First U.S. Ritz-Carlton Reserve to Debut in Puerto Rico

 Ritz-Carlton will open the second property in its Reserve collection, and the first in the Americas, in Puerto Rico. The 115-room Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is scheduled to debut in December 2012. The luxury hotel and residences will be tucked away on 1,400 acres of Caribbean coastline and will be the centerpiece of the Dorado Beach Resort restoration, a makeover of the island resort first opened by Laurance S. Rockefeller more than 50 years ago. The original plantation hacienda, known as Su Casa, is being renovated to its original 1920s style and will serve as a five-bedroom beachfront VIP villa, designed for weddings and private parties. Also in the works are a five-acre spa and a new beach club. The Wind and Waves Center will offer Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment educational program for adults and children. The Dorado Beach Ritz-Carlton Reserve joins Phulay Bay, in Southern Thailand, to become the second in brand's the portfolio, which was designed to offer casually elegant boutique properties in exotic destinations.