The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City: Celebrating 20 Years of Legendary Service

Thursday April 1, 2010

Arlington, VA – Luxury hotel The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City will mark its twentieth
anniversary from May through December 2010 with a series of special events. The official
anniversary date of May 7, 2010 will be commemorated with a gala launch throughout the
month of May. The celebration’s theme: 20 Years of Legendary Service…Embracing the Past,
Focusing on the Future!

Located in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., the hotel
offers something special for every guest, whether visiting on business or for leisure,
attending a conference or meeting or hosting a special event. As Arlington’s only Mobil
Four Star hotel and winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award each year since its opening in
May of 1990, The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City prides itself on its 20 years of singular
dedication to the genuine care and comfort of each and every guest. Regardless of the
occasion or the duration of their stays, guests always enjoy unsurpassed service in the
renowned tradition of The Ritz-Carlton.

From Mystery to Mecca
Since the hotel welcomed its first guests on May 7, 1990 – a time when even many
Washingtonians were unfamiliar with its location – the Pentagon City area has become one
of the region’s most vibrant, hosting the headquarters of major corporations, highly
desirable condominiums, and world-class retail mecca The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.
During those twenty years The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City has firmly ensconced itself as
the premier hotel in Arlington, a gathering spot for many of the national capital region’s
most influential residents, businesspeople, and government officials, and a pillar of the
community.

It is the closest luxury hotel to the Pentagon, convenient to the business centers of Crystal
City, Rosslyn, and downtown Washington, D.C., and a quick ride to and from Ronald
Reagan Washington National Airport. At its doorstep is the Pentagon City Metro stop,
providing convenient and efficient access to everything the national capital region has to
offer, including the thriving cultural and recreational destinations of Arlington Cemetery,
The September Eleventh Pentagon Memorial, historic Old Town Alexandria, Capitol Hill,
The National Mall, and the many and diverse neighborhoods of the District of Columbia.

A Blend of Tradition and Innovation
While long established as a tried-and-true favorite of both visitors and locals, The Ritz-
Carlton, Pentagon City continues to blend tradition with contemporary luxury. The hotel
features 366 handsomely appointed guest rooms, including 21 suites and 45 guestrooms on
The Ritz-Carlton Club Level, all fully refurbished in 2007. With sweeping views of the
nation’s capital and the glittering lights of Northern Virginia, luxurious linens, and Italian
marble baths, each meets the highest standards of comfortable elegance.

Introduced in 2008, the exclusive fyve Restaurant Lounge continues the theme of innovative
excellence. fyve is the domain of Executive Chef Yann Chupin, whose passion is cooking
American bistro food that incorporates local and seasonal ingredients. The extensive
breakfast menu includes offerings to satisfy palates inclined towards anything from the
traditional (The American Breakfast) to the indulgent (Maryland Crab Eggs Benedict), as
well as an extensive breakfast buffet on Saturdays and Sundays. As for the Sunday
Brunch…it’s a celebration unto itself, complete with champagne cocktails. Lunch highlights
classic dishes executed with a refined touch, and gourmands will delight in the dinner
menu’s creatively rendered, locally-inspired bistro offerings and remarkable selection of
wines. Not to be missed are Executive Pastry Chef Dallas Marsteller’s “capital” desserts.
With an ambiance that reinterprets elegance in dazzling hues of red and orange, fyve hums
day and night with the energy of the national capital region.

A Commitment to Service and Hospitality
Consistently named by leading consumer travel magazines as one of the finest hotels in the
state of Virginia, The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City has continued to attract a large number
of guests and other visitors who have enjoyed its hospitality again and again over the years.
Its staff of dedicated “ladies and gentlemen” – 15 of whom were there when the hotel first
opened its doors -- have hosted generations of local families at the hotel’s traditional Teddy
Bear Teas, arranged weddings and receptions for countless couples, and welcomed guests to
one of the most popular places in the area to enjoy lunch, dinner, or a cocktail.
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City has also hosted scores of high-level diplomatic and
military visits, celebrated a number of Presidential Inauguration events, welcomed many a
VIP guest, and served as a refuge for those affected by the tragedy of the 9/11 attack on the
Pentagon. Indeed, some the first, and most loyal, guests of the hotel have been
representatives of the United Service Organizations (USO).

Reflecting this rich tradition of involvement in the national capital region community, its
close relationship with the Armed Forces and allies, and its loyal affiliation with its most
significant neighbor, The Pentagon, the hotel features several “Stars and Stripes” accents.
Each evening at 1700 – “the defining moment of the day” – a single candle is lit in the entry
foyer beneath the 44 Star U.S. Parade Flag in recognition of the men and women deployed
overseas to protect the United States and the families who support them.
On a lighter note, fyve features three signature cocktails reflecting the patriotism of The
Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City and its dedicated staff and marking the hotel’s 20th anniversary:
The Libert-tini, The Commander in Chief, and The Bald Eagle...refreshing libations for
toasting occasions large or small. For the hotel’s younger guests, there are Stars and Stripes
Cookies on check-in, as well as an educational and fun “Ambassadors of Freedom” scavenger
hunt, complete with a patriotic keepsake toy.

A Time to Remember and to Celebrate
Proud of its two decades of hospitality and community involvement and honored to hold a
special place in the lives of the area’s residents and visitors, The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City
is celebrating 20 Years of Legendary Service…Embracing the Past, Focusing on the Future!
Commemorative events from the serious to the festive will be held from May to December
2010.

To kick things off and mark the official anniversary date of May 7th, the hotel will feature a
number of activities during the month of May:
• The Gala Rededication on May 5, followed by a celebration in The Diplomat Room,
one of the hotel’s seven classically elegant event venues;
• A variety of value-added package offerings, commencing with a special cherry
blossom package;
• “The 5/7 Club”, offering a variety of special treats to those guests sharing the hotel’s
May 7 anniversary/birthday; and
• A signature twentieth anniversary dessert by Pastry Chef Dallas Marsteller.
Stay tuned for the “20-Day Countdown” – each day beginning April 18th the hotel will
release new information and promotional announcements in anticipation of the official
anniversary date.

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City: Celebrating 20 Years in Service to the National Capital Region
About The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City:
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City is located in Arlington, Virginia, ten minutes from
downtown Washington, D.C. and its many attractions as well as bordering the business,
government and cultural centers of Northern Virginia. Adjacent to the Metro and The
Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, The Ritz-Carlton offers luxurious guest rooms, the
exclusive fyve Restaurant Lounge and unparalleled service, ensuring something special for
every guest, whether visiting on business or for leisure.

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City can be contacted by telephone at 703-415-5000. The
hotel’s website address is www.ritzcarlton.com/en/PentagonCity.