Hotel MdR Unveils $7.5 Million Transformation

MARINA DEL REY, Calif.—Hotel MdR, a DoubleTree by Hilton, announced today the unveiling of its $7.5 million property-wide renovation, which includes the opening of Barbianca Local Kitchen, the hotel’s new restaurant and bar, and updates throughout the hotel’s guestrooms and public spaces. The transformation is the final phase in the hotel’s repositioning, which began last March when the hotel joined the DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio.

“We are thrilled to debut the final phase of the hotel’s dramatic transformation,” said Michael Kapoulis, general manager of Hotel MdR. “This renovation has truly revitalized the hotel, and we look forward to inviting both travelers and locals to experience all of the ‘little things’ that make our hotel unique—starting with the launch of Barbianca Local Kitchen, and continuing with a breadth of the upscale amenities and award-winning service culture for which the DoubleTree by Hilton brand is known.”

Los Angeles-based architecture and interior design firm Indidesign was tapped to refresh the building’s exterior, lobby, bar, restaurant, and outdoor living space following Hilton’s acquisition of Courtyard by Marriott, the venue’s former occupant. The John Hardy Group analyzed the property prior to its purchase and project managed its renovation.

Hotel MdR debuts a modern, sophisticated new exterior that blends the building into the upscale area, which includes the Stella residential complex and Marina Marketplace. With a less-is-more minimalist feel, Hotel MdR’s new lobby incorporates urban textures and colors, communal seating, and high-end technology to create an inviting space. Mood-setting lighting accents a multi-layered ceiling, giving the space an open airiness that flows from area to area. The pool and courtyard were completely reimagined into an outdoor living room offering lounge-style seating, fire pits, tree lights, and private cabanas. The multimillion-dollar revitalization project also included a guestroom refresh, redesigned meeting and event space, the addition of a 24/7 market, and upgraded 24-hour fitness and business centers.

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Barbianca Local Kitchen offers a fresh, uncluttered design, with a retractable glass wall along one entire side that enables guests to flow seamlessly between its indoor and outdoor spaces. A private 24-seat dining room and an “Energy room” with a Ping-Pong table were also incorporated into the restaurant’s design. At Barbianca’s helm, Executive Chef Larry Monaco blends an ingredient-focused menu consisting of traditional Italian favorites with a unique twist and utilizes sustainable and organic practices to serve up northern Italian favorites with a dash of Napa Valley sensibilities.

Monaco graduated with a Culinary Arts degree from Cordon Bleu and has more than 14 years of culinary training in a variety of settings that include fine dining restaurants, casual bistros, multi-outlet venues, boutique hotels, and high-end catering experience. In New York, he worked for famous restaurateur Danny Meyers and Chef Floyd Cardoz at Tabla, and under the direction of Chef Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern. As executive chef, he helped positioned Queen City Grill as a local Seattle favorite and in February 2014, Monaco appeared on The Food Network’s hit TV show, Chopped.

Less than a half-mile from the marina and across the street from Marina Marketplace, an entertainment complex which features over 40 restaurants, shops, theaters, and art galleries, Hotel MdR offers visitors a convenient location for touring and exploring Marina del Rey. Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice and Santa Monica are also just minutes away. In addition, Hotel MdR is nestled in the heart of Silicon Beach, “Southern California’s Silicon Valley,” and major corporate offices nearby include Google, YouTube, Microsoft, Hulu, Live Nation, Sony Pictures, and AEG.

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