http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2009-11-25T20:12:07Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Ritz-Carlton%20Hotels http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/24/161654/29 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/gingerbreadhouse2009.jpg" class="top"><p> <i>Pshaw. This is child's play.</i><p><i>Not only do hotels like to dream up some <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/holiday cocktails"><b>Holiday Cocktails</b></a> for lushes like us but they also like to go <i>crazy</i> with <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/holiday decorations"><b>Holiday Decorations</b></a>. So until the holidays are over, we'll be profiling some of the more outrageous ones we hear of and see. Know of an over-the-top decoration we should check out? <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">Send it to us!</a></i><p> <p>Move over <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/13/141731/20/hotels/Claridge_s_London_Taps_Dior_To_Create_Couture_Christmas_Tree">John Galliano-designed Christmas Tree</a> at Claridge's. Here's comes <a href="<a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">"><b>The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte's</b></a> ginormous gingerbread house. The LEED-built hotel is creating a 10x14' environmentally-friendly, all-organic Gingerbread House that will be available for public viewing on Friday, November 27. <p>The structure will be overseen by Chef Jon Farace juliana 2009-11-24T17:35:20-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/17/9310/5985 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/ritzmarinadelrey.jpg" class="top"><p> Back in <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/8/26/21443/5697/hotels/Is_Marriott_Taking_Out_a_Hit_On_The_Ritz_Carlton_">August</a>, we had heard whispers that <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/marriott hotels"><b>Marriott Hotels</b></a> would be changing things up with its <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Ritz-Carlton%20Hotels">Ritz-Carlton Hotels</a>. The rumors were that Marriott would be making Ritz more Marriott-y by handing over some of the operations to Marriott corporate folks. <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/8/26/21443/5697/hotels/Is_Marriott_Taking_Out_a_Hit_On_The_Ritz_Carlton_#1">A commenter</a> lamented the change saying:<blockquote><p>It is at General Manager level in Ritz Carlton that is causing the biggest effect. Marriott GM's are coming onboard and don't have the passion or understanding that "Old School" Ritz Carlton GM's have. The 15 year Ritz Carlton Veteran becoming a GM is a thing of the past.</blockquote></p><p>And then that was pretty much we heard about all of that. Until <a href="http://www.travelweekly.com/hotels/article3_ektid206404.aspx">Travel Weekly's</a> article about juliana 2009-11-17T17:32:23-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/12/1653/7232 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/ritzcarltonkeybiscayne.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>Art galleries and wine go together like rum and cigars. But in Key Biscayne, they like to shake things up. So when the folks at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Ritz-Carlton,+Key+Biscayne/ian/193318"><b>The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne</b></a> decided to do something special for Art Basel, they decided to pair it with their Old Havana-style den, RUMBAR. That&#146;s where the hotel is hosting a private pre-Art Basel cocktail soiree for artist Carlos Estevez on December 1st. It&#146;s invitation only but if you happen to be a guest at the hotel we bet you can sweet-talk your way in.</p> <p>The party marks the unveiling of the largest work Cuban artist Estevez has ever created&#151;an 8-foot circular painting on canvas&#151;so you should be able to find your MsRebecca 2009-11-13T01:39:26-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/9/44110/7354 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Phulay_Bay_Ritz_Carlton_Reserve.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>Okay, so their opening date moved <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/1/14/72117/0252/hotels/Ritz_Carlton_Reserve_Will_Kick_Off_Exotic_Brand_in_Phulay_Bay">from April to June</a> and finally to December 22, but at least the rather special <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Ritz-Carlton+Reserve+Phulay+Bay/ian/273213"><b>Ritz-Carlton Reserve Phulay Bay</b></a> in Krabi, Thailand, is finally getting close to being ready for us. We've been waiting ever since Ritz-Carlton announced that their new Reserve brand was especially for stressed people wanting to get away to new cultures and adventures in exotic locations. That really sounds like us.<p>The resort will open just in time for Christmas, on December 22 this year. There are just 54 villas in it, and the views across the water from each villa are incredible. To make you feel relaxed, they've designed the resort with oversized beds, chairs, amandak 2009-11-12T08:50:35-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/10/6/649/93471 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/riztnolaext.jpg" class="top"><p> Normally we have <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Ritz-Carlton%20Hotels"><b>Ritz Carltons</b></a> down as splurgy kinds of places rather than savers, so it&#146;s nice to know that the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Ritz-Carlton%2C+New+Orleans/ian/171495"><b>New Orleans</b></a> branch is reaching out to our budget hearts with its new <b>20 Under $20</b> list &#150; 20 things you can get under their roof every day for under $20, plus a free bonus thrown in for good measure. <p>You won&#146;t be finding any rooms on the list, unfortunately, but as well as the obvious stuff like a postcard (a slightly overpriced $1) or a cup of coffee (a much more reasonable $2) you will see things from sushi ($3), Jazzed Up Grits ($6), a Bloody Mary ($8), Bananas Foster ($10) and kobe juliab 2009-10-06T09:32:36-05:00 29.9548510 -90.071132 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/