The Orange County Register
01/16/17

Hotel Industry in O.C. Off to Solid Start with New Deals in the Works
By Hannah Madans

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hotel-741317-pacifica-hotels.html

It didn’t take long for the local hospitality industry to take off in the new year.

Irvine-based Pacifica Hotels announced last week it had assumed operations of an iconic hotel in Santa Monica; the Irvine Marriott introduced a redesign; and developers of a hotel in San Juan Capistrano said it would open by next summer.

Pacifica has assumed management of The Georgian Hotel, a retro-style, blue-and-yellow building across the street from the Santa Monica Pier. The hotel has 84 rooms and a restaurant with sweeping ocean views.

The hotel, at 1415 Ocean Ave., is being renovated. Upgrades to the restaurant, bar, common areas and meeting rooms will debut in the spring, the company said.

“It’s architectural integrity, coastal location, boutique style and hospitality-first ethos makes it a model addition to Pacifica Hotels portfolio,” Matt Marquis, president and CEO of Pacifica Hotels, said in a statement.

Pacifica also sold the 80-room Sommerset Suites in San Diego for $19.5 million. The hotel was sold to Sentre Partners. The hotel was initially built as an apartment complex in 1986 and still has apartment amenities.

Sentre will convert the hotel into high-end apartments, according to Irvine-based Atlas Hospitality Group.

The Irvine Marriott, in the final phases of a $35million renovation, unveiled on Tuesday its new M Club Lounge. The semiprivate space is reserved for premier and Gold Club members. It includes complimentary food and drinks, Wi-Fi, printing and power supplies.

Other renovations include a new front entrance, great room, 496 reimagined guestrooms, pool area and fitness center.

Hotel Capistrano, a $40million boutique hotel that will be under management by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, will open in downtown San Juan Capistrano in summer 2018.

The hotel, which features Spanish colonial décor, will have 102 rooms, a restaurant, rooftop bar and pool.

Kimpton, a boutique hotel operator based in San Francisco, also manages the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach, which is also undergoing a renovation.