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Ritz-Carlton is brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 59 properties that are located in the major cities and popular resort destinations of 20 countries worldwide. The chain is owned and operated by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Marriott International.
Additionally, the company has marketing agreements with Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and two privately owned hotels, The Ritz Hotel, London and The Hotel Ritz, Madrid.
History
The story of the Ritz-Carlton begins with Swiss hotelier César Ritz who was well known in the hotel industry as the "king of hoteliers and hotelier to kings." Mr. Ritz redefined luxury accommodation in Europe with his management of The Ritz in Paris and The Carlton in London. Although he died in 1918, his wife Marie continued the tradition of opening hotels in his name.
The Ritz-Carlton Investing Company was established by Albert Keller who bought and franchised the name in the United States. The original Ritz-Carlton hotel was built in Boston, Massachusetts and opened on May 19, 1927 with a room rate of $15. The hotel was an innovator and was the first to offer private baths in guest rooms, white tie and apron uniforms for the waitstaff, black tie for the Maitre d' and morning suits for all other staff, extensive fresh flowers throughout the hotel's common areas and smaller, intimate lobbies for a more personalized experience.
Additional locations soon opened in New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Atlantic City and Boca Raton, but all these locations did not survive the great depression and by 1940 only The Ritz-Carlton Boston remained.
In October 2002 The Ritz-Carlton, Boston celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a major restoration to bring the facility 21st century amenities as well as maintain its early 20th century elegance. The hotel is the oldest Ritz-Carlton hotel and has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1927. The property is a Boston landmark and anchors fashionable Newbury Street and the picturesque Boston Public Garden located in the heart of the Back Bay.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
In 1983, the original hotel and the brand were sold to The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., which began expansion of the brand to other locations. The company is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, located in the Washington, D.C. MSA.
In 1995, Marriott International purchased a 49% stake in The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and in 1998 purchased an additional 50% stake in the company giving it 99% ownership of the company.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company partnered with Bulgari in 2001 to operate a chain of hotels owned by and operated under the Bulgari brand.
Simon Cooper joined Ritz-Carlton in 2001 as President and Chief Operating Officer taking the helm from Horst Schulze. Cooper's mandate was to grow the chain through hotel expansion and product diversification. Under Cooper's watch the company has aggressively expanded its hotels and has added The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton (private residential units) as well as The Ritz-Carlton Club (fractional ownership residences) to the company's new development program.
See also
External links
"Ritz-Carlton"