Community centers are public spaces where people gather for activities, social support, and public information. The introduction of radio, TV, and the internet may have downgraded the need for community centers, but at one point they were local lifelines. “What does this have to do with Baltimore’s Sagamore Pendry Hotel?” you might be asking. Be patient, I’m getting there.
Rec Pier: A Brief History
The Sagamore Pendry Hotel was originally a former cargo warehouse located at the top of Recreation Pier in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood. ‘Rec Pier’ was once the hub of this waterside community. Over the century since it was built, Rec Pier served, among other things, as an immigrant landing point, meeting place, and dance hall. A center for members of the community, young and old.
The thriving pier and red brick Beaux-Arts building eventually fell into disrepair. It would take vast amounts of time, money, and vision to restore it to its maritime grandeur. With Kevin Plank, a Maryland native and founder of Baltimore-based Under Armour at the heart of the narrative, the Sagamore Pendry’s roots as a community center are reimagined in vivid color. Every facet of the hotel pays tribute to its foundation as a place where people gather. It’s as if the ground itself has passed on its energy.
Kevin Plank, and designer-in-chief Patrick Sutton, return the Sagamore Pendry to a center for the community and a sanctuary for guests. Visiting the hotel is a lesson in history, art, music, architecture, and style. With the addition of welcoming and warm hospitality, there’s ample reason to visit Baltimore’s chicest city hotel.
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Welcome to Fells Point
Fells Point was a colonial maritime community founded by shipbuilder William Fell in 1726. More than 600 ships were built here between the Colonial Era and the Civil War, including the U.S. frigate, ‘Constellation.’
The day I pull up to the Sagamore Pendry Hotel, I’ve yet to know its rich past, but I can certainly sense it. The area looks and feels historical—as if I’ve stumbled back in time. Though historical, Fells Point has a distinct edge. With its vinyl record stores and oyster bars, I question whether I’m cool enough to be here.
I’m visiting the Sagamore Pendry for two nights. A solo trip. Two nights alone are the vacation equivalent of two weeks with anyone else. Don’t believe me? Ask any parent. Baltimore is only an hour from where I live in DC. Having the opportunity to spend two nights getting to know the property and its historic surroundings appeals to the researcher in me. Admiring the art, architecture, and design appeals to my inner aesthete.
I wander around channeling Count Alexander Rostov in A Gentleman in Moscow. Did Amor Towles hunker down in a grand hotel in preparation for his epic novel? I make a note to DM him on Instagram. Amor is surprisingly responsive.
A Likely Question
During my hotel travels, and by that, I mean traveling within the hotel, I meet Juan Webster. The general manager is easy to spot, being as comfortable in his castle as any reigning king. Juan’s genuine warmth and energy make him imminently likable.
“What makes the Sagamore Pendry Hotel so unique?” I ask him.
“It’s the people that make this place special,” he says without missing a beat.
My cynical side writes this off as a stock answer. Doesn’t every GM feel this way? Clearly, I need to hone my interviewing techniques. But then I recall meeting Rob this morning—the private investigator turned curbside valet. He told me he’d hung up his PI hat only to discover he wasn’t done working just yet. Greeting guests upon arrival suits his post-retirement lifestyle these days.
I gather Rob is one of the people Juan is referring to. My cynical side is about to take a beating.
Pendry?
Is this the first time you’ve heard of the Pendry? If so, consider this your formal introduction. Pendry is a luxury hospitality brand brought to life by founders Alan J. and Michael Fuerstman. This dynamic father-son duo is also responsible for Montage Resorts which includes family getaways like Palmetto Bluff, in South Carolina, and Big Sky, in Montana. Unlike Montage properties, Pendry Hotels are typically city-based. They purposely and purposefully lean into the local community in which they reside.
This is my first Pendry. And by the time I’ve said goodbye to Rob and my bags, I know it won’t be my last. The hotel entry is dominated by lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner cut into an oversized metal latticework. Valet Rob mentions America’s most famous ballad was penned not 100 yards from where we are standing. Say what you will about Francis Scott Key, this anthemic welcome is hard to beat.
This Pendry Hotel is A Baltimore Icon
The dimly lit ramp towards reception is a sharp contrast to the Baltimore sun beaming brightly outside. Ever the puzzler, I begin to decipher the brass icons lining the narrow corridor. Maryland references like an Oriole, Edgar Allen Poe, an anchor, and a blue crab are pretty clear-cut.
But I’m stumped by three stacked rectangles. Is this an inside joke for Marylanders? Later I discover I was stumped by a stoop. Stooping, according to Urban Dictionary, is ‘the act of hanging out in a group of three or more on a stoop.’ Ahhhh, the three stacked rectangles represent the ubiquitous marble steps of Fells Points’ original rowhouses. In a world where we’re glued to technology and it’s too hot to go outside anyway, stooping is a lost art.
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Pendry = Sophistication
If I had to describe the Sagamore Pendry Hotel with one adjective it would be sophisticated. Thankfully I’m a writer and I can use all the adjectives I’d like, but I’d go as far as to say the Pendry Hotel ups the ante on sophistication. Follow as I tour the hotel, using adjectives galore to describe the highlights.
