Courtesy of Montage Hotels & Resorts – Pendry San Diego Architectural Rendering
Montage Hotels & Resorts founder and CEO Alan Fuerstman and his son, Michael, are launching a new lifestyle hotel brand named Pendry that will significantly enlarge their portfolio of properties. Ground was broken on Pendry San Diego in the city’s Gaslamp District in October 2014; the projected opening is fall 2016.
“Southern California is home, and we are thrilled to bring another new, innovative option to guests visiting this area,” Alan Fuerstman said. He describes the new brand as “a collection of design-focused hotels in taste-making destinations that will marry fashion-forward, inspired design with the renowned service culture that Montage Hotels & Resorts is known for.”
How Pendry Differs From Montage
According to Michael Fuerstman, the creative director spearheading the brand rollout, Pendry differs from the ultra-luxe Montage brand in several ways. “Pendry Hotels will fill a void between the lifestyle and luxury hotel spaces,” he said. As he describes it, Pendry will merge design and service, with heritage and modern sensibility. “Think: London hip, New York-paced and California healthy,” he said.
Alan Fuerstman expanded on the concept. “Lifestyle hotels are generally known for their vibrant lobbies, bars and F&B, but not for their service or guest rooms. We’re going to combine the two. We’re going to have very active and exciting public spaces, coupled with a luxury experience in the guest rooms.”
The Fuerstmans envision a broad market for Pendry, which will compete with brands such as W Hotels and Edition Hotels. In contrast, Montage competes in the ultra-luxury market. Montage currently has five properties in the United States; Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills, California; Deer Valley, Utah; Kapalua Bay, Maui, Hawaii; and Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina.
What Pendry Will Offer
Pendry San Diego, located several blocks from San Diego Convention Center, is being designed with both the business and leisure traveler in mind. There will be 317 guest rooms, including 36 suites; a rooftop pool; two restaurants; a lounge and beer hall; a spa and fitness facility; as well as more than 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
Two other Pendry Hotels are in development, and more are in the pipeline. Alan Fuerstman believes the prime market for Pendry is cities such as New York, Miami, Seattle and Austin, Texas.
The name “Pendry” has an interesting origin. It is an old British surname that dates back to the 1300s. “When we discovered that the British surname Pendry embraces ‘Know Thyself’ as its family motto, we knew we had found a brand identification that speaks to the aspirational ethos of our customer . . . self-aware, confident, intellectually curious and engaged,” said Alan Fuerstman.
For more on Pendry Hotels, visit pendryhotels.com. Alan Fuerstman will grace the cover of the August issue of Smart Meetings magazine. Check back to read more about his background and how he developed the Montage Brand.
