When you hear the name, Ritz-Carlton, you think top global luxury hospitality brand. “But if there is one knock the company gets in deluxe travel circles,” Larry Olmsted, contributing writer to Forbes.com, said, “it is for being ‘too cookie cutter.’”
And that’s where Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand comes in—signature one-of-a-kind boutique resorts around the world, each with a distinctive sense of place (Olmsted).
According to the Ritz-Carlton company, “The Reserve is for travelers seeking to discover a singular location and peerless resort that, through its design and services, has a distinctive personality that blends together the culture, history and heritage of its setting. The Reserve brand extension will be distinguished from other award-winning resorts by offering guests’ exotic, hand-selected ‘hideaway’ destinations globally; a relaxed, casually elegant atmosphere; and an even greater level of individualized service through a higher staff to guest ratio.”
The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve was opened in Phulay Bay, Thailand. And on December 12, 2012, the second Reserve—Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve—opened in Puerto Rico.
The resort is the 1,400 acre former Laurance Rockefeller estate. It has 100 guestrooms, 14 one-bedroom suites sitting directly on the beach and one villa. Other features include floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that entirely disappear to create seamless ocean views, outdoor garden showers, individual infinity-edge pools, a water sports center, three 18-hold golf courses, luxurious cabanas and much more.
Herve Humler, President and COO for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C, said, “The philosophy behind Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is to immerse guests into Puerto Rico’s rich history and extraordinary landscape while providing an unparalleled luxury travel experience unlike any other. Reflective of Laurance Rockefeller’s vision from more than 50 years ago of a natural sanctuary, the island is a combination of historical charm and metropolitan life blending serenity and a pristine backdrop—a perfect location for the Ritz-Carlton Reserve experience.”
Future Ritz-Carlton Reserves are planned for Los Cabos, Mexico; Muscat, Oman; Tamuda Bay, Morocco; and the Turks & Caicos.
For more information on the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand, check out Olmsted’s article on Forbes.com.
