Benchmark Hospitality’s Stonewall Resort and Turtle Bay Resort Place in the Top 50 of Golf World’s “2010 Readers Choice” Top Golf Resorts in America List

The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, November 2009 … Two golf resorts within Benchmark Hospitality International’s portfolio have achieved a place on the recently released Golf World Readers Choice Top 50 Golf Resorts in America List for 2010.  The properties include Stonewall Resort with its Arnold Palmer Signature Course, located near Weston, West Virginia, and Turtle Bay Resort with its Arnold Palmer and George Fazio courses, located on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.  Stonewall Resort placed at #22 and Turtle Bay Placed at #43 in the Top 50.

The Golf World Readers Choice Awards are determined by reader input gathered through Golf Digest Publications Research Resource Center via an online poll.  More than 46,000 individual facility ratings and 600,000 criteria evaluations were collected, grading facilities across the nation based on criteria that included quality and condition of course, reputation, golf practice facilities, speed of play, clubhouse facilities, hotel and food & beverage accommodations, caddie program, golf pro shop, off-course activities & amenities, and overall service and value. 

The 18-hole Arnold Palmer Championship Golf Course at Stonewall Resort is nestled amongst West Virginia’s scenic rolling hills and features lakeside views and elevated tees. Multiple tee boxes at each hole are designed to help ensure a challenging golf experience for all levels of play.  An Arnold Palmer Signature Course, the Championship Golf Course at Stonewall Resort is ranked as a Top 100 Public Course in America by Golf Digest.  In 2009, for the second time the course was designated a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program of Audubon International. 

Turtle Bay Resort with its 18-hole Arnold Palmer Course is ranked as a Top 100 Golf Resort in America by Golf Digest.  Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, the course was rated one of Golf Magazine's "Top 10 New Courses" in America and ranked 4th among Golf Digest's "Best New Resort Courses in America" the year it opened.   The Palmer Course has hosted national events including The Golf Channel's Big Break 5, The Senior TOUR Turtle Bay Championship, and the LPGA's SBS Open.  The resort is currently the home of the Hawaii Open.

The George Fazio Course at Turtle Bay is named after its late architect, George Fazio, who was once called “Michelangelo on a bulldozer.” Fazio was a prominent PGA Tour professional of the 40s and 50s and uncle/mentor to the famed golf architect Tom Fazio. The course is the only George Fazio layout in Hawaii and features generous fairways, deep bunkers, immaculately sculpted greens, and a restored back nine. The Fazio Course has been host to the LPGA Tour’s Hawaiian Open, and was the site of the first Senior Skins Game with Arnold Palmer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player and Sam Snead.

For the complete Golf World “2010 Readers' Choice” List of the Top 50 Golf Resorts, reference: http://www.golfdigest.com/golfworld/2009/09/golf_readers_choice_top_50_resort

About Stonewall Resort

The Four Diamond-rated Stonewall Resort www.stonewallresort.com is a 208-guestroom property with a lakeside lodge and lakeside cottages, a conference center, restaurants, complete fitness center and swimming pool, spa and an 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course. The resort is located at Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park near Weston, West Virginia.  Stonewall Resort is a joint private/public development between McCabe-Henley LP and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.  Benchmark Hospitality International operates Stonewall Resort.

About Turtle Bay Resort

Turtle Bay Resort is the only full-scale resort on Oahu’s exciting North Shore, home of worldfamous surfing, remote coastlines and exciting activities. The resort is located on a promontory offering wide vistas of the ocean from every room. Turtle Bay Resort offers world-class golf and tennis, spa treatments, riding stables with ocean and trail riding, two lushly landscaped oceanside pools, seaside dining, North Shore and waterfall aerial tours by Paradise Helicopters, and 12 miles of walking and jogging trails along spectacular coastlines and through forested lands. In addition, the Resort is home to the famous Hans Hedemann Surf School where guests can get a taste of the world’s best surf.

Located on the North Shore of Oahu, the 880-acre Turtle Bay Resort is operated by Benchmark Hospitality International and is a Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide property - a collection of the world's finest independent luxury hotels. Famous for world-class surfing, pristine white sand beaches, and its charming country setting, the North Shore also offers colorful cultural attractions, innovative ecological endeavors, and environmental adventures. For reservations or more information, visit www.turtlebayresort.com or call (808) 293-6000.

About Benchmark Hospitality International

Benchmark Hospitality International is a leader in the management and marketing of resorts, conference centers, hotels, and Personal Luxury Hotels™.  The privately held company, launched in 1980, is a founding member of the International Association of Conference Centers.  Benchmark Hospitality is a worldwide organization operating properties in major metropolitan and resort destinations.  Benchmark's international headquarters is located in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston, with regional offices in New Jersey and Connecticut.  International offices are located in Tokyo, Japan, and Santiago, Chile. For the location of Benchmark’s properties and additional information, visit www.benchmarkhospitality.com.