MIAMI, FL – The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., recognized as the global leader in luxury surroundings, service and residential lifestyle, will introduce its exclusive new resort brand extension, The Reserve, in the Caribbean with the 2009 debut of Molasses Reef, a 125-room boutique hotel on the secluded island of West Caicos, in The Turks and Caicos Islands. The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property, Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will open in Krabi, Thailand in February 2009. Other select destinations around the world are under consideration for future Reserve locations.
“A departure for Ritz-Carlton in size and scope, The Reserve brand extension will feature signature, one-of-a-kind boutique resorts located in choice settings, each with a distinctive personality and sense of place,” said Simon F. Cooper, president and chief operating officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. A refuge from the expected, 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 will be distinguished from other award-winning Ritz-Carlton resorts by offering guests’ exotic, hand-selected “hideaway” destinations; a relaxed, casually elegant atmosphere; and an even greater level of individualized service through a higher staff to guest ratio.
“With some of the most sublime, virgin beaches and brilliant azure water in the Caribbean, a 500-acre natural wildlife sanctuary, unspoiled natural beauty, and reachable only by boat, small plane or helicopter, West Caicos is a natural choice for the first Caribbean resort in The Reserve brand extension,” said Cooper. “For the first time in 100 years, West Caicos will open its shores to a new settlement – Molasses Reef, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Our guests will be among the first to discover this new destination in the Caribbean,” he added. To ensure the island remains unspoiled, a large portion of the acreage will stay permanently undeveloped, preserving this sanctuary for generations to come.
THE RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL COMPANY, L.L.C. INTRODUCES THE RESERVE/2
With a site-sensitive, eco-conscious design approach, Molasses Reef will feature groupings of low-density, intimate oceanfront cottages, spread over a half-mile of beach. Designed by noted architect Scott Lee of SB Architects, Molasses Reef will combine barefoot luxury with minimal environmental impact, with spa bungalows, verdant garden courtyards, and secluded plunge pools winding throughout the resort grounds. The resort will also feature oceanfront Molasses Reef Island Villas, private home sites, a full-service marina and other exclusive residential options for purchase. Real estate prices begin at $2.7 million.
About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, Md operates 72 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Over 30 projects are under development around the globe with future openings including Shenzhen, Phulay Bay and Rancho Mirage. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, which recognized outstanding customer service.
