Eco-tourism gets edible with the Ritz Carlton, Charlotte’s, giant green gingerbread house

by Jessica Festa on

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, in North Carolina, is taking their eco-friendly hospitality to a whole new level. From Thanksgiving Day through December 28, 2011, the hotel will showcase a life-sized “edible eco-manor”, designed by architects and made by pastry chefs using all-natural and organic ingredients. The structure will be 12 feet high by 14 feet wide by 10 feet deep and will also feature LED lights and a green “moss” eco-roof.

So what goes into making a giant eco-friendly gingerbread house?

  • 350 pounds of organic white, brown and confectioner’s sugar
  • 70 pounds of organic egg whites
  • 300 pounds of organic bread flour
  • 100 organic eggs
  • 24 pounds of molasses
  • Four pounds of salt
  • Four pounds of baking soda
  • 120 pounds of shortening
  • 24 ounces of cinnamon
  • Two gallons of organic milk
  • Eight ounces each of nutmeg, allspice and cloves
  • Nine ounces of ginger

This unique exhibit complements The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte’s, already eco-friendly programming. The property is LEED-certified, meaning that the hotel’s construction and design follows the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design guidelines. Some sustainable practices of the Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, include building materials that use 30% less energy than most hotels, reduced water usage by 35%, a green, vegetated rooftop, recycling more than 80% of construction waste, and having bicycles as available transportation for guests, among other initiatives.

For more information on the hotel’s green programming, click here.

After Black Friday, Hotel reminds shoppers of true holiday spirit

by Chris Owen on

After Black Friday, shoppers need a quiet escape that will remind them of the true meaning of the holidays. In that spirit, the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove in Miami invites us to stop by and enjoy some of the best holiday movie classics.

Sipping Hot Toddies and enjoying seasonal favorites, the public is invited to rekindle childhood memories with family and friends at an evening under the stars at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove.

The spirit of the season comes alive with holiday movie classics like A Christmas Story, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and It’s A Wonderful Life, at the hotel’s Bizcaya Fountain Terrace, bringing back memories of hot cocoa, fresh-out-the-oven cookies and stories of sugar plum fairies, Jack Frost and our favorite man in red.

Spread the joy by bringing an unwrapped ‘tween toy or gift card and the hotel will personally deliver them to children in need just in time for the holidays.
The hotel also offers a Christmas Eve Dinner where executive Chef Khaled Ibrahim creates a beautiful five-course gourmet repast with a sustainable menu utilizing seasonal herbs and farm-fresh Florida produce for a tantalizing culinary experience that bursts with flavor. New this year, a five-course specially designed children’s menu will also be presented.
The price is $69 for adults and $35 for children 12 and under plus tax and gratuity.

A New Years Eve event has Chef Ibrahim creating a sumptuous and special five-course dinner with Mediterranean accents in the beautiful Bizcaya restaurant, surrounded by soft live music, candlelight and personalized Ritz-Carlton service. It’s an elegant and beautiful way to end 2011 in style. This one starts at 8 p.m. and runs $149 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

Stick around for New Years Day too at Coconut Grove’s most spectacular Sunday Brunch, indoors in Italian palazzo-style splendor or outdoors in a lush courtyard with cascading waterfall. A selection of breakfast favorites, gourmet delicacies, carved meats, grilled-to-order dishes, fresh seafood, caviar, sushi, imported cheeses, charcuteries, risotto, lavish desserts, free-flowing Bellinis, Champagne and more awaits. Priced at $69 per adult, $25 for children 12 and under, plus tax and gratuity.


Quirky hotel amenity: Pirate tuck-ins for children at Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

by Jessica Festa on

What better way for a child to end a day full of swimming and sea than to be tucked-in by a pirate? At the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, in Florida not only does Pirate Luis Aury provide a bedtime story, but Princess Amelia and a blue and gold macaw make an appearance, as well. Children will also be given cookies and milk as well as a treasure chest full of loot. The tuck-ins can be scheduled in between 7PM and 10PM and cost $45 per child.

Going to be staying at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, during the holiday season? Parents can opt for a complimentary Santa tuck-in instead. Not only will children get to be read a bedtime story by good old Saint Nick himself, they will also be given a holiday gift.

The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh opens, featuring bowling alley and cigar bar

by McLean Robbins on




The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. continues to expand into the Middle East market with their first hotel in Saudi Arabia, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. The 493 room hotel in the Diplomatic Quarter is adjacent to the King Abdul Aziz Convention Centre.

Of course, the hotel has to be appropriately palatial – it includes 52 acres of landscaped gardens, a massive fountain, and a one kilometer driveway.

Originally envisioned as a royal guest palace for visiting dignitaries and heads of state, the hotel’s architecture is modeled on traditional palaces and elegant Arabian residences. Native palms, 600-year old olive trees from Lebanon, and water fountains abound.

“This majestic hotel’s prime location in the literal heart of the Arabian Peninsula offers many significant advantages to visiting guests and dignitaries,” said Herve Humler, president and chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. “We are extremely proud that The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh represents our first hotel into the Kingdom. We have been aggressively seeking the right first location in Saudi Arabia for a number of years, and believe there could be no better place for a Ritz-Carlton than in this” added Humler.

The interior of the hotel is also imbued with a sense of place – guestrooms and suites use the vibrant colors and ethnic textures of the region. Highlights include not just one, but 49 exquisitely appointed two-bedroom Royal Suites, each generously measuring 4,574 square feet and 50 one-bedroom, opulent Executive Suites at 1,022 square feet. Wow.

The hotel also features 62,000 square feet of meeting space, an Aubergine restaurant, a buffet-style restaurant serving Lebanese favorites, Asian and Italian restaurants, a tea lounge and a cigar lounge that will be home to one of the widest selection of Cuban cigars in Saudi Arabia. The hotel also features an indoor six-lane bowling alley, indoor swimming pool and men’s health club with three treatment rooms. Sorry ladies, you’re out of luck here- there isn’t a women’s health club or spa. See more pictures, below:
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*A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the hotel has an on-site ICU. This information has since been removed.

Ritz-Carlton Dubai adds shisha sommelier to staff

by Jessica Festa on

Interested in smoking some hookah on your trip but nervous about looking like a novice? The Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Finance Center now has an expert on hand to not only show you how to properly smoke flavored tobacco, but also how to pair shisha flavors with food, drinks, and personal preferences.

The Shisha Sommelier position, which is part of the hotel’s Shisha Terrace, is held by Sadek Zeineddine, a Lebanese national, who has experience working in the food and beverage industry in various regions including Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.

What’s really unique about this service is that guests can have special blends of shisha created just for them which will be saved and provided for future visits.

Interested in staying at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai? Nightly rates at the hotel begin at $258.