Morgan’s Point To Be Ritz-Carlton Reserve Brand
Morgan’s Point Ltd has secured the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand — the highest end of Ritz-Carlton hospitality brand — for the planned hotel in Southampton, Minister of Finance Bob Richards said yesterday [Dec 5] in the House of Assembly.
This was revealed as the Minister was being questioned by the Opposition in reference to his Ministerial statement about the Government guarantee to Arch Reinsurance on behalf of Morgan’s Point to provide credit support for a $5,000,000 loan.
When asked why the guarantee amount was increased, Minister Richards said, “The reason has to do with the brand that Morgan’s Point eventually went with. The first phase is going to be a Ritz Carlton Reserve brand, which is the highest end of the Ritz Carlton spectrum.
“Because they have agreed with Ritz Carlton for this Ritz Carlton Reserve brand for that phase, obviously it requires more money…a higher cost infrastructure, that is the reason for the change,” added the Minister.
Audio of the exchange in Parliament on Friday:
According to a statement from Minister of Public Works Patricia Gordon-Pamplin earlier this year, Morgan’s Point intends to construct two hotels, a boutique hotel in phase 1 consisting of 235 units and a luxury hotel with 416 keys in a later phase.
Ritz-Carlton Reserve is the luxury arm of the Ritz-Carlton hospitality brand, and in describing the concept, the company said: “Ritz-Carlton Reserve is a complete escape to the unexpected – a private, exclusive travel experience blending unique elements of the local culture, history, heritage and respect for the environment.
“For the most discerning travelers seeking a personalized and luxurious escape, Reserve properties are tucked away in the most exquisite corners of the world, featuring chic, relaxed and intimate settings that weave indigenous flavors with highly responsive and individualized service.”
2012 promo video from Ritz-Carlton Reserve
The Ritz-Carlton Reserve website presently lists the brand as having six locations: Thailand, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Puerto Rico and Bali.
Read More About
Category: All, Business, News, Politics
Should we collectively hold our breath?
Only if you are walking by members of the previous government
Men, Chocolate and “Coffee” are all better if rich! And Coffee, you are rich.
LOL. It’s safe this time. Of course if you are still holding your breath over the Club Med site or the 99% “there” Hotel on Par-La-Ville you’d be long dead by now.
For the November 2011 ground breaking at the Grand Hyatt?
Please start without me Coffee.
This sounds good. But once the Americs Cup is gone who will stay at this hotel? Like Tucker’s Point….
@KE, the whole idea of the Americas Cup is once they are gone, Bermuda then will be on tourist map once again!! The exposure will be second to none for us, also the Ritz will advertise their new location in Bermuda heavily, beleive me!!! This is all good, every peice of good news is one more nail in the plp coffin!!!
Yeah just like the all the exposure and tourist we got from having the Grand Slam here. Ok I get it so now Bermuda should be the premiere golfing destination of the world..
Respectfully, the Grand Slam is nothing in terms of popularity compared to the America’s cup. It’s like comparing a shack to a mansion.
they’re called TOURISTS
Tuckers Point’s occupancy rates have been high the last few years and the hotel is doing quite well.
They are in the black this year and operating at a profit.
You clearly do not understand HOW the hotel industry works.
The difference is that Ritz Carlton is perhaps the most respected brand in hospitality, with major clout. Rosewood that manages Tuckers Point is nowhere close. Meaning Morgans Point will be first on search engines, having huge advertising, and millions of people will come because it is a Ritz property.
I think it will be a major success.
It’s been a decent few weeks for Bermuda.
Rosewood is actually a higher quality brand than Ritz which is Marriott.
I didn’t say anything about quality. Even so, RC, 4 Seasons and Mandarin. They fill the quality/clout Champions League spots.
The people who watched the AC on TV. Millions of viewers and perfect demographics.
Very valid point. We try to attract the high end visitor but our product just doesn’t cater to the high end visitor the way the high end visitor demands.
Except we don’t actually try.
Currently, tired properties with inconsistent service charge high end prices.
This AC announcement is going to attract the kind of improvements to our product that is sorely needed and we will be in much better shape to then appeal to those high end tourists.
Yeah you’re right. We shouldn’t bother. Carry on sitting on that wall.
I agree this is a stupid idea, this hotel is going to have rooms that cost around $400 up a night. The average tourist is looking at paying $150 a night.This hotel will be in major debt after a few years. Remember what happened at Tuckers Point and that property is first class.
