After $32-million overhaul, luxury

Lavish hotel rooms, a new entryway and a grandiose poolside deck welcomed local dignitaries, business leaders and philanthropists Thursday for the grand opening of the Fairmont Newport Beach.

After eight months, the $32-million renovation is mostly complete. Only one part’s missing: Construction on a new 6,000-square-foot spa will likely begin in the next month and should be finished before the end of the year.

The remodeled entrance leads hotel guests into Fairmont’s upgraded look. The lobby has been redone, opening the space to provide a more homey feel.

“Before, the lobby was a series of closed spaces, which we’ve changed to open and inviting, yet a not-imposing lobby with lots of stone and lots of wood throughout,” said Gary Stougaard, chief investment officer and executive vice president for Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc., the Fairmont’s parent company. “It’s a good-feeling area.”

All 440 guest rooms have been revamped with 32-inch flat-screen TVs — the TVs in the suites get an extra 10 inches — pillow-top mattresses with 330-thread-count sheets and duvets, DVD players, and marble and granite throughout. The British-Colonial-inspired furniture coupled with the new bathroom design make the rooms a comfortable getaway.

Liza Marquez, a travel agent who refers many of her clients to the Fairmont liked the rooms.

“The flat-screen TVs are always a plus now,” the Huntington Beach resident said. “And, of course, the large patios are nice.”

Stougaard was happy with the rooms as well.

“The rooms have come out very, very well — they’re five-star-quality rooms,” Stougaard said. “I would put one of these rooms up against a five-star hotel like the Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons any time.”

The upgraded pool area has 12 new cabanas with flat-screen TVs, fans and chaise lounges. Only about two-thirds of the new planters have been delivered, Stougaard said, but it’s hardly noticeable.

A new outdoor garden and event space that spills out from the 17,000 square feet of banquet space should make brides and event planners happy, hotel officials said.

The new Bambu Restaurant has been serving customers under the direction of executive chef Bruno Egea and specializes in California cuisine.

“The food is great; it’s really everything,” North Tustin resident Ray Schultz, who sells commodities, said. “I bring my clients here when they want to go to lunch, and they’re always happy when they leave. The food is excellent, and the service is excellent.”

The general manager praised the lounge.

“The lounge is absolutely fabulous,” general manager Randy Zupanski said. “I would say it’s one of the largest lounges, from what I’ve seen, in Newport Beach, and it’s very residential in feel with nightly entertainment. It’s just a great spot.”

Although the hotel has been open to guests for nearly the entire renovation process, the grand opening celebration officially shows the project coming to fruition, and those involved couldn’t be happier.

“What we’re really trying to do now is have a product worthy of the Fairmont name,” Stougaard said. “This event is necessary to reintroduce the hotel — everybody knows that something’s been going on — and we’re ready to take the wraps off and show it off.”

During the summer, the hotel’s outward appearance went through the most dramatic changes, and Zupanski and Stougaard said if people haven’t taken a look in the past few months, they won’t recognize it. The men think that now the hotel is at a level where a Newport Beach facility should be.

“We’re really excited,” Stougaard said. “The overall statement is that we think that the product really is commensurate with the Fairmont brand, and we think we now have a unique experience in Orange County. From the guest rooms to the public area and the function space, these all allow the hotel to be a cut above all the competitors.”

Many area hotels have upped the ante with renovations and other projects. The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa underwent a multimillion dollar face-lift last year, and the Four Seasons Hotel was renamed as the Island Hotel — Newport Beach, an independently owned hotel.

“All the major hotels have undergone significant upgrades and improvements,” said Gary Sherwin, president and chief executive of the Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. “We had a great product, but our hotel product probably did not reflect the quality of the location. Now we have the best hotel product probably in the history of Newport Beach, and the Fairmont is a shining example of that; it is really tremendous.”