The Keating
by Pininfarina
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Seeing Red

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The historic building housing the Keating Hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp District seems like a traditional structure at first glance. The 7-foot-tall windows, the white trim and the countless bricks would look at home in any black-and-white photo from the turn of the century. Walk through the red awning entrance, though, and suddenly modernity screams through the doors.

Red, black, stainless steel and dark wood spread throughout the 35-room, boutique hotel. The simple, smooth, masculine décor fits the five-story building- and there a good reason for that. Pininfarina, the Italian car designers behind the jaw-dropping looks of Ferrari and Maserati, crafted the distinct look for the Keating and it’s basement-level lounge, -1 (pronounced “minus one,” for those who need a little help). “We define what a Pininfaarina hotel is by taking into account the historical nature of the Keating and bringing the exterior elements of brick and granite to interior spaces. This project is the aggregation of elements, historical and contemporary,” says Paulo Pininfarina, the head of his namesake company. “This is the spirit of Pininfarina, combining tradition and innovation.”

The rooms themselves certainly prove this point as they maintain elements such as exposed brick walls and concrete floors with smooth lines, modern hardware in the bathroom, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system, all complemented by minimalist furniture. Special attention must be pain to the bed, though. A California king feather bed with a down comforter, this might just be one of the softest resting places in town.

The bathrooms can be describes as many things as well, but “traditional” is certainly not one of them. Most rooms have only a shower places prominently in the room – in other words, not behind a closed door (any roommates better be of the intimate variety). The stainless steel sink also juts out into the main area of the room, which may be a bit off-putting to some.

Another important thing to remember: The Keating was designed with urban socialites in mind. The hotel does not have a gym or a pool, and the rooms can be a bit loud due to the constant stream of nightly revelers on the streets below. (The city’s laws regarding historic buildings prevented the owners from replacing those original, large windows when the Keating was being created.)

While some might see those attributes as drawbacks, this poses minimal problems as the Gaslamp draws visitors out with a glut of restaurants, bars and other entertainment within walking distance. The Keating also has a staff of eight concierges, with at least two on pose at all times, to help with making recommendations or anything else a guest needs. These nuances allowed Pininfarina to push the envelopes and try things new for both their company and the hotel.

“This is a laboratory where you can experiment with the potential of design and create new solutions. This is the dream car for car designers,” Pininfarina says. “You can push the designer because people in a hotel are more apt to tolerate experimentation than in their homes.”

Pininfarina still has plans to open other hotel properties across the globe, but regardless of what comes from the plan the Keating has mare than earned its designation as the company’s flagship projects. And for those who choose to experience it, they will leave feeling the urge to scream about the hotel’s modernity – even as they walk out the doors.