The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco and The Dining Room Capture 2009 Mobil Five-Star Awards, Remaining the Only Property in California to Win Coveted Twin Hotel and Restaurant Accolades

January 21, 2009 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA. The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is celebrating the announcement today of two prestigious 2009 awards. The Mobil Travel Guide has bestowed upon the hotel and its Dining Room coveted Five-Star hotel and restaurant designations, making the 336-room San Francisco landmark one of only nine hotels in California and 44 hotels in the United States and Canada to achieve Five Stars. The Dining Room remains the only restaurant in San Francisco to hold a 2009 Five-Star rating, presented to only 20 dining establishments in the United States and Canada.

"We are honored to have again received this important award, which was earned by an extremely dedicated, customer-focused staff of Ladies and Gentlemen," said Edward A. Mady, vice president and area general manager for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. "The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco team is especially gratified that Mobil Travel Guide has recognized us in a year when our landmark building will celebrate its 100th anniversary. This recognition by Mobil Travel Guide inspires us to raise the service bar ever higher as we begin our year-long anniversary celebration."

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is located on scenic Nob Hill, just blocks from Union Square, the Financial District and Fisherman's Wharf. The acclaimed Dining Room, open Tuesday through Saturday, features modern French cuisine with a Japanese influence created by America's first Iron Chef, Ron Siegel. For reservations or information, please contact Hotel Reservations at (800) 241-3333, Restaurant Reservations at (415) 773-6198, a travel professional, or The Ritz-Carlton Web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.

Since 1958, the Mobil Travel Guide's ratings process has been based on more than 750 standardized criteria for hotels and 250 criteria for restaurants, making it the most rigorous and comprehensive in the industry. To achieve Mobil Five-Star status, properties must meet or exceed Mobil Travel Guide's bar-setting service standards, which are determined through an unannounced, undercover service evaluation conducted by Mobil Travel Guide's expert inspectors.