BEAVER CREEK, CO— Exceeding expectations is the name of the game at the new Ritz-Carlton Club, Bachelor Gulch here, which opened 54 “homes” in December as a private residence club on Beaver Creek Mountain. At the heart of the posh ambiance designed for affluent travelers who prefer the benefits of second home ownership are the residence baths, which are a step above even Ritz-Carlton Hotels’ high-end standards. “We are catering to the top 1% or 2% of U.S. families in terms of annual income. Our customers have the best quality features in their homes, and we have to measure up to that,” said Jeff Meier, director of sales and marketing and managing broker at the newest Ritz-Carlton Club property. “We took the standards that Ritz-Carlton has for its luxury hotels/resorts, and used them as a starting point.” As such, Ritz-Carlton designed large, functional baths with the best quality materials and extraordinary features only the most affluent families would have in their homes. For example, residence baths are outfitted in Italian marble, white with black and gray veins, taken from a specific quarry in Italy so as to match perfectly within each residence. Porcelain white Kohler fixtures accent double sinks, which are offset by large counter-to-ceiling mirrors. But perhaps one of the most notable features in the bathroom is temperature controlled heated floors. Coils installed underneath the marble tiles provide radiant heat, and allow members to control the floor temperature 24 hours a day. “That [heated floors]was a suggestion that we got in the feedback from members of our first [Aspen] Club property. Surprisingly, it’s not a lot of up-front cost, but it packs a lot of impact,” said Meier, who added that Ritz-Carlton also did a lot of research to find out exactly what features members would like as part of their residence ownership. “We polled more than 2,000 of our loyal hotel guests as well as members of our first Club property, and found that the bathroom was identified as the most important room,” he said. In true Ritz-Carlton fashion, even the smallest bathroom details were played up. Large cast iron whirlpool tubs were selected for bathing, in addition to a separate walk-in shower, which has a strategically positioned mirror in place of a tile “for shaving, and personal grooming,” said Meier. Bath pillows are provided for the whirlpool tubs. Spacious, stained wood walk-in closets offer pre-set shelves and cubbies for clothes, shoes, etc., and set a warm tone. Even lighting was planned out carefully, with no overhead lights used and only wall sconces on dimmers, which allows for more flattering light and can be used to enhance the ambiance of the room, he said. Full-length cotton bathrobes, plush towels and top-of-the-line soaps and shampoos complete the lush “contemporary yet warm” bath environment. Designed in the tradition of the great wilderness lodges of the American mountain west, the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch makes use of materials indigenous to the area, including wood and mountain stone throughout the residences, said Allen Highfielb, director of operations for the Ritz-Carlton Club. The $60-million project was executed through a design collaboration between Palo Alto, CA-based Hill Glazier Architects, interior design firm Wilson & Associates, based in Fort Worth, TX, and the Ritz-Carlton in-house concept team. The mountain retreat has been a hit for the Ritz-Carlton Club division, selling above anticipated goals, according to Highfielb, who noted more than 200 memberships have been sold. Residences are purchased in one-twelfth interests, entitling access for a minimum of 21 days each year. Membership prices range from $180,000 to $420,000. Attached to the Club via an underground tunnel, is a luxury Ritz-Carlton resort, the first to be built in the Colorado Mountains in the past 10 years. Members of the Club have access to the 237-room resort and its amenities.
