Montage International, the company behind luxury hotel group Montage Hotels, has opened The Pendry San Diego, the first hotel under its new Pendry brand, this month.
More contemporary than Montage, Pendry wants to offer ‘simple luxury, clean design, well-crafted restaurant experiences, vibrant bars and that perfect balance of polished comfort and modern edge’.
The Pendry San Diego has 317 rooms and suites in the city’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. Polished wood and leather headboards, together with a traditional wooden desk and chair, contrast with pale blue and chequered fabrics and white walls in a design by Rottet Studio.
Bathrooms feature intricate blue-and-white patterns on the wall, marble countertops and amenities by parfumerie MiN New York. Some of the rooms have ‘peekaboo’ bathrooms with large glass and steel stand-alone showers; all come with Nixon bluetooth speakers, flat-screen TVs and free wifi.
No less than six restaurants and bars offer the opportunity to eat and drink without leaving the hotel. Provisional Kitchen, Café and Mercantile is a ‘restaurant and marketplace featuring seasonal fare and gourmet takeaway’, while Nason’s Beer Hall serves local and international beer with comfort food. Lionfish serves seafood and meats by the hand of chef Jose ‘JoJo’ Ruiz for dinner.
Fifth and Rose is a cocktail bar, while Oxford Social Club is a nightlife spot open Thursday through Saturday. Finally, The Pool House – as the name suggests – is a poolside restaurant and bar, located on the roof with views over the city. Additional facilities include a spa and 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
With its first property out of the way, Pendry Hotels will go ahead with a second opening in March: The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. Located in a building dating back to 1914 on the city’s historic Recreation Pier (or ‘Rec Pier’ to locals), the hotel will have 120 rooms and suites.
Wood panelling on the wall behind the bed with louvre detailing, along with a leather sofa at the foot of the bed, give the rooms a clubby feel. Wood and metal accents continue in the bathroom, with marble countertops framed against herringbone wall patterns. Superior Harbor King rooms and up offer views of the water, while some suites add outdoor space.
Chef Andrew Carmellini will oversee Rec Pier Chop House, the hotel’s Italian restaurant. There is The Cannon Room, an American whiskey bar, which together with the restaurant shares an outdoor space featuring a sculpture by Botero. An outdoor pool deck has an informal restaurant during the season. Meeting spaces include the historic Sagamore Ballroom, which has 35-feet ceilings. Reservations are currently live from March 20.
Pendry Hotels is also working on a property in West Hollywood, California. Towards the end of this year, Montage Hotels will open Montage Los Cabos, on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
Paul J. DeVries
