Having rapidly gained a solid track record of investing in and developing world-class hospitality properties in multiple destinations, Dart was today recognised as Ownership Group of the Year by Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) at The Summit, a three-day luxury travel event in Monaco.
The award was presented by FTG in collaboration with CBRE Group Inc., a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments.
“Driven by our founder Ken Dart’s confidence in the strength of luxury hospitality as an economic engine in the communities it serves, Dart has made a multi-billion-dollar investment in more than 10 hotels in less than 10 years,” said Mark VanDevelde, Dart’s chief executive officer. “We are grateful to Forbes and CBRE for celebrating our commitment to building long-term value through innovation in the luxury hospitality sector.”
Three hotels within Dart’s luxury portfolio were again awarded Five Stars by Forbes Travel Guide in 2025: The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa and Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla. Forbes Travel Guide also honoured Blue by Eric Ripert at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman as the only Forbes Five Star restaurant in the Caribbean. The spas at The Ritz-Carlton and Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa were also awarded Five Stars.
Dart’s luxury resort collection also includes Zemi Beach House in Anguilla and the Evermore Orlando Resort featuring the flagship, Conrad Orlando. Surrounded by 36 holes of signature golf with a 20-acre island-style beach, Evermore introduces a completely new resort category to the luxury sector: wholly owned vacation homes designed for large families and gatherings in the most sought after vacation destination in the United States.
The opening of Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, the first Kimpton-branded property outside of North America, marked Dart’s entrance to the luxury hospitality market in 2016, followed by its acquisitions of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman a year later and Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla in 2022. There have been continued investments to modernise and improve the sustainability of the properties since becoming part of the Dart portfolio.
“To have three of Dart’s resorts that are managed by three different luxury brands awarded Forbes Five Star is itself a distinctive honour. To be named by the leading authorities in luxury and real estate, Forbes Travel Guide and CBRE, as the inaugural Owner of the Year is a recognition that we could not have imagined only nine years ago,” said Director Jackie Doak in accepting the award on behalf of Dart. “It could not be possible without the vision of our owner Ken Dart and the talent and heart of more than 1,700 hospitality professionals in the Cayman Islands and Anguilla who create extraordinary experiences and memories every day.”
The award was presented by Hermann Elger, the chief executive officer of Forbes Travel Guide, and Robert Webster, vice chairman and president of CBRE Hotels Institutional Group.
“Forbes Travel Guide sets a high bar for hotels and resorts, but success depends on more than just the hotel’s efforts; the best hotels are backed by ownership groups that understand the importance of investing in people, guest experiences and long-term vision,” Elger said. “Dart exemplifies what it means to be an engaged and forward-thinking owner, providing the support and resources needed for their hotels to thrive in an increasingly competitive luxury landscape.”
The Summit by Forbes Travel Guide is an invitation-only gathering of the world’s most influential figures in luxury and luxury travel. The annual event celebrates innovation, leadership and the evolving landscape of luxury hospitality, bringing together hospitality leaders, owners, travel advisors, luxury businesses and thought leaders for three days of inspiration, connection and celebration in world-class destinations. Also representing Dart at The Summit were Chris Kelsey, president of Dart Interests, Joanne Lawson, chief of staff and chief administrative officer and Enrique Tasende, senior vice president of active investments.
About Dart: Founded by Cayman Islands-based investor Ken Dart, the privately held Dart group of companies traces its roots to Dart Container Corporation with a diverse and expanding portfolio of investments, real estate and development. Dart companies are distinguished by a legacy of creating enduring value and prospects for shared prosperity in the communities they serve. Dart’s real estate interests encompass hospitality, commercial office, retail, entertainment and infrastructure. Properties in the Cayman Islands include the 700-acre town of Camana Bay, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman, the North Sound Golf Club and the Cayman Islands Yacht Club. Beyond Cayman, Dart develops properties in 12 U.S. markets including the Conrad Orlando at the 1,100 acre Evermore Orlando Resort and owns Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla and Zemi Beach House. Nearly 30 years ago one of Dart’s first investments in the Cayman Islands was a 26-acre nursery that cultivates native plants and trees for its properties, signifying the belief that landscape and open spaces are as important as the built environments. For 25 years Dart has been preserving hundreds of thousands of acres of land for conservation in areas of the Patagonia region in South America, New Zealand, Portugal, British Columbia, Central Florida forest habitats, the Jamaican Blue Mountains and the Cayman Islands. For more information visit dart.ky.
Dart media contact:
Ben Meade
Senior Manager, Communications
ben.meade@dart.ky
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