The Keating, the Gaslamp Quarter’s latest upscale hotel addition, opened to the public Dec. 21. At 432 F St., this 35-room hotel boasts a contemporary European look that can be attributed to the collaboration of owner Edward Kaen and renowned Italian designer Pininfarina. The Keating caters to celebrities and the high-end business crowd, according to Kaen, and strives to provide an intimate setting for guests. Pininfarina, designer of the Ferrari, helped Kaen create the establishment’s modern ambience utilizing a unique color motif combined with stainless steel, high-end appliances and personal convenience services.
“Your stay here is supposed to be an experience,” said Kaen. “You’re in the heart of the Gaslamp.”
Upon arrival at The Keating, guests are greeted by a modern lobby possessing deep red walls and offering a personal concierge to aid them with an in-room check-in process. A wide staircase leads guests to The Keating’s upstairs hallways, which boast hand-carved carpet made by the same manufacturer utilized by the U.S. Grant hotel downtown.
“He wanted a large impact on a small lobby,” said Kaen of Pininfarina’s color scheme.
The red walls, Kaen said, signify passion, while the subtle blue used in the hotel’s rooms, inspired by San Diego’s notoriously clear blue skies, aim to be calming. In addition to the symbolic color scheme, Pininfarina’s design team incorporated an undivided approach to the hotel’s rooms, with no interior walls separating each room from its designated bathroom. Vaulted ceilings, a Bang & Olufsen stereo system, 37-inch high definition plasma television and a DVD player are offered in each of The Keating’s 35 stanzas, or guestrooms. Also offered in each room: high-speed Internet, a LavAzza espresso machine by Pininfarina, Dornbracht bathroom fixtures, designer bathrobes by Boca Terry and a plethora of storage space.
The Keating offers four one-bedroom suites, four corner junior suites, and one two-bedroom suite. One-bedroom suites offer a two-person Jacuzzi tub, junior corner suites offer a bar and lounge area and sweeping views of the Gaslamp Quarter, and the two-bedroom suite offers a separate parlor sitting room and an interior garden terrace with an outdoor Jacuzzi tub.
The hotel’s grand opening, to take place Feb. 24, will feature the opening of the downstairs lounge. The lounge will offer a contemporary ambience similar to that of the hotel itself in addition to VIP bottle service and down-tempo music. Highlights of the lounge will include floor to ceiling curtains, a bar constructed solely of aluminum and steel, and The Vault, an exclusive wine bar to offer Pininfarina-selected fine wines from Italy.
“Now that [The Keating is] up and running, we’re just working over the budget,” said V Calamur, director of operations at The Keating. “It’s a soft opening; not all of our services are fully functional, [but] all the guests that are coming in are just amazed.”
The Keating’s prices start at $289 on weekdays and $389 on weekends now through Feb. 24; they will begin in the high $400s thereafter.