Fairmont Hotels & Resorts—part of Accor—and Manchester Financial Group have signed an agreement for the development and management of a Fairmont hotel in downtown San Diego.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work again with our partners at Manchester Financial Group to bring another landmark property to life,” Fairmont Hotels & Resorts CEO Mark Willis said in a statement. “Opening as our largest-to-date Fairmont in the U.S., this project represents an incredible opportunity to bring the signature luxury experience for which Fairmont is known around the globe, on an unprecedented scale and magnitude to downtown San Diego. This marks the continued expansion of the brand, not only across California, but further strengthening Fairmont’s presence as one of the leading luxury hotel brands in North America.”
Scheduled to open in 2027, Fairmont Manchester San Diego will be on the North Embarcadero of the San Diego Bay, directly across from the USS Midway Aircraft Museum, adjacent to the Cruise Ship Terminal, and within walking distance of the San Diego Convention Center and the Gaslamp Quarter. The hotel is part of a landmark development transforming San Diego’s downtown waterfront with more than five acres of green space and more than 1.7 million square feet of offices, retail, restaurants, public art and entertainment.
The 36-story glass tower will have 1,160 rooms, including 69 suites and Fairmont Gold, the brand’s hotel-within-a-hotel experience with an exclusive lounge and private reception desk. Amenities will include a spa and fitness facilities, a rooftop pool and more than 120,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including two 20,000 square-foot ballrooms. The hotel will have six dining venues, including a 160-seat signature restaurant, coastal Baja cuisine, noodle shop, rooftop poolside grill, café and lobby bar.
Working with Accor’s Luxury Design & Technical Services team, Gensler will serve as both architect and interior designer for the development, combining Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern influences. The all-glass façade will be warmed and illuminated by touches of bronze. The interiors will have large-scale art installations and pops of blue and bronze, framing views of the San Diego Bay and city skyline.
“It is extremely meaningful to me to be able to contribute to this incredible community in which I was fortunate enough to grow up," said Papa Doug Manchester, chairman, Manchester Financial Group. "From my days of selling papers at the Coronado Ferry when I was only ten years old, I’ve had my eye on what I think is one of the most outstanding stretches of land in the world, and it is such an honor to play a role in its revitalization. I’ve partnered with Fairmont on several other notable projects, and could not think of a more perfect brand and partner to transform this prime location into a globally renowned hotel. From the stunning design to the impeccable service and best-in-class amenities, Fairmont Manchester San Diego is going to set a new standard for luxury hospitality in downtown San Diego, and I look forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring to the market.”
Fairmont Manchester San Diego joins a growing collection of Fairmont properties in California, including Fairmont Grand Del Mar, also in San Diego; the recently updated Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles; the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica; historic Bay Area icon Claremont Club & Spa, A Fairmont Hotel; and the brand’s original hotel, the flagship Fairmont San Francisco.
With a pipeline of more than 27 properties in development, other notable hotels that will join the Fairmont portfolio over the coming years include The Fairmont Breakers, Long Beach, Calif.; Fairmont Orlando; Fairmont Phoenix; Fairmont La Paz Puerta Cortés Resort and Residences, Mexico; Golden Prague Hotel, a Fairmont Managed Hotel; Fairmont Hanoi; Fairmont Port Douglas, Australia; Fairmont La Hacienda, Spain; and Fairmont Dubai Skyline.