ATLANTA--The Ritz-Carlton, a name renowned for exceptional service and surroundings opened its fourth hotel in The Middle East on January 1, 2003, when it assumed management of Le Royal Meridien Bahrain. The award-winning hotel company, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, also manages luxury properties in Doha, Dubai and Sharm el Sheikh. This will be the 50th Ritz-Carlton in the world.

Located on a golden sand beach, with expansive views of the turquoise Gulf waters, The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa is the only five-star caliber resort property in the area, just three miles from the center of Manama. Set on a 20-acre seafront development, the hotel is the showplace attraction of an exclusive community of recreational and residential amenities for the sophisticated traveler. Among the hotel's many notable features is the spa, an elaborate facility with an extensive menu of treatments and services. It is currently the largest spa in the region. A sporting club with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a 22 berth private marina are also part of the complex.

The seven-story, 264-room hotel, open since 1994, includes several restaurants, from formal to poolside casual. More than 24,000 square feet of meeting space, and the hotel's semi-secluded setting, make it an ideal choice for important regional and international meetings. A 24-month restoration project will begin after January 1. While the enhancement to guest rooms and public space is completed, The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa will remain fully operational.

Construction will soon be completed on 23 deluxe, three-bedroom villas, each with their own private swimming pool. When open in the spring of 2003, these ultra-luxurious residences will be available for guests wishing for surroundings of exceptional elegance and style. Also being completed is the 15-story Sail Tower, offering a condominium lifestyle, which includes an array of personal guest services from the staff of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa. When these projects are complete, the hotel's room count will reach 307.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa is owned by the International Hotel Establishment. "We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Ritz-Carlton to manage the hotel. They understand the expectations of the international guest and are experienced with the culture and traditions of the Middle East," said an owner's representative. Simon Cooper, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company called the new hotel "an impressive and important addition to the collection of five-star hotels and resorts managed by Ritz-Carlton around the world."

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., a winner of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1992 and 1999, manages 50 luxury hotels in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, The Middle East and North America.


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Vivian Deuschl
Corporate Vice President, Public Relations
703/941-6225
Ritz-Carlton