The Lobby Lounge
It seems every hotel these days differentiates itself with a signature scent, and in this way, the Pendry Hotel is no different. The blend of santal and cypress, with woody, amber-infused notes creates a sense memory Pendry hopes will stay with guests long after they leave the hotel. This can easily be facilitated, however, by buying a Pendry candle upon departure.
The Sagamore Pendry’s lobby feels like a buzzy living room—a space enhanced by natural unfiltered light and warm mahogany wood tones. A painting by Baltimore street artist, Gaia, soars above the room in dynamic color. It depicts the face of Francis Scott Key and the hands of the two women who sewed the famous flag, Mary Pickersgill and her indentured servant, Grace Wisher.
Inviting clubby leather chairs adds to the familial and convivial vibe. Guests settle in for the morning with coffee and old-school newspapers, striking up conversations with others nearby. The hotel lobby is reconceived as a living space leaning into its past as a social hub under Mr. Key’s watchful gaze.
The Cannon Room
Hidden in plain sight, I challenge you to find the Cannon Room without asking Juan. I seek out the barrel-shaped bar to spot the WW2 cannon that I learned was unearthed during renovation. Others will likely seek it out for its locally crafted American whiskey, but due to an unfortunate incident in high school, spirits are not my thing. If they are yours, you won’t be disappointed.
Rec Pier Chop House
The Sagamore Pendry’s main restaurant is a cavernous Italian steak house with chef Andrew Carmalini at the kitchen’s helm. Mr. Sutton’s clever use of architectural screens and circular banquettes divide the space. It evokes a sense of mystery I imagine even Edgar Allen Poe would appreciate. A scene-stealing windowed arch acts as a portal to the cobbled streets of Fells Point.
My New York Strip is prepared just as I like it, and I order a bold glass of red to match its bold flavor. A few bar stools down from me I meet Suzanne—a like-minded food lover. I learn she also lives in DC and we chit-chat about the hotel, food, and travel. When I travel solo, I chit-chat like there’s no tomorrow. Suzanne gets an earful.
The Courtyard
Linking the lobby to the pool via a long indoor/outdoor atrium is the Pendry’s courtyard. The passageway has cozy fire pits for cooler months and a birch tree-lined escape for warmer ones. Twinkling lights add a touch of dazzle, but the real star is the Moët & Chandon vending machine. Form follows function at this ever-instagrammable courtyard fixture. Get a token at reception and simply ‘Push for champagne.’
A larger-than-life, puffy bronze horse blocks my path to the pool. An impressive Botero—who I immediately forgive because he’s so adorable—all 3500 pounds of him. A couple asks me to take their photo in front of the massive steed. “It’s our first date,” she whispers, and I can’t help but feel like I might be documenting a pivotal moment in their lives. I think back to Juan, and the people he says makes the place. I’m starting to believe.
The Pool
Sitting at the tip of what was once Rec Pier is the proverbial cherry on top of Maryland’s Smith Island cake—the Pendry Hotel pool. “Let’s embrace the city, smokestacks and all!” it roars with pride.
The infinity-edged pool faces the harbor that thrums with industry. Schooners zigzag with the wind, their crisp white sails a striking contrast to the factory-lined backdrop. Battleship gray battleships loom. There’s no better spot to soak up the Baltimore sun than poolside with a tall Bloody Mary, sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning, naturally.
A man swims by, smiling and eager to engage. His office is a few blocks away, so he comes to the pool every week to relax. “I’m in my happy place here,” he says with no trace of irony and only a small trace of inebriation. A worthy OOO, for sure.
Rooms and Suites
Among the 128 rooms and suites at the Pendry Hotel, I’m fortunate to call a Harbor Balcony Suite my home for a few days. ‘Sophisticated’ once again enters my mind as an apt description. As do other adjectives like refined, understated, and polished. The dark wood, stately bedding, and brass accents make me want to redesign my house.
The marble wall behind a deep standalone tub makes me want to gut-renovate my master bath. The highly curated artwork makes me want to go overboard at Art Basel. Mr. Sutton, this trip is going to cost me.
Every building has a story
The Sagamore Pendry Hotel finds a way to build upon the past while living firmly in the present. Its amenities appeal to the modern city traveler and millennial alike. Between Rob the valet, Suzanne the lawyer, the couple on their first date, and the slightly tipsy swimmer, I take back my cynicism. It really does seem like the people are what makes the Pendry tick.
What is a hotel if not a microcosm of a community? The Sagamore Pendry’s story reveals far more than that of a typical hotel. A social hub, a place to mingle and mix. The heartbeat of an uber-cool, gritty neighborhood.
With local, cutting-edge Baltimore artists showcased and found objects on display, the hotel carves out a new niche in hotel design and purpose. One that mirrors the history of the place in which it resides.
Every building has a story to tell. The Sagamore Pendry’s narrative is multi-faceted, layered, and complex. Part history, part mystery, and infused with romance and legend, the Pendry Hotel takes the city of Baltimore as its muse. No guest will leave without sensing the community center roots at its core. In the end, it’s all about the people.
But I guess you already know that, Juan.
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Disclaimer: Although I was kindly hosted by the Sagamore Pendry Hotel for my stay, all opinions stated are my own. As always, I’ll only recommend places I fully believe in.
