Ritz-Carlton Reserve Eleuthera, Bahamas, Opening 2027

In 2021, plans were announced for a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property to open in the Bahamas. We haven’t heard much about this project in the past few years, but there’s now an update, as construction has started, and the scale of the development has been expanded. Let’s cover all the details.

Basics of the upcoming Ritz-Carlton Reserve Bahamas

Marriott is partnering with Cotton Bay Holdings to introduce a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

The resort will be located on the southern end of the island, and will feature 110 guest rooms and suites, plus 97 branded residences, which will be three to five bedroom villas. The resort will feature an 18-hole golf course, a spa, swimming pools, and restaurants. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve will be in the space of the former Cotton Bay Club, which initially opened in 1959.

We’ve just seen construction on the project start, and the current expectation is that it will open in 2027 (though realistically speaking, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that slip to 2028). The project is expected to cost a total of $350 million, and for better or worse, the scale of the project has been expanded significantly since it was first announced, and it’ll now be around 30% bigger (initially the plan was for 90 hotel rooms and 60 residences).

There aren’t yet any renderings of the hotel (at least not that I’ve seen), so we’ll have to use our imagination for the time being, but it’s a hotel I’ll be keeping on my radar.

What is the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand?

For those not familiar with Ritz-Carlton Reserve, this is Marriott’s uber-luxury hotel brand. Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties are on a totally different level than standard Ritz-Carlton properties, and are generally much smaller and with more personalized service.

As of now there are only eight Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties in the world. I’ve reviewed the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Zadun in Los Cabos, as well as the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico. Recently we’ve seen new locations open in Costa Rica and in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea project.

Fortunately, nowadays Ritz-Carlton Reserve participates in the Marriott Bonvoy program, meaning it’s possible to earn and redeem points for stays at these properties, and even to receive select elite benefits. Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties also participate in Marriott STARS, to take advantage of extra perks on cash stays.

Bottom line

A Ritz-Carlton Reserve property is planned for the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The resort will be in the place of the former Cotton Bay Club — construction has now started, and the hotel is expected to open in 2027. This property should be beautiful, though details remain really limited, and I haven’t even seen many renderings.

What do you make of the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve Bahamas?