Why not a Holiday Inn or something on that level? Are we looking for more affordable beds or another larger expensive empty hotel?
What’s the expected date for it’s opening 2019?
Have you given any thought to the fact that those that stay in Holiday Inns don’t travel internationally much??? Of course you haven’t!! We need the higher end visitors who can actually afford to comfortably come here and spend money, the last thing we need is more plp encouraged low end visitors who will only want to eat their free meals in a hotel after they scraped up enough money to buy a plane ticket!! plp economics did not work when they were in power and it sure as heck will not work in the future!!! Also if you actually do a little research, you will find that Tucker’s Point is doing better now as was said on another post on this thread!!!! Also being I actually have some inside knowledge of Newstead Hotel, I can tell you their occupancy rates are doing better as well!! As a person that has been successful in business, I can tell you the last thing we need is a Holiday Inn, because THAT will not work!!!
i guess if you strive for “average” then this is a dumb idea.
@coffee, this news is just killing you and the plp isn’t it??? As promised, the OBA seeds that were planted on Dec 17th, 2012 are now starting to bear fruit, inspite of the plp every step of the way turning off the irrigation system??? Please plp just stay out of the way,, watch and learn is what you need to be doing!!!!
The PLP interpret progress in the wrong way. They see it as part of some secret plan to do something untoward. The greatest irony is that the OBA are coming to the salvation of many who voted PLP. The deepest irony is that the OBA is not the boogie man. It’s those lot who say they are. The OBA is an ACTION party that has the innovative thinking to get things done in Bermuda to save us from the PLP mess we’re in. The climax of DREB’s “platinum period” was him blowing up the St. Geo hotel. I hope everyone watches that implosion again, and understand that it symbolized the PLP regime.
With all of these new developmentsand jobs coming on board, all the PLP have left is negativity, finger pointing and playing the race card. They had 14 years, some of the most properous in Bermuda and what did they do with it? Evened scores, drove away investments and expats, left $2B in debt and generally made life worse for thier support base.
if folks like best did not stop the hotel from being built on south shore it would be open now
What folks stopped the Hyatt then? And the hotel next to Grand Atlantic?
What kills me is the stupid nonsense posted by people who before 2008 were falling over themselves to invest in Bermuda by way of business and buying up and driving the real estate market well out of the reach of the average man and woman …. Short memories I say … Meanwhile England’s deficit is over 90 billion this fiscal year and ours will be $300 mil perhaps , I know we can’t afford it but again Bermuda works best when we work together ! Thanks for the memories …
Nice try. England and the US can print their own money. We can’t and they have a higher tax base. With this type if logic, no wonder the PLP bankrupted Bermuda
If only you would stop trying to pass off nonsense as fact I would take you seriously !
You should have a word with Zane.
It amazes me that people can find a negative, when life is turning around for the better, no one has the answer to what 2018 will look like after the Cup is gone, but if we step up and make the magic this Island used to, you can be sure those Hotels will be filled. If you are happier sitting on the wall doing nothing, I’m afraid your going to have to move,because Bermuda is moving forward without you!
Wow – this is going to be amazing! Congratulations to all those who worked hard to secure this!
Ritz Carlton has guests who will only stay in a Ritz Carlton property. This is a case of build it and they will come. Fantastic news.
Like a very high end Club Med it will be self containted. Ritz Carlton cannot afford to expose their very demanding guests to anything but the very best. They pay top dollar. They deserve top dollar everything.
Here is a chance for former Horizons employees to be serving cream of the crop guests again.
Oh no!!! More bad news for Alaska Hall.
The overall picture is that this does exactly what for the average Bermudian, after it is built, how many real Bermudians will be employed to build it, how many real Bermudians will work in the establishment once completed, then who will it cater to,(High enders who don’t spend money) we need affordable hotels and accommodations to attract the real volume of visitors that we are seeking.
I am all for the hotel and what it will bring to Bermuda, but everything that we have heard in recent years,caters to the rich and nothing for main stream people who really made up our tourism numbers in years gone by. This is a plan designed to get rid of the middle class, and just have the have’s and the have not’s, pathetic.
If the average real Bermudian as you put it is a pessimistic as you, then it will do very little for them.
What a great opportunity for our youth interested in pursuing a career in hotels and hospitality to have such an exclusive brand here.
What a great opportunity for unemployed tradesmen.
You have to go and grasp them though, not wait for them to come to you.
