The largest property in the Anaheim district taps A-list talent to revolutionize the look and feel of the hotel.
By Susan Belknapp
On March 10, executives from Hilton Anaheim welcomed media and guests to experience recent designer renovations at a Gourmet Showcase, which unveiled a new Chef’s Table, Presidential Suite, Starbucks and the revitalized Mix Lounge. The hotel, with its 1,572 guest rooms and 100,000 square feet of meeting space adjacent to the Disney Resorts and the Anaheim Convention Center has been a long been a stalwart in Orange County.
“We asked our talented designers to make Orange County’s biggest and often busiest hotel also feel as intimate as a boutique property,” said Shaun Robinson, general manager, Hilton Anaheim. “We are thrilled with the results and believe we now have the best of both worlds in a single property.”
HGTV host and architect John Gidding introduced the crowd to the Chef’s Table area, which he developed in the hotel’s display kitchen. He created a custom sculpture of plywood that serves as a wine wall and backdrop for the area that allows for multiple table configurations to accommodate various events and seating up to 12. Executive Chef Kyung Soo Carroll and his staff dazzled menu items such as king crab gratin with hollandaise and herb-pepper crusted veal chops basted in roasted garlic butte with charred vegetables and parsnip puree.
Designer Amy Jakubowski of the Puccini Group was the creative force behind the new multi-use common areas in the lobby/lounge, which includes a new Starbucks with its own, designer look featuring rich woods and modular furniture for more flexible and comfortable seating options. A coffee tasting with a new Starbucks blend accompanied such java-themed dishes as chi-seared tuna with charred sweet peppers, chi tea reduction and sweet soy sauce and espresso-marinated NY strip with sticky coffee reduction.
The luxurious 2,000-square-foot presidential suite is ultra-modern and provides the ultimate indoor-outdoor experience. A disappearing glass wall opens completely to the terrace that overlooks California Adventure and has two large seating areas, each with fire features. An area in the center of the terrace allows for a long table or catering space. The kitchen staff provided desserts that included deconstructed cheesecakes and fresh-made s’mores. The suite also has an expansive living room, two large bedrooms and a dining area in addition to media area, kitchen and wet bar. It was designed by Creative Resource Associates, which also redesigned some guestrooms and other interior areas of the hotel.
