The Keating Hotel – Hotel Hell Update – Still Open in 2023?

Episode Recap

The Keating Hotel was a San Diego, California hotel featured on Season 1 of Hotel Hell.

Though the The Keating Hotel Hotel Hell episode aired in August 2012, the actual filming and visit from Gordon Ramsay took place much earlier in late 2011.

It was Season 1 Episode 4 of Hotel Hell.

The Keating Hotel is located in San Diego, CA.

It’s right next door to the Laugh Factory, a stand up comedy club.

Eddie Kaen is the owner of the hotel.

He is also a property contractor, which means he has the experience to work on the property himself.

The hotel features thirty-five rooms and is inspired by sports cars.

More specifically, the owner hired Italian design firm Pininfarina.

If you’re not familiar with Pininfarina, it’s the same design firm that has worked on cars like Ferrari, Maserati, and others.

This cost Eddie millions of dollars to design the hotel with this theme, which does seem like a bit of an overspend.

At first, Gordon Ramsay is impressed with the outside of the hotel, but he is turned off and thinks it looks like a nightclub.

Christos is the concierge, and he takes Gordon to his $759 dollars per night room (it ain’t cheap!) that looks like a garage.

Each floor is named after a different make of sports car.

It is also designed to fit the theme of the vehicle. 

In the middle of Gordon’s room is a hot tub/jacuzzi.

I gotta admit – I think it’s pretty badass! 

Gordon Ramsay does not agree with me, though, which led to some mocking and jokes.

However, the rest of the décor looks cheap.

The sheets on the bed are wrinkled, and the electric socket is broken.

Gordon orders room service and gets a tomato soup, BBQ chicken pizza, and sliders.

The food is served on cardboard boxes rather than on a plate.

Not really what you’d expect from a $750+ per night hotel, right?

After eating, Gordon Ramsay meets with the owner, Eddie, who tells him he bought the hotel in 2000 for over $6 million but has no experience in the hotel industry.

Eddie thinks his hotel is lavish even though he has never slept in it.

When Gordon heads to the reception desk, he meets the general manager Sandra.

Many guests call the front to complain about their food and the cleanliness of the room.

The Merk, the restaurant, is a short walk away from the main building.

Aaron, the restaurant manager, will not take accountability for the long wait times and says he doesn’t know why the hotel guests wait so long for their food.

Gordon Ramsay also enjoys one of his favorite dishes – a chocolate pizza! /s

His face says it all…

After eating, Gordon Ramsay is shown the inefficient laundry room.

He finds out the front desk is also responsible for the laundry. 

Gordon goes to the restaurant to watch a dinner service and is served by the deputy manager.

The food he orders is very dry; the dessert he orders is a bacon and chocolate pizza which is unappetizing.

Chef Brian has over 30 years of experience with the restaurant business and has been at the hotel for five years.

However, he becomes overwhelmed while talking to Gordon and faints.

As a result of that, he has to be sent to the hospital. 

Brian is home from the hospital the next day, and Gordon sees him.

Brian tells Gordon that Eddie takes advantage of him.

They return to the hotel that day for a meeting. 

Eddie is in denial about the The Keating Hotel’s problems.

To get through to him, Gordon takes Sandra and Eddie to see some of the guest feedback.

They complain about the rooms and the hot tub not having water.

Gordon’s team works all night to reveal a brand new reception area.

He also signed the hotel up to work with a linen company so they won’t have to deal with the laundry room.

There are also new items added to the dinner menu as a result of Gordon’s changes.

The guests are pleased on relaunch night.

The kitchen is receiving many compliments from guests.

Guests are finally receiving real plates when they order room service.