Despite recent political and economic conflicts which have created turmoil in many parts of North Africa, leader in luxury hospitality The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C has unveiled plans to open its first property in Rabat, Morocco. The new hotel will bring the number of properties in the brand’s North African portfolio up to three. Construction is now underway, and The Ritz-Carlton expects the resort to open in December 2014.
The Ritz Carlton, which saw its businesses drop by 50 per cent in Egypt, stated that it will continue to work on its hotel which overlooks Tahrir Square to open during the first quarter of 2014, a senior company official reported this past Wednesday in Dubai. Moreover, the brand is continuing to develop its North African presence seen through the construction of two new properties in Rabat and Marrakech, Morocco.
The Rabat resort will be situated approximately 10 minutes drive from the city center and within the grounds of the prestigious golf course, The Royal Golf of Dar Es Salam which was designed by Robert Trent Jones now over 40 years ago. The golf estate boasts three courses set within a 440 hectare oak forest enclosed by stunning natural landscape. The resort will feature 120 guest rooms, 15 one-bedroom and five, two-bedroom villas aimed at appealing to dignitaries and government delegations from around the world. Commissioned to design the property is Scape Design Associates as the Landscape Designers, and Architects, WATG.
The owner of the urban resort is Moroccan investment vehicle Sienna Investment Group. The company noted the importance of working with the Ritz  Carlton in such a pertinent and prestigious place for Rabat. The owner stated in a recent press conference that “We selected The Ritz Carlton to manage this property as it was essential to select a brand with the same caliber of prestige as the city of Rabat itself, and one which maintains the grandeur of The Royal Golf of Dar Es Salam.”
Additional properties under construction in North Africa include The Ritz-Carlton,Tunis, Carthage, a resort featuring 129-suites, situated close to the world heritage site of Carthage and a further property in Morocco – The Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Tamuda Bay, an exclusive upscale resort situated along the Mediterranean approximately 60 kilometers east of the city of Tangiers. It boasts a 98-luxury room hotel with 35 pool villa suites, a beach club and an 18-hole Nicklaus design golf course.
