The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas Captures AAA Five Diamond Award within Months of Opening

HENDERSON, N.V.--Nov. 1, 20037, 2003--

First Top Rating within the Lake Las Vegas Destination Resort Complex, Located 17 Miles from the Las Vegas Strip in Henderson, Nevada

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas has claimed Five Diamonds from American Automobile Association (AAA) after less than a year of operation. The 349-room luxury resort, which opened February 11, 2003, was granted the prestigious award in near-record time, both for Southern Nevada and for the hospitality industry in general.

"We are honored to have received this award, which was earned by an extremely dedicated staff of ladies and gentlemen," said Doug Brooks, general manager. "Our team is especially gratified that AAA has recognized The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, because we have strived since day-one to deliver consistently warm, highly personalized service in a community of mega-hotels and casinos. This recognition by AAA inspires us to raise the service bar even higher as we approach our 10th month of operation."

"The AAA Five Diamond Award is only given to establishments that exemplify an impeccable standard of excellence," said Kelly Bell, manager of approved accommodations for AAA Nevada. "This means The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas is among the best of the best. It's a testament to the facility and the staff that they can maintain a truly exceptional level of service every day. A Five Diamond hotel is the ultimate in luxury."

Gaining international recognition as one of the best new destination resorts in the world, The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas offers a variety of spa, golf and recreational activities not usually equated with the "Las Vegas" experience. These amenities include fly fishing for sizable bass and trout, stargazing packages, 36 holes of on-site championship golf on courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, romantic gondola rides on 320-acre Lake Las Vegas, mountain biking, high-desert walking and hiking, kayaking, sailing, paddle boating, swimming, beach sports, desert treasure hunts in search of Bugsy Siegel's legendary buried gold, and extensive fitness and wellness activities offered both indoors and out.

With 24 treatment rooms and its own white sand beach and swimming lagoon, the resort's lavish 30,000-square-foot Spa Vita di Lago is ranked #7 in the United States and is complemented by a state-of-the-art fitness center, open air meditation garden and sunlit movement studio for classes in yoga, stretching and other movement disciplines.

Recent accolades for The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas include highest recognition of Medici Cafe & Terrace, the resort's main restaurant. With indoor and alfresco dining offering views of the resort's lush Florentine gardens, Medici Cafe & Terrace has just been included among the nation's 20 "Best New Restaurants" as published in the November 2003 issue of Esquire Magazine. Medici dining highlights include weekend brunch complete with a self-serve Bloody Mary bar, and "La Spontaneita," the anything-goes, customizable chef's tasting menu that accounts for half of the restaurant's nightly dinner requests. Fine cuisine is also served in the resort's extensive banquet and wedding facilities, which offer luxurious indoor and outdoor meeting, dining, reception and activity locations.

For the utmost in personalization and luxury, the resort's Club Level rooms and suites may be reserved by any guest and rival the very elusive, hard-to-get high-roller suites seen in the greater Las Vegas area. The Ritz-Carlton Club(R) Level accommodations are located directly on the property's Pontevecchio-inspired bridge, spanning the scenic inner harbor of Lake Las Vegas. The Ritz-Carlton Club(R) Lounge offers its own private concierge and several complimentary food and beverage presentations to guests staying on the Club Level, all of whose rooms offer spectacular water views and special security access.

Located only 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas sits lakeside along the clear waters of Lake Las Vegas, the largest private manmade lake in the US. Lake Las Vegas offers 10 miles of pristine shoreline dotted by custom mansions, electric water taxis, picturesque pedestrian shopping lanes, unique specialty shops and restaurants, casinos, hotels, marinas, golf courses, deluxe residential developments and private beachfronts reminiscent of Italy's colorful lakeside communities.

Reservations for The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas may be made by dialing (800) 241-3333, or the hotel directly at (702) 567-4700. Resort reservations may be made online at www.ritzcarlton.com.