- Newly created position emphasizes holistic
wellness expertise as Kor expands spa component -
May 24, 2007
(Los Angeles) – Nicholas Clayton, President of Kor Hotel Group, the Los Angeles-based
hotel, real estate development and management firm, is pleased to announce the
appointment of Liz Ratcliff to Corporate Director of Spa Development. As Kor continues
to expand its signature fusion of intuitive service, inspiring design and innovative
culinary experiences both at home and abroad, the development of holistic wellness
programs for its collection of upscale hotels and resorts has become a new priority.
In her position as Corporate Director of Spa Development, Ratcliff will be responsible
for the oversight and development of all existing spa facilities within Kor’s
portfolio. She will also helm the spa development of forthcoming residential resorts
and hotels, including Viceroy Anguilla’s planned 20,000-square-foot, full-service
spa designed by Jean-Michel Gathy and Viceroy Riviera Maya’s 14,500-square-foot,
full-service destination spa debuting in 2008.
“Liz has demonstrated
a consistent ability to envision innovative spa concepts for luxury brands,”
said Clayton in making the announcement. “She has a fine aesthetic eye and
a unique ability for developing treatments that are both exclusive to a spa and
appropriate to its theme and setting. We are excited that she will be bringing
her creative touch to Kor’s growing collection of world-class spas.”
A successful professional with over 10 years of experience directing luxury
hotel spas, Ratcliff’s abilities span every facet of the industry, including
management, design/concept development, sales and marketing, branding and retail.
Her pronounced ability to devise unique concepts for luxury brands has allowed
her to build a sense of exclusivity for her spas and to translate this into highly
profitable sales strategies. Proactive and media smart, she maintains strong relationships
with local and national media, as well as within Los Angeles’ entertainment
industry.
Most recently Ratcliff was Spa Director for the Four Seasons
Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills for three years and created visibility for
the hotel during awards season by designing and launching the property’s
first “Spa Suites.” Ratcliff was also responsible for staff training
and the development of treatment specialties exclusive to the hotel. During her
tenure, the spa was named among Mobile Travel Guide’s “Top 10 Best Spas
in North America,” chosen by USA Today as the “#2 Best Hotel Spa in
North America for 2006” and praised for having the “Best Spa Treatments
in LA 2006” by LA Magazine.
Prior to her work at Four Seasons, Ratcliff
was recruited as Spa Director by The St. Regis Los Angeles to reposition and re-brand
their facility as “The Spa” for locals. Ratcliff began her hospitality
career in 1997 at Gadabout SalonSpas in Tucson, AZ as Special Events Director,
advancing to Spa Director for all six outlets within a year. In addition to directing
the largest day spa in the country, she was instrumental in the opening of two
award-winning spas and conceived a number of key new concepts for the company,
such as the first “spa for men” on the West Coast.
Ratcliff
has been featured on television and in national publications as a spa expert,
including The Los Angeles Times, LA Magazine, American Spa, DAYSPA, Spa Management,
and SPA magazine. She currently serves as a member of the International Spa Association
(ISPA) and has recently been asked to chair the first Spa Association for Los
Angeles, pending in 2007. Ratcliff holds a BA degree in Communications from the
University of Arkansas.
About Kor Hotel Group
The Kor Group is a
privately held real estate development and management firm with investments primarily
in hotels, resorts and multi-family real estate. Kor Hotel Group, the hospitality
division of Kor, holds a diverse property portfolio and manages both its own assets
and non-owned hotels under third-party management agreements. Kor Hotel Group’s
properties include Viceroy Santa Monica and Viceroy Palm Springs, Avalon Hotel
and Maison 140 in Beverly Hills, The Tides South Beach, Chamberlain in West Hollywood,
Loden in Vancouver, The Tides Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula
and Villa del Sol in Zihuatanejo on the Mexican Riviera. Resorts and Residences
projects in Miami, Anguilla and Riviera Maya are forthcoming in 2008 and 2009.
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