The Lido House Hotel, currently under construction at Newport Boulevard and 32nd Street, is going to be quite the destination for both locals and tourists.
With a spacious wood deck for gatherings, a 2,248 square-foot restaurant, rooftop bar, luxury spa, and pool, the Lido House may be the crowning jewel of the Balboa Peninsula’s revitalization efforts.
Due to open in March, the hotel near Lido Marina Village will be operated by Marriott as part of their Autograph Collection.
VP of Construction and Development Dennis Reyling talks about the details of the rooms during the tour.
— Photo by Victoria Kertz ©
“We’re really excited,” said VP of Construction and Development Dennis Reyling. “It’s a unique building.”
About 50 people, comprised of residents, local officials, and media, attended a sneak peek tour on Sept. 21.
“It’s really going to be exciting for all of us to take great pride in,” said Newport Beach City Councilwoman Diane Dixon, whose district covers the peninsula. Lido House developer “Bob Olson is adding a fine touch of architectural detail to making that a truly fine place in our community.”
The neighbors seem to agree. Lido Isle residents Warner and Nancy Wimer took part in the tour and are looking forward for the boutique hotel to open its doors.
“We’ve seen it since it was just dirt,” Nancy Wimer said. “We’re thrilled.”
Lido House General Manager Adam Beer envisions – and hopes – local residents will visit, hang out and enjoy the amenities the hotel has to offer.
“We want to be a positive influence on the community,” Beer said.
The main concern raised by residents is a common issue in Newport Beach: Parking. Staff will park on-site, but they are working on other solutions during the busy times, including possibly shuttling them in or buying bus passes, Beer explained.
Lido House General Manager explains how each cottage at the hotel will be unique during a tour on Sept. 21
— Photo by Sara Hall ©
“We recognize that we don’t want them parking on Lido Island,” because it’s already so tight there, Beer said. “We really want to reduce the traffic through the area because we know that’s a really big concern.”
He wouldn’t reveal too much about the soon-to-be vacant fire station property next door, but said they are “interested.”
Lido House will offer 130 guest rooms, five suites, two executive suites, and one presidential suite.
Possibly the most covetable reservations in town will be one of five luxuriously-designed, three-story cottages. Each has its own parking spot, two bedrooms, full kitchen, washer and dryer, and its own private rooftop deck with grill and fireplace.
What sets the cottages apart is that each one will be completely unique. All five cottages, each about 1,300 square feet, will have a different layout and will be decorated by different Newport Beach-based interior designers, so each will have its own personality.
“No cottage will be the same,” Beer confirmed during last week‘s tour. “You stay in one of them, you’re going to want to come back and stay in the other four because they’re all different…They’re going to be very special.”
The cottages were designed with longer stays in mind and built by Costa Mesa-based home builder Matt White, who also designed Bob Olson’s home.
Bob Olson, CEO of R.D. Olson Development, the company building Lido House Hotel, speaks to the tour attendees. Many locals on the tour agreed that the boutique hotel was a bright idea for the community.
— Photo by Sara Hall ©
Olson, CEO of R.D. Olson Development, the company building Lido House, said the hotel is inspired by his Balboa Island home. Those who have been to his house will recognize many details.
“That’s our stone, that’s our siding,” Olson said of the hotel, “that’s our wood, that’s our window.”
Even the color of the guest room doors are the same dark cranberry color of his own home.
“It’s one of a dozen colors that you’re allowed to paint your door in Martha’s Vineyard,” he explained.
Most of the hotel is indeed built with Cape Code-style architecture in mind.
“It’s Cape Cod, but with a Newport twist to it,” Reyling said.
Olson coined the term “Newport Nautical” for the hotel.
Former Newport Beach mayor Ed Selich, who was also part of the crowd getting a sneak peek of the hotel, said he’s excited about the architectural diversity the hotel will bring to the city, which already has a wide range of style.
“It’s going to be a great addition to the city from that standpoint,” Selich said. “It’s not only nautical, but specific to Newport Beach.”
Nautical nuances can be found in guest rooms as well, with lots of white, yellow, and blue in the model rooms on display. Cozy interiors look out onto balconies or small decks in nearly all rooms, revealing a harbor or ocean view.
Guests look over the future courtyard area from the spa room at Lido House Hotel.
— Photo by Sara Hall ©