On Thursday, Nov. 21, 2002 executives from The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. "branded" a new style of luxury today as they opened the rustic Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch on Beaver Creek Mountain in Colorado. Guests attended the Rocky Mountain-themed opening day festivities as western brands with the initials "RCBG" were taken from the outdoor firepit and burned into a leather ribbon before it was cut by the resort's General Manager Todd Harris.

The new Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is the first luxury resort to open in the mountains of Colorado in more than a decade. The 237-room property is the only year-round, mountain resort in The Ritz-Carlton collection of hotels.

The log cabin-like resort was inspired by the Old Faithful Inn and other grand lodges built around the turn of the century. The parkitecture design places the resort in harmony with the grandeur of the surrounding national forest. Hewn logs, timbers, stone and other indigenous natural materials were used to capture the essence of the American West. Unique guest room appointments include twig-like handles on drawers, pinecone and foliage accents, as well as heavy, sculptured lamps that depict wildlife such as elk.

Guest services and programs at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch also reflect the nature of the Rockies. The resort offers a Wildlife Concierge program in conjunction with the Gore Range Natural Science School to educate guests on the local environment and ecosystem. The petfriendly resort also offers a friendly four-legged companion for guests to enjoy during their stay - Bachelor, the resort's resident Labrador retriever will make his first appearance during the holiday season. In the summer, Bachelor may be reserved for hikes by resort guests as part of the Loan a Lab program.

After a day of adventures in the mountains, guests can relax and rejuvenate in The Bachelor Gulch Spa. The 21,000-square-foot spa includes 19 treatments rooms and a rock-lined co-ed grotto with lazy river hot tub. Unique treatments include the Mountain Man's Sage Facial, Four Hands Massage, as well as Boot and Glove Relief for the active skier or snowboarder.

The resort also includes four food and beverage outlets highlighted by Remington's fine dining restaurant for creative Colorado regional cuisine. The Daybreak Deli offers sandwiches and salads for meals on the go and the year-round Mountainside Terrace offers a unique, outdoor dining experience day or night. The Great Room offers light fare and cocktails for apres ski and evening activities.

Approximately 95 percent of guest rooms provide mountain views and select rooms offer a private balcony. There are 100 fireplaces throughout the resort, 77 located in guest rooms. The entire resort is air conditioned for the occasional hot summer day and each guest room corridor is humidity controlled to counter the dry mountain climate.

Guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch have the option of staying on the resort's exclusive Club Level on the eighth floor, which features 33 guestrooms, six suites and The Ritz-Carlton Suite. A private concierge will tend to Club Level guests, and five food and beverage presentations will be available throughout the day in the exclusive Club Level lounge.

The resort also offers more than 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space including a 7,200-square-foot ballroom, six individual meeting rooms, two boardrooms and extensive prefunction space.

The resort is located in Bachelor Gulch, the central area of the popular "village-to-village" ski experience on Beaver Creek Mountain. The ski area opens for the 2002-2003 season on Saturday, Nov. 23 with the most early season snow it has received in its 22-year history. As of opening day, the ski area will have received more than eight feet of snow, creating exceptional early season conditions. The Bachelor Gulch high-speed quad opens Thursday, Nov. 28 providing ski-in/ski-out access just steps away from The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch.

When the snow melts, the resort reawakens with unlimited summer activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, music festivals, cultural activities and more. Resort guests will have preferred tee times at the new Red Sky Golf Club, consisting of two new 18-hole championship courses designed by Tom Fazio and Greg Norman.

Special rates at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch begin at $175 for a standard guest room through Dec. 12, 2002. For information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or call 800-576-5582. Information on the new resort also is available by visiting www.ritzcarlton.com.

Construction on The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch began in July 2000. The resort is owned by Continental Gencom Asset Management Company, L.L.C. and Vail Resorts, Inc. The $160 million project was financed by a group of banks consisting of U.S. Bank, UBS Warburg, Banc One and Lehman Brothers.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. manages 48 hotels and resorts in North America, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Properties range from the classic Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common to the next generation of Ritz-Carlton resorts and hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay in California.

0130 Daybreak Ridge
P. O. Box 9190
Avon, Colorado 81620
www.ritzcarlton.com

Contact:
Kristin Yantis
Director of Public Relations
(970) 748-6200
kristin.yantis@ritzcarlton.com