Stay Classy

San Diego's new Pininfarina-designed hotel

October 25, 2006—Having designed everything from Ferraris to Jacuzzis, Pininfarina has already done more to get guys laid than Marvin Gaye and Ecstasy combined. Now, the legendary Italian design firm is set to expand its amorous influence with The Keating in San Diego, the first ever hotel to bear the Pininfarina badge. Though the computer-generated babes above are extra, each of the property's 35 rooms does come equipped with Frette sheets, Bang and Olufsen BeoVision sound systems, and an open floor plan—walls separating the "wet" and "dry" portions (i.e., the shower and the bedroom) have been removed. "I wanted to do something with a traditional exterior and a totally innovative and radical interior,'" says CEO Paolo Pininfarina, who adds that San Diego, though better known for beaches than bold design, was an ideal location: "In New York or Los Angeles, this type of project would have been lost in the clutter. San Diego was perfect." Further adding to the appeal (for a certain demographic of TV fans, anyway): The premises once served as a set for Simon & Simon. Still, you'll probably be happy to know that Gerald McRaney sightings are a rarity these days.
The Keating hotel, opening in early November, 432 F St., San Diego, (877) 753-2846; rooms from $429 a night.