(OAKLAND, Calif.; May 1, 2019)—Waterfront Hotel (10 Washington St., Oakland, Calif.), located in the vibrant neighborhood of Jack London Square, reveals a multi-million dollar refresh. In collaboration with Oakland-based design firm Studio Hatch, the marinafront lifestyle hotel’s renovations enhance the lobby and collective spaces, meeting venues, as well as 145 guestrooms and suites. Waterfront Hotel now adorns a modernized finish, incorporating a lighter color palette and materials inspired by its maritime location.
Waterfront Hotel features an inviting, cozy interior with subtle nautical influences. Surrounded by panoramic views of Oakland and San Francisco Bay, the hotel has transitioned to include pale blues, light wood, rust, and coral tones. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed by a marine-influenced chandelier with white rope supports and glass fixtures beneath a high ceiling with wood paneling reminiscent of a sailboat. A custom-printed wallcovering in the lobby resembles beads of water beside a specially designed fluted white oak desk, embellished with pale blue penny tiles and wavelike curves.
Guests will also find abstract artwork, curated by artist Shushi, along the walls of guest room corridors, the reception area, and collective spaces—as a nod to the property’s location and historical landmarks within Oakland and Jack London Square.
In tandem with its revitalized look, Waterfront Hotel welcomes General Manager Jeffery Durkin, who brings more than 25 years of diverse hospitality management experience to the role. Leading with a hands-on approach to hospitality, Durkin will lead the property’s implementation of elevating guest service standards and manage various departments and hotel staff.
Prior to joining the Waterfront Hotel team, Durkin served as general manager at The Lauren Inn, another distinctive Joie de Vivre property in San Francisco—where he headed the 49-room boutique hotel through a $3.1 million renovation in 2017. A veteran hospitality professional, Durkin also served as general manager for a number of top-tier boutique properties in Northern California including Larkspur Landing properties in Milpitas, Pleasanton, Campbell, and Sunnyvale; as well as Hilton Sonoma Wine Country and Ultima Hospitality’s Holiday Inn Express in Mill Valley.
“I am thrilled to call the newly refreshed Waterfront Hotel home,” says Durkin. “In keeping with the Joie de Vivre ethos of providing our guests with experiential offerings, I look forward to introducing guests not only to the hotel, but all that Jack London Square has to offer travelers.”
With a focus on guest touchpoints, Durkin strives to enhance transient guests’ itineraries with localized packages that highlight Oakland’s lively restaurants, urban breweries, wineries, and diverse arts and culture scene. This includes amenities such as the Urban Wine Trail Package, through which Waterfront Hotel guests are welcomed with a bottle of local Oakland wine to be enjoyed with the self-led wine tour through Jack London Square’s favorite urban wineries housed in renovated warehouse spaces.
