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Daily Breeze, Apr 2, 2005
Story by Kim Holmes DAILY BREEZE |
The Belamar Hotel opened its doors this week in the same spot where Barnabey's Hotel and Restaurant stood for 62 years.
LaeRoc Partners spent more than $9 million to renovate the property, after Barnabey's went out of business suddenly in 2003. The renovations, which took about one year to finish, have re- created the hotel with a new motif, replacing Barnabey's dark coloring and subtle elegance with bright pastels and playful artwork.
The 127-room hotel housed its first guests Wednesday night.
Local residents who knew Barnabey's say nothing could have prepared them for the new look, said Juliet Muir, sales and marketing consultant for the Belamar.
Where Barnabey's was an "antiqueville" with "fussy lace," the Belamar aims to be "urban without being uptight," said William Lanting, general manager.
"(Barnabey's) had a good look for the 1970s but it got tired," Lanting said. The area has changed; it's gotten younger so the Belamar is trying to be "upscale but not stuffy."
In the old lobby of Barnabey's, offices lined the walls and there was a dark-wooden staircase leading off to the rooms. Those offices have been torn out and parts of the ceiling lifted to make the room brighter and more open. The check-in desk is off to the right corner and there is a beach-themed waiting area off to the left, decorated with a white shaggy carpet, soft blue couches, and boxed vases of grass and asparagus.
Instead of the old artwork and antiques that were sprinkled throughout Barnabey's, the Belamar features "humorous touches." In the restaurant, there's a Buddha statue wearing a cowboy hat and a white boa. His name is Jerry, Lanting said. Almost all of the random decorations are named, such as the two white dogs that stand in the lobby -- named Prometheus and Bob after a Nickelodeon claymation cartoon. Throughout the hotel, there are headshots of a Chihuahua named Lucy and glossy photographs of porcelain dolls from the 1940s.
Humor is also incorporated into the hotel's answering service. If a caller gets put on hold they hear the music from the lobby and then an announcer comes on with 20 different sayings, such as the Belamar has "20 percent fewer carbs than other hotels" and "it's always fun until someone gets hurt."
Just about the only things remaining from Barnabey's are the door to the restaurant, the fireplace by the swimming pool, and any tree more than 20-feet tall, Lanting said.
The Belamar aims to be a four-star hotel, nicer than chain hotels such as the Marriott, Lanting said. But the Marriott is not what the Belamar considers direct competition because they look similar worldwide. The Belamar falls more along the lines of boutique hotels, such as the Elan Hotel Modern in Los Angeles or the Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica.
There are 127 rooms in the hotel, including 120 regular rooms, five junior suites and two two-bedroom suites. A regular room costs $199 and up, and suites costs $379 and up. There are also packages such as a parlor with one bedroom for $479 or a parlor with two bedrooms for $579. However, for a limited time there's also a special for local residents to stay for $139.
Every room features complimentary high-speed internet access, a two-line telephone, a 27-inch flat screen television with DVD players available upon request, and a CD player. There are also small, personalized touches in the rooms, such as one with an old cradle phone next to the bed, in addition to a portable phone.
The restaurant, called "Vibe," offers American cuisine such as Reuben sandwiches, Monte Cristos and steak. Live music will be featured Thursday through Saturday nights.
So far there has only been a small trickle of customers, Muir said. But starting out slow allows for fine-tuning so there won't be hiccups when a rush comes, she added. This weekend, 30 or 40 rooms are rented out and the hotel will host its first two weddings.
Barnabey's had about 150 weddings annually, Lanting said. Management at the Belamar expects to host the same.
Copyright Copley Press Inc. 2005
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