a day and had a bar that opened at noon.

Blind Tiger, behind reception, was open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily and was a refined cocktail bar with an attractive Prohibition-era look.

Great Service

From the moment I arrived until I departed in a taxi, service was exceptional. Bellhops appeared out of thin air to open the taxi door and help with luggage when I arrived. The check-in agent was super friendly throughout the process and when discussing my upgrade.

The concierge appeared with a hot towel and ginger tea while I was checking in and let me know he was available to help with anything I needed while in the city, whether it related to the hotel or outside its walls.

At breakfast, service was friendly and efficient. When I checked out, I found another smiling agent at the desk who helped me quickly and gave me a confirmation receipt that the hold on my credit card had been released. Then the bellhop and concierge stood around, chatting and joking with me, as we tracked my Bolt driver (a local ride-sharing app), who made multiple wrong turns en route to the hotel.

I had checked out. They had no further responsibilities to me, other than to say goodbye when I walked out the door, but they stood outside chatting with me like old friends, helped put my luggage in the car, and wished me a speedy return to the hotel.

Awards To Back It All Up

I’m not the only one who likes this hotel. Michelin awards stars to restaurants. It awards keys to hotels, and The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, is a 1-key property. The lobby also displayed other awards, including regional “best of” awards, a responsible tourism award, and a Green Key sustainability award.

Final Thoughts

Can someone forward my mail here? Honestly, 24 hours at The Ritz-Carlton, Baku, just wasn’t enough.

There were far too many amenities to experience during my short stay. It would have felt rushed. I’ll have to come back to experience more.

From excellent service and a beautiful look to high-quality amenities and a jaw-dropping upgrade, this hotel wowed me at every turn. Saying a Ritz-Carlton property exceeded expectations is a bold claim, but it’s true.

This is absolutely a hotel you should visit. I know I’ll be back.