Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Dorado, Puerto Rico

Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Dorado, Puerto Rico

Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is a seamless integration of modern and historic, creating an one-of-a-kind luxury resort experience on the northern coast of Puerto Rico.

Originally a coconut and grapefruit plantation built in 1905, the property was famously first developed into a resort in the 1950s by American conservationist Laurance Rockefeller. SB Architects carried the legacy of preservation forward by incorporating its modern architectural designs into the landscape, buildings, and ethos of the property. Existing foundations are utilized as the base for new construction; aggregate concrete made of material from the plantation’s original buildings was used to lay new pathways and sidewalks; and trees and paths from Rockefeller’s pioneering 1950s designs were preserved.

Operator

Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Project Type

Destination Resorts

Project Size

118,770 Total SF

Components

  • 114 beachfront guestrooms and suites
  • 29 Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residences
  • 8,000 square-foot fitness and wellness center for club members
  • Outdoor yoga studio
  • Fitness center and movement studio
  • Mi Casa restaurant and beachfront bar
  •  Botanico

THE ENVIRONMENT AND STRUCTURES ARE WARM AND INVITING, INFUSED WITH LAYERS OF REFERENCES TO THE SURROUNDING NATURAL WORLD AND TO THE MANY CULTURES THAT HAVE INFLUENCED LIFE ON THIS ISLAND.

A sense of legacy is also apparent in the aesthetic, where a unique blend of all the historic influences to have touched Dorado Beach can be found in the resort’s mid-century modern vernacular style, intricate Spanish detailing, and indigenous Taino decorative elements.

Dorado Beach is the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property on the American continents and a flagship project for SB Architects.

Su Casa hacienda—a home built by the plantation owner’s daughter in 1928—was renovated where it stood to become the Presidential Villa.

“Dorado Beach exemplifies the unique qualities of the Reserve brand, which is distinguished for its collection of locally-inspired properties that offer heartfelt care and transformative experiences in the most incredible corners of the world.”

Lisa Holladay, Global Brand Leader for Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

Entering Spa Botánico, a five-acre sanctuary within Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, feels a bit like discovering a lost world where healing botanicals bloom wildly.

COLLABORATORS: Interior Design – Wilson Associates

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