Above: the Ritz-Carlton Puerto Rico (all photos by Ritz-Carlton)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The new Ritz-Carlton Reserve and Spa Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico will begin taking guests in mid-December.

The hotel is now accepting reservations for stays beginning Dec. 12, according to its Web site.

It is the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property in the Americas, and the second in the world following the Phulay Bay Reserve in southern Thailand’s Karbi.

The 115-room resort is located on three miles of coastline on a 1,400-acre site. It was built on the footprint of the former Laurence Rockefeller estate from the 1950s. Every guestroom and restaurant is directly on the beach, according to the resort.

Chef Jose Andres is headlining the culinary offerings at Dorado Beach.

Dorado Beach is approximately 15 miles west of San Juan on the northern coast of Puerto Rico.

The $342 million project reportedly generated 1,000 jobs during its construction phase, with another 1,000 expected after opening, according to Puerto Rico’s governor’s office.