Stone Brewing, the 10th largest craft brewery in the U.S., partnered with Untitled Hospitality to break ground on a new, 100,000-square-foot, beer-centric hotel in Escondido, Calif., outside San Diego.
The $26 million dollar build-out will feature a bar-style lobby, oversized guest rooms and custom-designed furniture, all conceptualized and created by acclaimed Southern California designer Paul Basile of BASILE Studio. Located directly across the street from the current Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in North County San Diego, this hotel represents Untitled Hospitality’s first foray into hotel development. The concept aims to open in the first quarter of 2018 and will be constructed, owned and managed by Untitled Hospitality through an exclusive license agreement.
From the moment guests arrive, beer is the focus of the design. An inlay on the hotel’s driveway displays beer flowing from a tap at the top of the driveway down to Citracado Parkway. Alongside rare historical Stone memorabilia, a gargoyle will be discretely on guard, and Stone beers will be available. In addition to the wide array of Stone beers that will be on tap, archive special release beers and unique casks will be periodically tapped at the three on-site bars. Hotel amenities will be equally beer-centric, exemplified by a complimentary Stone beer upon check-in and in-room growler delivery service.
The design of Stone Hotel will be far from ordinary, offering a wide variety of unique guest experiences ranging from a bar-style lobby check-in to oversized guestrooms, all in excess of 375 square feet. Underscoring Stone’s environmental sustainability efforts, each of the 99 rooms, including 6 suites, will utilize state-of-the-art energy efficiency and water-saving features. Rooms will incorporate signature BASILE Studio details such as custom designed furniture and floor-to-ceiling window systems, which flip open to an expansive balcony, providing an open-air in-room experience. Stone Hotel’s event facilities comprise an 8,000-square-foot ballroom and a 10,000-square-foot rooftop garden located adjacent to the pool deck as well as nearly an acre of outdoor event space.
Guests at Stone Hotel will enjoy perks beyond their overnight stay, with access to the hotel’s fitness center, walking trails surrounding the property, and priority seating at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, located directly across the street. The hotel will also provide guests with a unique culinary experience to complement that of the neighboring Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido.
“After originally envisioning a hotel on the property more than six years ago, we had put the project on permanent hold due to our need to focus on our core obsession of brewing,” says Koch. “When Robert and Untitled Hospitality approached us with the idea of them taking the ball and running with it, we found a partner who was fully engaged in the idea of executing on the Stone ideals, ethos and creativity. Years of thought have gone into the development of Stone Hotel and it will be reflected throughout every corner of the place. I can’t wait to give our fans this amazing extension of the Stone experience.”
The concept and inspiration for Stone Hotel comes from Stone co-founders, Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, who opened the brewery in 1996 and have since drawn a cult following of sorts. Untitled Hospitality was founded by CEO Robert Cartwright who boasts more than 20 years of experience in operations and business development for leading global hotel and leisure companies, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental Hotel Group and Key Hospitality Group.