Assuming real Bermudians are world class at their jobs, this will be a world class resort they can work in.
Good news, right Duane?
Great positive comments! These developments will employ a lot more Bermudians than if these developments were not to happen at all. The whole point is to stimulate the Bermuda economy. To suggest that Bermudian,s which include myself, would not be part of that picture is ridiculous and off base. Bermuda will never attract the tourists of old. They are now arriving on cruise ships instead. Bermuda is now as you say a place where rich people will come, as long as we provide the level of service that they demand. That can be our niche in the world. We must deliver.
What would you suggest we do then Mr Santucci? Should we NOT build the hotel? Perhaps we should do what PLP did for the average Bermudian – that would be NOTHING.
Or perhaps you’d prefer for us to pray – which is really the same as doing nothing except that you put money in the collection plate at the same time. In which case doing nothing costs money.
There is an opportunity here for every Bermudian – except the inefficient and the lazy who will sit and complain. Unfortunately some people see the negative in everything.
You know you sound realy ignorant when you say “real Bermudians” if so that would only be the spaniards who discovered the island or the British who colonised it! what is a real Bermudian in your opinión? from what i gather you are living outside of Bermuda and can not seem to let go !Stop taking up space in other peoples country and if so stop talking sh*t! enough already ! i was recently told by someone that i am not a real Bermudian yet this person who’s mother is from the west indies is only a prc! so please enlighten me about who is a real Bermudian because most have an ancestry for about 100 years i am one of them. if if by real Bermudian you are talking about the most inbread then do explain!
Enjoying sitting on the wall moaning how hard done by you are. The smart Bermudians aren’t .
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!!
Does this mean Ritz Carlton isn’t actually building it with their resources? That it may just be allowed to use their name,IF it meets their standards? Sounds like a good/easy deal RC. $5million represents a residential development “investment” not international resort development. Nothing like a Bahamas style Atlantis!
Why do people in Bermuda always talk about like Bahamas Atlantis like it’s the Holy Grail of hotels?
$5m is seed money to develop plans. More money will be invested as the project is developed. Brands do not develop hotels themselves. Developer do.
The RC would operate the hotel. Like Fairmont.
Sure as hell won’t be Correia or DeSilva Cunstrusheon….
@ Terry: Let’s hope as sure as hell it’s not either one
yet don’t be too surprise if it ends up being so. (Hypothetically speaking) If by chance there are others capable of constructing these new hotels etc. then who are they and will the B.I.U. have nothing to complain about if not include? Which companies are not associated with the B.I.U.?
You obviously don’t know how hotels work. Hardly any hotel company actively owns the properties. Ritz-Carlton has input into the design and specification of the hotel, but, otherwise, they are responsible only for the management of the property. Same thing with Fairmont, as noted.
I don’t know about anyone else but I feel bad for the PLP. They had a huge chance to shine but completely screwed it up, had a shocking defeat to a party that had only been around for 18 months. And now, despite their daily disruptive rantings, Bermuda is doing better than ever and going from strength to strength. Very sad for a once great party – to see it now sitting in a bath chair wearing diapers- not able to do anything for itself.
It is as if the PLP has gone out of business.
But that’s what happens when you use the race card at every turn, deceive your own people, and do absolutely nothing of any value. You very nearly ruined Bermuda – but we are back!
You are architects of your own destiny. Goodbye PLP. I wish I could say its been good to know you.
Perhaps we should have a PLP day of remembrance? Or just a party. A wake would be good.
Oh no,
Please don’t judge too fast!
More debt to add to the $2 billion!
“Minister Richards was being quizzed on the total amount government would dedicate to phase one of the project as the figure had been increased by $40m to $165m.”
Government is risking the public money on a project that private investors won’t support.
As regards brand operators ring anyone up and fir 15% of the revenues they will all put a sign up outside.
Mandrin Oriental is the best and tanked at Elbow.
Wrong. This is a guarantee. No money has been spent. Pay attention.
Zero debt. Like the $200m PLP Bank of Butterfield deal, it’s a backstop. It does not add to debt.
Dislike all you like. It does not add a penny to debt.
Sadly they did not have the promised “Platinum Period” of Tourism and hundreds of millions were pumped into a Ministry of Tourism that kept doing the same things and expecting different results. I suspect Elbow Beach will suddenly be looked upon by its owners as a worthwhile venture…NOW. Maybe they can now start to Feel the Love?
