Lake Oconee, Georgia
This five-star 250 key, 260,000 SF resort hotel is located along Lake Oconee in the Georgia countryside. Nestled in the woods and situated on a prominent site surrounded by water on three sides, it offers a commanding view of the lake.
The design character of the lodge recalls images of the turn of the century American Craftsman and Adirondack movements. The attention to detail, texture and scale was incorporated throughout the property including the use of stacked stone walls and chimneys, stained wood shingle siding, and painted wood trim and windows.
The approach to the lodge is through heavy natural landscaping, with intermittent views of the open fairways of the signature golf course. The hotel restaurant, lounge, spa and meeting rooms extend outdoors by way of veranda patios, covered porches and private guest room balconies, capturing the best lake or golf course views. An outdoor infinity edge pool, pool bar and terrace complement the golf and water recreational activities.
Included in the master plan are six two-key cottages and a four-key presidential house which ring the lake edge and offer greater privacy. These structures were built in the same architectural vernacular and with the same materials as the main facility.
The 26,000 SF, four-star, award-winning, state-of-the-art spa is the only spa in the world to feature decor and treatments influenced by the Creek Indians, Lake Oconee’s first inhabitants.
Tommy Johnson
Director of Engineering
Ritz-Carlton Lodge