The Keating Hotel in San Diego

Stylish Boutique Hotel Accomodations in the Gaslamp District

May 15, 2008

The Keating Hotel introduces downtown San Diego to Euro-style accommodations in a racy remodel.

Looking for fast times in San Diego's white hot Gaslamp District? The Keating Hotel redefines boutique hotels with its sleek, sexy, and souped-up alternative to the "big box" auberge.

What do Ferrari, Maserati and the Keating Hotel have in common? If you drive either of the former, then you’re sure to appreciate the latter. With the help of renowned Italian designer, Paolo Pininfarina—best known for his status symbol Euro hot-rods—the Keating Hotel has been transformed from stodgy 19th century office building, to the sexiest crash pad this side of Milano.

“I became enamored of Pininfarina after I bought my first Ferrari,” says Edward Kaen, principal of Bond Urban Habitats, owners of the 5th Ave property. “We approached them about our project and Paolo (Pininfarina) thought San Diego would be the perfect place for their first foray into hotel design.

“They began by asking us a series of questions about our vision for the hotel,” says Kaen. “An hour later they showed us a VR (virtual reality) prototype based on our responses— taking into account the elements that make San Diego so attractive—the weather, ocean and the city’s elevation as sought-after urban destination status. We started tweaking the concept from there.”

High Tech Home Away from Home

The results of this eHarmony approach to interior design looks like a freeze-frame from a Jetson’s episode. Sleek, futuristic furnishings, brushed stainless steel vanities, blue hued resin sinks and showers, and lunar-landing-modular-inspired spas in the penthouse suites. Each stanza is a study in stratospheric style, and fluid efficiency—literally—no ultrasonic showers here. The open floor plans are divided into wet and dry sides.

“You step into the shower on one side, and exit on the other to dry off. Some of the stanzas have window-seat lounges adjacent to the showers where you can relax in a custom chaise lounge and dry off,” says Kaen. “Think car wash.”

Topping off the loft-like quarters are hyper-modern amenities—like Bang & Olufson stereos and flat screen HD TV’s. “We chose B&O electronics as a way to provide our guests with state-of-the-art entertainment systems,” says Kaen. “Once you’ve experienced them, it’s hard to go back to a lesser system.”

Underground After Hours

Befitting the city’s sexiest, and some might say only, true boutique hotel, the hotel’s subterranean lounge—The Vault—is a semi-private affair. Open to hotel guests and members, the club will offer the requisite bottle service and fine Italian wines deemed Pininfarina-worthy, and is already destined to be THE place to chill out from the thump and throb of the Gaslamp’s club scene. “We want the Keating to be the most spectacular hotel in the city,” says Kaen. Fasten your seat belts.

The Keating Hotel

(Original article and photographs by Ramona d'Viola - all quotes are original from interview with Edward Kaen).

The copyright of the article The Keating Hotel in San Diego in California Travel is owned by Ramona d'Viola. Permission to republish The Keating Hotel in San Diego in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.