Elbow Beach will be back fully operational in the near future. They currently have contruction machines crawling all over their property. Remember a few months ago, the owner of the hotel, an Arab Price, came down and met with the Premier? Well something came of it, and Elbow will be back as one of our premiere hotels! Oh, and i am sure that the Americas Cup was mentioned at said meeting too!
Have a little more faith in the people that were elected to run the country mate!!
Thank the Lord the OBA are the govt.The PLP deceived us with promises of development.Now we have a govt for the people!
True, Bermuda / Bermudians and outside investor now have a Govt. that’s for the betterment of all and not a Govt. lead by an individual who had been a small fish in a large ocean while being a U.S.A. citizen. He’d chose to return to Bermuda and with that “gift of gab” along with crap did over a short period become a big fish in a small pond…(We had to deceive / lie to you. Don’t ever forget them words u’lot)
I won’t go all out and say that they’re for the people…
Well I don’t about all you grouches but I for one will gladly work on the project and provide them with the standard that they require…and will love every minute of it
“Mandrin Oriental” is the best?
I travel 200 or more days a year and I do stay regularly in the Worlds best hotels and quite frankly Mandarin Oriental (correct spelling) is less traditional than the Ritz Carlton brand (the Mandarin is more contemporary) and they charge the highest room rates across the board. Service at both brands are great BUT for an extra $120+ dollars a night on average more for the Mandarin it is hard to justify the spend when the amenities are very comparable.
And you cannot compare Elbow Beach to a true “Mandarin” – there was a complete lack of investment in the Elbow Beach and I don’t care who ran it day to day but you cant provide world class service and amenities without a world class investment in the property and the staff!
What Bermuda needs (and is now apparently getting) is the injection of millions of dollars to get our properties and people to a level where the amenities can help drive the type of business we want and need. We cannot put the Elbow Beach up against the New York or Singapore Mandarins (we just cant) as the investment profiles are too different to even start to compare value for dollar invested.
The real good news is that the Ritz brand WILL attract not only the contemporary traveler who looks for Mandarin service and opulence but also the more traditional traveler who expects more in the way of automation and cutting edge services like virtual concierges, etc. We can attract BOTH types of these travelers who (like myself) put more of an emphasis on the value of the entire stay versus what the lobby and bathroom looks like!
Also remember that the Ritz awards program and its affiliation with Marriott will bring us the seasoned traveler who wants to use their rewards points for a trip to Bermuda. This pales in comparison to the points program at Mandarins!
The customer has changed Bermuda! Yes we will get some of the upper class checking into a hotel BUT we will get a lot more of the intelligent and frequent world traveler who wants value and somewhere they can earn / use their well earned rewards and Bermuda does not offer that (currently) along the lines of Ritz Carlton / Marriott
Go Bermuda – definitely on the right track with Ritz Carlton!
So a Marriott Brand is returning to Bermuda – finally! Marriott has the longest reach of any hotel company.
No, the Ritz Carlton brand is coming.
This absolutely fabulous news for Bermuda. Keep them coming OBA….two years and you’ve done so much — I for one applaud you and will keep supporting you every step of the way! Great for ALL Bermudian!
MIKADO’S IS COMIN BACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!
yachting is our fuuture, we must brand Bermuda as such,racing and laybye…entertainment with plesent indiginous music (within our brand)…other events not without merit,cricket,soccer,diving tours, sailing events must be branded Bermuda from a heritage viewpoint…we truley don’t market ourselves…in school we do not teach our own history…when it should be there for all to see…where is our whaling display,our pilotting display…it should be as synonomis as mark bean and rude
“As we’lot wood say; ain’t dat de truff”:-) Bermuda / Bermudians must promote one another if we wish to see better days ahead… Unfortunately we are / have been our own worse enemy and this must change if we want to see a change for ourselves and our future generations because our (Bermudas) economy is in quite rut and needs to “pull up their trousers”!
synonomizz
Some readers posting (those who not insiders in the Morgan’s Point deal) will recall the SAGE Report
Bermuda’s $2,000,000 debt is unsustainable and growing at $300 Million a year.
Government has committed $145,000,000 to supporting the first phase of this speculative privately owned hotel.
A guaranty means you pay if the development goes bust – like Tuckers Point, Newstead, Pink Beaches, Coral Beach.
So every Bermudan is being exposed to this risk.
Private sector funded hotels are being developed.
Why does Morgan’s Punt receive this special treatment?