Ritz-Carlton Reserve to Open in Puerto Rico

Ritz-Carlton is to open its first Reserve property in the Americas in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico.

The resort will be the second in the  portfolio worldwide, joining Phulay Bay in Krabi, Southern Thailand.

The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, an 115-key oceanfront hotel and residences, will be the centerpiece of the renovation of the Dorado Beach Resort set to open in December 2012.

The developers of the Dorado Beach Resort are also creating West Beach and East Beach, the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve branded Residences showcasing a new level of luxury and sustainability. The initial phase of 13 beachfront condominiums at West Beach is already sold out and under construction. The developers are currently accepting reservations for a second phase of 14 additional West Beach units, plus 18 villas and townhomes at East Beach.

“With world-class golf, a lush forest environment, and some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, Dorado Beach is the perfect setting to debut the first Reserve experience in the Americas,” said Herve Humler, president and chief operations officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “Blending serenity, a secluded landscape and a wealth of recreational options, the resort will reflect the original developer Laurance Rockefeller’s vision more than 50 years ago of a natural sanctuary in one of the Caribbean’s most pristine island locations.”

Ideally situated on three miles of Caribbean coastline, with 1,400 acres of natural beauty, privacy and luxury, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, includes 100 guestrooms and 14 one-bedroom suites, all directly on the beach, plus Su Casa, the original plantation hacienda renovated back to its original 1920s style to serve as a five-bedroom beachfront VIP villa, perfect for weddings and private parties.

Dorado Beach will also include a five-acre, botanical spa; a new Beach Club; and a Wind and Waves center featuring Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment, a celebrated program that will provide innovative, hands-on eco-adventures for adults, teens and children using Dorado Beach as a natural classroom.

The new Ritz-Carlton Reserve hotel was ‘grandfathered’ to be built on the footprint of the original hotel, so every guestroom, residence, and the restaurant is directly on the beach, only steps from sea.

“Since 1958, Dorado Beach has lured generations of discerning families, celebrities and dignitaries to its rare tropical paradise, and we are thrilled to work closely with The Ritz-Carlton to bring this legendary resort back to the forefront of Caribbean destinations,” said Mark Lipschutz, principal and CEO, Caribbean Property Group, developer of Dorado Beach Resort along with the PRISA Group. “Dorado Beach today is already an amazing resort with four Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf courses, three miles of magnificent beaches, an 11-mile Rockefeller nature trail, The Watermill water park, and a new 8,000-square-foot Dorado Beach Fitness and Wellness Center. Now, with the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve hotel and spa and Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residences, Dorado Beach will again take its place as one of the finest resorts in the world.”

The project secured construction financing one year ago with a guarantee from the Tourism Development Fund of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve hotel and spa, and the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residences, are under construction and scheduled to open in December 2012.

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