$342M Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve opens for business
The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property in the Americas officially opened for guests Wednesday in Dorado, bringing back to life the former Dorado Beach hotel five years after it was shuttered.
The $342 million property is designed to attract the wealthiest of clients, with rates starting at $1,499 per night. The swanky hotel seeks to set a new luxury benchmark for the Caribbean, its owners said.
“With the opening of this new hotel, the second Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the world, we open more doors to opportunity and growth of our tourism industry,” said Gov. Luis Fortuño during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We have provided the hospitality industry the economic tools necessary to continue its development and expansion to create jobs.”
The property obtained financing with a guarantee from the Government Development Bank’s Tourism Development Fund. Ritz-Carlton joined local partners Caribbean Property Group and PRISA Group to make the project possible. It is expected to generate 800 permanent jobs.
Situated on 1,400 acres of the former Laurance Rockefeller estate, the long awaited second Reserve, part of an exclusive collection of bespoke properties, will usher in a new level of luxury travel experiences for guests in the Western Hemisphere when it opens today.
“As a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, 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,” said Herve Humler, president of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
The lavish property has 100 guestrooms and 14 one-bedroom suites that sit directly on the beach. Among its amenities are the “Spa Botanico,” a five-acre botanical sanctuary of pampering and the highly anticipated Mi Casa restaurant by internationally acclaimed Chef José Andrés.
In addition to Mi Casa, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve offers three dining venues, including Positivo Sand Bar, situated parallel to the ocean offering magnificent vantage points with al fresco cuisine and cocktails; Encanto Beach Club Bar & Grill, an open-air bistro with freshly grilled cuisine for lunch and Asian-style selections for dinner; and La Cocina Gourmet, an outpost providing Puerto Rican coffees, homemade gelatos and local delights.
Also included in the property’s blueprint is the original home erected in the 1920s on the Dorado Beach property for the plantation land’s first owner, Clara Livingston. The restored and modernized home now known as “Su Casa” serves as a four-bedroom VIP villa overlooking the ocean.
“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,” Humler added.