The hotel ’ s ground floor guestrooms feature floor-toceiling sliding doors with ocean views .
DORADO BEACH , A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE
OPENING DATE : December 12 , 2012
SIZE : 115 guestrooms , 14 condominiums , three restaurants and a cafe , a 5-acre ( 2-hectare ) spa and an 11-mi ( 17-km ) nature trail located on a 1,400-acre ( 566-hectare ) site
LOCATION : 20 mi ( 32 km ) west of San Juan on Puerto Rico ’ s Atlantic coast
COST : US $ 342 million
GENERAL MANAGER : Alejandro Helbling
OWNERS : Caribbean Property Group , New York City ; PRISA Group , Dorado , Puerto Rico ; and an anonymous third party
ARCHITECT : SB Architects , Miami and San Francisco
LEAD INTERIOR DESIGNER : Bill Bensley Designs , Bangkok
DESIGN AESTHETIC : An open-air concept in which ocean views and foliage take center stage . Buildings are modern and minimal with a focus on natural tones .
The latest ultra-luxe Ritz-Carlton offers open-air design in an historic setting .
Dorado Beach , a Ritz-Carlton Reserve , is the second property to open under this new Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co . brand , where open-air design highlights the natural beauty of the setting .
The site was formerly one of Laurence Rockefeller ’ s RockResorts , where Rockefeller intended guests to immerse themselves in the natural surroundings when it opened in 1958 . “ The hotel today follows essentially the same design structure as the original hotel , as it is comprised of a series of buildings no larger than two stories high similar to how Rockefeller originally intended ,” says Alejandro Helbling , the hotel ’ s general manager . “ Harmony amid nature , as well as environmental preservation , were key design components during the Rockefeller days , and we adhered to this aesthetic and ideology when constructing the resort . The interiors reflect a modern yet minimal design style that focuses on natural tones and the hotel ’ s beautiful backdrop .”
That ’ s not to say the redesign from the property ’ s previous life as a Hyatt resort was not extensive . The cost of the redevelopment was US $ 342 million , and it took five years . “ It was not a renovation as much as it was a redevelopment ,” Helbling says . “ We tore down the original hotel buildings ( except Su Casa ) and raised new buildings on the footprints of old buildings .”
The Su Casa building , an 8,000-sq-ft ( 743-sq-m ) four-bedroom villa , dates back to the 1920s when the site was a plantation , and the architectural firm that designed the hotel says the history of Puerto Rico influenced the property ’ s design .
“ The architecture and interiors incorporate patterns from the natural environment and from multiple and stylistic influences that came together on this island — patterns from Tahino culture , design details inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture and fixtures and furniture inspired by the seashore and surrounding coral reef ,” says Scott Lee , president and principal of SB Architects . “ The architecture is contemporary , but we drew heavily from the mid-century modern vernacular in a direct reference to the period that gave rise to the original Dorado Beach Resort .”
“ It is a more intimate experience than a Ritz-Carlton ,” Herve Humler , The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co . president and COO , says of this second Ritz-Carlton Reserve ( the first is located in Krabi , Thailand ). “ The core service philosophy is the same , and Reserves will have a higher staff-to-guest ratio . We will provide more discrete service by a personal concierge or butler . For example , if someone wants to eat on the beach at twilight with a bonfire and their kids — we can make that happen for them . This is our first Reserve in North America , and the reception has already been a testimony to the demand for it .”
Despite opening in the challenging Caribbean market , the starting opening rate during high season is US $ 1,499 per night , and Helbling says occupancy levels are solid . “ We ’ re having a very strong season ,” he adds .
Humler says the next Reserves to open will be located in San José del Cabo , Mexico ; Tamuda Bay , Morocco ; and Ubud , Bali .
www . hotelsmag . com April 2013 HOTELS 39