Inside the Exclusive World of Ritz-Carlton ReservesIn the luxury realm, there’s always another tier. Another layer to unlock. There’s the invite-only credit card, bestowed only to the biggest of spenders. There’s the unpublished airline status, available only to the most frequent of frequent fliers. The members-only club with five or six-figure annual dues, when being able to pay five or six-figure dues isn’t already enough of its own members-only club. Exclusive super cars are unveiled with limited numbers in circulation, and watches and fashion houses release pieces to a few dozen lucky devotees per year. Hotels play this game too, of course. Even when you’re The Ritz-Carlton, there’s another level — beyond even their in-house Club Level, for that matter. Enter the Ritz-Carlton Reserve. When our travel correspondent Jake Emen arrived to Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in San José del Cabo, he was greeted by a dedicated tosoani. In the ancient Nahuatl language, the word means dream watcher, which is a pretty fantastic way to describe someone whose mission during the duration of your stay is to make any dream you conjure come to reality. That first dream came true in an instant, with a welcome cocktail in hand by the time he took 10 steps onto the property, sipped on with views of the Sea of Cortez and the sounds of its crashing waves down below. Even if you’re a fan of Ritz-Carlton and tapped into the luxury hotel scene, you may not be familiar with the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand. It’s an exclusive luxury tier within an exclusive luxury tier, with half a dozen properties around the world, though guests can still capitalize on all of the perks and benefits of Marriott Bonvoy as well. | 