You can count the number of Ritz-Carlton Reserve hotels on two hands. They are the pinnacle of the entire global Marriott Bonvoy portfolio (which numbers in the 10,000s these days). Room counts are low, anticipatory service is high, and above all else, each is set in a remarkable location and designed in a way that highlights its surroundings. Last April’s opening of Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the tropical coastal hillsides of Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, marked the eighth entrant into the collection. Having already visited four of the Reserves, I embarked on an ambitious schedule to visit the remaining four before the end of 2025, completing the full set as if it was a merit badge or video game quest. Marriott Bonvoy representatives told me they didn’t know a single person, whether brand superfan or corporate team member, who has visited all eight of the Reserves. I’d be the first,..
