The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is opening three new resorts this month. On December 9, the $300 million Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe (left) will debut with 170 guestrooms and residences, Manzanita restaurant, Highlands Spa, 15,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor space, a Club Level, and ski-in/ski-out access. Sporting a Northern California contemporary design, guestrooms and suites feature gas fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, and marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and separate showers. Hornberger + Worstell served as the architecture firm, while BraytonHughes handled interior design.
Further south, the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain near Tucson, Arizona, welcomes its first guests on December 18. Nestled in the foothills of the dramatic Tortolita Mountains, the 250-room low rise resort is surrounded by thousands of Saguaro cacti, ancient petroglyphs left by the Hohokam Indians, and native wildlife living. Guests can also select from a small group of secluded casitas overlooking Wild Burro Canyon. Other amenities include a spa, CORE Kitchen and Wine Bar, a spa, and a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. The design team includes HKS Hill Glazier Studios as architect, Douglas Fredrikson Architects for the golf clubhouse, Wilson Associates on interior design, and EDG Interior Architecture + Design for the signature restaurant.
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Finally, on December 22, Ritz-Carlton will introduce its first Reserve property at Phulay Bay (left) in Krabi, Southern Thailand. Guests enter the resort over a stepping-stone walkway that leads them to a wooden Thai pavilion situated on an island surrounded by thousands of gently flickering candles. Meanwhile, contemporary Thai style permeates the property’s 54 villas, while high aubergine walls and "hedges" made from indigenous trees offer guests a connection with nature.
In addition, Ritz-Carlton has announced that it will open its first hotel in Israel in 2012, according to Reuters. The 110-room hotel is set for Herzliya, an upscale suburb of Tel Aviv that serves as the country’s main high-tech center.
