What does a $65 million renovation look like? Stroll down to 2 South Charles Street and take a peek at the Hotel Monaco,
a new "lifestyle" hotel that's poised to attract not just business
travelers but those seeking to explore a new city and experience the
lux life.
The 202-room luxury boutique hotel, which occupies the circa 1906
Beaux Arts building, formerly the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
headquarters, boasts "Mediterranean Suites" with soaking tubs for two,
37-inch flat-screen TVs, and 500-thread-count Italian linens; "Tall
Rooms" with extra-long mattresses and giraffe print robes; "Pet Parlor
Rooms" for travelers with feline or canine companions, and a living
room where guests can mingle during a daily wine hour.
It also showcases Tiffany stained-glass windows, marble floors, and
imposing staircases. Best of all, it offers accommodation with a
conscience: the lighting is energy-saving incandescent, showerheads are
water savers, and the thermostats and HVAC systems are
computer-controlled for optimal efficiency.
The Monaco represents the first Baltimore-based venture for San
Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which specializes in
super sumptuous accommodation. It is expected to help revitalize
Charles and Baltimore Streets. It's also bolstering the workforce: the
hotel and its restaurant have 135 to 140 employees. The first Friday
and Saturday after opening were sold out, and management expects an
occupancy rate of 50-60% for the duration of the year.
A big draw to the area will be the B&O American Brasserie, on
the hotel's first level, with its exhibition kitchen, pizza oven and
generous counter seating. Chef E. Michael Reidt, named one of the
country's Best New Chefs in 2001 by Food & Wine, promises
"approachable yet refined" fare, ranging from small plates,
charcuterie, cheeses and flatbreads to fisherman's stew and pot roast
using only sustainable seafood and local farmers' products. Cocktails
are handmade with farm fresh ingredients and, with $3 glasses of wine
and Champagne on top of lower-priced bar food specials, happy hour is
don't miss.
Source: Dorothy Fuchs, Sandy Hillman Communications
Writer: Lucy Ament