Fans of Art Deco design flock to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, but in recent years the cruise-ship-turned-permanent-hotel has developed a reputation as being a little less ‘vintage’ and more just… old. Guests have complained about outdated rooms, shabby furniture and a general lack of upkeep. Now, it looks like the Queen is getting a much-needed makeover.
Long Beach has big plans to redevelop the 45-acre site that surrounds the point where the ship is docked. This renovation of the hotel is the first phase of that overhaul. The city owns the ship and surrounding land, and lease them to a private company to maintain and operate. Earlier this year, developer Urban Commons took over the lease and they’ll be embarking on the ambitious project.
Working with an estimated $15-million budget for the hotel renovation, as the LA Times reports, Urban Commons is eager to get the 1936 cruise liner back into ship-shape. Upgrades will include installing flat-screen televisions and high-speed wi-fi throughout and replacing mattresses, carpets and showers. Stateroom sofas are being replaced with new ones designed to maintain the Art Deco look. The original vintage headboards, dressers and other pieces will be restored to their former glory. Urban Commons is even working with the very company that made the Queen Mary’s original carpets 80 years ago to commission new ones that replicate what would have covered the glamorous floors of that maiden voyage.
Other amenities will be upgraded as well, including adding a cinema, sports area and small pool on the rear deck. And remember that scene in Titanic where everybody is dancing it up in the engine room? You might be able to stage a bit of that yourself if the proposed conversion of the ship’s boiler room into a nightclub comes to fruition when renovations are completed in late 2017.