The Ritz-Carlton Lodge: Reynolds Plantation

Known for its verdant natural beauty and abundance of outdoor activities – from kayaking to bike riding to fishing – The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation is one of the country’s most acclaimed golf destinations, with signature courses designed by the top architects of the game: Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and Bob Cupp.

Situated amidst towering oaks, fragrant magnolias and flowering dogwoods are 99 holes of championship-caliber golf, with picture-perfect courses offering shimmering vistas of Lake Oconee, including:

• The Landing, 18 holes, 7,051 yards designed by Bob Cupp
• The Plantation, 18 holes, 6,698 yards designed by Bob Cupp
• The National, 27 holes, 7,066 yards designed by Tom Fazio
• The Oconee, 18 holes, 7,029 yards designed by Rees Jones
• Great Waters, 18 holes, 7,048 yards designed by Jack Nicklaus

Located in Northern Georgia halfway between Atlanta and Augusta and surrounded by the expansive, 19,000-acre Lake Oconee, the 251-room Ritz-Carlton Lodge merges quintessential, down home Southern hospitality with the very finest in services and amenities. The resort – situated within the 10,000 – acre Reynolds Plantation residential community – is surrounded by water on three sides, offering commanding lake views. Draped in beds of ivy and edged by towering pines, blooming crepe myrtles and colorful caladiums, the five-story main building fronts the glistening lake, while six separate lakeside cottages and the Presidential House with four master suites overlooks the Oconee Golf Course.

For golfers, the AAA Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton Lodge is a veritable dream- come-true. Each course features an increasingly rare amenity: golf caddie services. Ensuring players have a unique on-course experience, attentive fore caddies take care of guests – providing hole descriptions, spotting golf balls, providing yardage, raking bunkers, attending the flagstick and offering green reads.
Additionally, guests can hone their skills during full- and half-day programs, as well as in one-hour clinics, at The Reynolds Golf Academy. Academy director and veteran instructor Charlie King, ranked as one of Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Teachers,” oversees all classes.

To further finesse their game, guests can utilize The Kingdom, a game enhancement facility that is the result of a partnership between Reynolds Plantation and TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Company. Featuring the innovative MATT (Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade) System for club fitting, this technology allows golf equipment to be custom-fitted for each player’s unique specifications – gathering pertinent information via a state-of-the-art launch monitor and multiple high-speed video cameras.

Outdoor Diversions Abound
The 35-acre resort is sheer paradise for water and fishing enthusiasts as well as golfers. Situated on the scenic banks of a Lake Oconee, a pristine natural lake with more than 300 miles of shoreline, the resort offers some of the state’s best fishing. Lake Oconee is brimming with large mouth bass, bream, catfish, crappie and striped bass hybrids – boasting more fish per square acre than any lake in Georgia. Additionally, the resort has access to two full-service marinas offering dry dock storage, marina stores with fishing and boating supplies,and dockside fueling.

Other activities on tap for the outdoor-minded: swimming, picnicking, canoeing, tubing, kayaking, waterskiing, wake-boarding, knee boarding, pontoon rentals; as well as bike riding, horseback riding and the gun club with skeet, trap and clay shooting. Guests can also traverse the resort via five miles of onsite walking and hiking trails – an invigorating way to take in the beautiful natural terrain.

Tennis, Swimming and a State-of-the-Art Spa
For tennis buffs, eight tennis courts are located nearby at Reynolds Plantation. Court rentals, tennis lessons and ball machine rentals are available, and may be arranged through the resort concierge. A heated infinity lakefront pool as well as an indoor lap pool are both open daily for guests, with poolside dining and beverage services available.

After a long day of activity, guests can unwind at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge’s luxurious Spa – recently ranked “Number Five” in Condé Nast Traveler’s annual readers’ survey of the Top 100 U.S. Spas. The award-winning 27,600-square-foot wellness facility is adjacent to the resort and features 19 posh private treatment rooms, a couple’s spa suite, four wet treatment rooms, male and female relaxation areas with lockers and changing facilities, an indoor lap pool, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, a relaxation terrace, a full-service salon and a spa boutique.

Offering a brand new menu of services that incorporates indigenous ingredients inspired by Native American traditions of the region’s Creek Indians, The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation is a state-of-the-art sanctuary with dozens of health and wellness treatments – most utilizing rejuvenating botanicals from indigenous plants, such as rosemary, pine, fir and geranium. The facility also houses a fully equipped 1,700-square-foot fitness center with a variety of cardiovascular and strength training equipment as well as a 700-square-foot movement studio.

Dining Options Run the Gamut
All the outdoor activity will surely whet the appetite, and guests have plenty of dining options to choose from. The newly rebuilt Linger Longer Steakhouse is located in the Oconee Golf Course Clubhouse adjacent to the Lodge. Overlooking Georgia’s stunning Lake Oconee, the venue was a popular, award-winning regional dining spot and one of Zagat Survey’s top-rated steakhouses in Georgia before it burned down in an accidental fire in August 2009. It has since been completely redesigned and reopened with a menu of American Contemporary classics. Additional choices for dining and cocktails include: Georgia’s Bistro, a casual spot specializing in uncomplicated contemporary cuisine with a distinctive Southern twist; Lobby Lounge, this spacious spot is the heart of the hotel, with cocktails, drinks and light fare daily; Gaby’s by the Lake, a newly renovated outdoor venue offers sweeping views of the lake, as well as a full menu of casual favorites; and Chiminea Dining, in which guests enjoy an unforgettable lakefront dinner, while relaxing in Adirondack chairs in front of a toasty warm chiminea. All Chiminea Dining dishes are served alfresco and designed for two to share.

Packages for All Interests
The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation offers an array of themed packages – guests can choose the package criteria that best meets their interests, and let The Ritz-Carlton team create unforgettable experiences based on individual preferences. For example, golfers can partake in the “Fairways and Greens” package with a resort-view guestroom, breakfast for two, and two rounds of golf on The Landing, The National or The Plantation courses – with additional rounds available on the same course, same day at a reduced rate. The Oconee and Great Waters courses may be played for an additional $50 up-charge fee. 

For more information about resort activities, special packages and reservations, call toll-free (800) 241-3333, (706) 467-0600 or visit ritzcarlton.com.