Morphing the old with the new: The Padre Hotel
By Olivia Duncan
Staff Writer
oduncan26@gmail.com
The ribbon had been cut and the newly renovated Padre Hotel was officially reopened for business on Feb. 18, 2010.
The Padre Hotel is located in the heart of downtown Bakersfield and has been a historical landmark since first being built in the late 1920s.
With the multimillion-dollar renovation complete, the new management team is hard at work. The new leaders include Graham Downes, principal of San Diego-based Graham Downes Architecture and Bret Miller, CEO of Eat Drink and Sleep, also based in San Diego.
At the time of the ribbon cutting, California Congressman Kevin McCarthy said, "Just walking in [to the Padre], there is nothing like this in Bakersfield. They took the historic value, and put modernism to it at the same time, but still keeping that historic value to it as well."
The hotel is complete with a coffee shop, a lounge, a restaurant and two bars, which have great atmospheres for relaxing and socializing. The Padre also offers complimentary Wi-Fi for all hotel and restaurant guests, which can be great for a good study session.
The coffee shop, which is named Farmacy, has a café type atmosphere. They serve coffee, pastries and desserts, for customers on the go, but also have breakfast and lunch.
Prospect is the Padre's club/lounge and it is open Thursday through Saturday and features live entertainment. The hours are from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Belvedere is the hotel's elite dining restaurant. It is open for lunch and dinner, by reservation only. It is currently not open for lunch on the weekends. The menu offers something for everyone and is complete with steak, seafood and pasta dishes.
Brimstone is one of the hotels more casual bars, which serves lunch and dinner as well. It has a great ambience for watching the latest sporting event or an afternoon social hotspot. Brimstone is complete with hardwood floors, a stamped tin ceiling, billiards, and a jukebox providing the music. The menu has a wide range and they feature some of the best whiskey and beers in town.
Opening in late March is Prairie Fire, which is an outdoor patio bar, located on the second floor of the hotel. Equipped with a phenomenal panoramic view of the city, Prairie Fire would be a great destination for a night out with friends, allowing you to sit back, have a drink and enjoy the Bakersfield atmosphere.
Drew Hall, a Padre Hotel employee, talked about Prairie Fire.
He Said, "It has a laid back atmosphere with fire pits and gas heaters to keep you warm."
If you are looking to stay for a weekend or have out of town guests, the Padre Hotel also offers fairly reasonable room rates. For a standard room the hotel's rates range from $119 to $199. The Padre also has an array of suites including two large suites The Oil Baron, which is 825-square feet and the Farmer's Daughter, which is 685-square feet and 11 junior suites, also known as the Head Honcho Suites.
The Head Honcho Suites are complete with Jacuzzis, which have fill valves dropping water from the ceiling, LED lights in the tub, step-in showers, and flat screen televisions.
As of yet the hotel does not have a fitness center or pool.
If you are interested in hosting your own private party or event, the Padre offers four meeting spaces that are available for public use.
The Padre Hotel is still accepting applications for numerous job positions such as: bartenders, baristas, bell staff, cashiers, hosts, front desk, security, server, valet and many more. If you are interested in applying for a position visit www.thepadrehotel.com and submit your resume electronically.