The Ritz-Carlton Dallas Club Level at Christmas sounded luxurious. It wasn’t. A firsthand review of a very expensive letdown.

I’ve stayed at Ritz-Carlton properties in multiple cities, and I don’t say this lightly: The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte is, by far, the worst one I’ve experienced. And even typing that feels strange, because “worst Ritz” should be an impossible phrase. Like “sad puppy” or “bad queso.”

Enter The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans — calm, grounded, elegant, and not haunted (as far as we could tell). The transition was instant. You walk through the doors, and the city noise fades, your shoulders drop, and your nervous system goes: