Ritz-Carlton is coming to Predator Ridge

What a coup.

Ritz-Carlton, the first international luxury hospitality brand to come to the Okanagan, has chosen Predator Ridge golf resort near Vernon for an exclusive enclave of high-end view villas.

The full name of the neighbourhood, coming in 2026, is The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Okanagan, Predator Ridge.

"When it comes to branded residential, Ritz-Carlton is the leader," said Brad Pelletier, senior vice-president of Wesbild, the developer that has Predator Ridge, Turtle Mountain, also in Vernon, and other residential, commercial and industrial projects in BC and Alberta.

"Ritz-Carlton can move the needle right away with its name."

That's right.

Branded residences have cachet because there's instant name recognition and a quality association with the namesake hotel.

Other well-known and respected hotel brands such as Four Seasons, Waldorf-Astoria, Mandarin Oriental and Raffles are also in the branded residential game.

The 70, multi-million-dollar homes that will be built at Predator Ridge under the Ritz-Carlton banner will be the first stand-alone Ritz-Carlton Residences in Canada.

There are two other Ritz-Carlton Residences in Canada, in Toronto and Montreal, which are located in the hotel tower and beside the hotel, respectively.

There won't be a Ritz-Carlton hotel at Predator Ridge, just the residences, thus the stand-alone status.

Two years ago, Pelletier was introduced to a Ritz-Carlton executive by a friend and found out that Ritz-Carlton was interested in the Okanagan for branded residences.

The back-and-forth began and eventually a deal was struck for Predator Ridge to develop, build and sell the Ritz-Carlton neighbourhood and Ritz-Carlton to manage it after completion.

"This is the right model for a spring 2026 product launch," said Pelletier.

"Ritz-Carlton is very specific and it will be a distinct community with its own clubhouse and amenities within Predator Ridge. It will also have a totally different look than anything at Predator."

The Ritz-Carlton Residences will have a 24-hour concierge and a clubhouse with pool, gym, games room and meeting rooms.

There are no drawings yet as to what The Ritz-Carlton Residences could look like at Predator Ridge.

But, Pellitier hints it might be along the lines of the mountain architecture and outdoor lifestyle feel of The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Lake Tahoe and Vail.

"They'll be well-proportioned, functional homes with four and five bedrooms that can accommodate guests and family of the owners," explained Pellitier.

"We'll cast a wide net for buyers across Canada and internationally. But, there could also be Okanagan residents that will buy here and even some existing home owners at Predator who want to move into The Ritz-Carlton Residences."

Site preparation, and construction of the road and the clubhouse have already started on the Ritz-Carlton parcel, which is located at the highest point of Predator Ridge for massive views of the golf course and Okanagan Lake.

"It's like you're sitting on top of the world up there," said Pelletier.

"It's a spectacular site, just magic."

Ritz-Carlton agrees.

"When scouting new locations for The Ritz-Carlton Residences, we look for destinations that transcend the ordinary -- places with distinctive style and discerning attention to detail," explained Sarah Khalifa, a vice-president with Marriott International.

Ritz-Carlton is part of Marriott, the largest hotel conglomerate in the world, which has its namesake brand as well as Sheraton, Westin, Delta, St. Regis, Le Meridien, W, Renaissance, MGM, Four Points, Fairfield and Aloft.

"Predator Ridge delivers all this and more with unmatched natural beauty and a clear vision of the property's endless possibilities," continued Kahalifa.

"We we stood atop the site, we agreed: This is the real Canada. This was a place unlike anywhere else."

There are 67 Ritz-Carlton Residences around the world where people with money want to live and vacation, including the aforementioned developments in Toronto and Montreal, as well as numerous places in the US from California, Florida, Texas, Arizona and Hawaii to New York, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

There are also Ritz-Carlton Residences in holiday destinations such as the Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos, Costa Rica and Dubai, but also in locations you might not have expected such as Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Ritz-Carlton is most famous for its 119 five-star hotels in important cities around the world.

It also has a luxury cruise ship with two more on the way.