Ritz-Carlton tops guest-satisfaction survey

They’re back and ritzier than ever. Ritz-Carlton, flush with $350 million in renovations and a Tokyo venue (above) that opened in March, seized the top spot in the 2007 guest-satisfaction survey by J.D. Power and Associates. The key was upgraded facilities, said Linda Hirneise, J.D. Power’s executive director of travel practice.

Ritz-Carlton opened its Tokyo site in March. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, ranked No. 1 for the last three years, slipped to No. 3 because of “a general decline in guest experience,” Hirneise said. A Four Seasons spokeswoman disputed the findings, saying the company’s own surveys show its customers are “highly satisfied.”