The Padre Hotel has recently gone through an $18 million renovation to not only restore the building architecturally but to instill a new modernized and contemporary look that will take the essence of a luxury hotel to the next level.

Robert Bunker, general manager of The Padre Hotel, has been very involved with the process of the renovations by making sure that everything that was remodeled, rebuilt or put in was the exact look and state of mind for the new appearance of the hotel.

“The first part of the renovation was the demolition and taking all of the asbestos out of the building,” Bunker said. “Everything was gutted and redone and the shell of the building is the only thing existing that wasn’t part of the renovation.”

The Padre, which was built in 1928, has always been a luxury hotel but with new renovations done to the interior, as well as the building, has made the hotel more lavish than before. The hotel features a fine dining restaurant such as The Belvedere room and upscale sports bar, The Brimstone. Not only are there places to eat but there are also places to get coffee and sandwiches, which can be found in the Farmacy Cafe.

Mike Orozco, 22, who works in valet parking, has been employed by The Padre for over three years and has seen the changes in the old hotel compared to the new renovations.

“The rooftop lounge features karaoke nights every Thursday, and people can eat here Saturday and Sunday when we hold a brunch on the rooftop,” Orozco said.  “People rent our rooms out for meetings, and we hold weddings here at least once every week.”

The Padre also gets regular business from their upscale dining rooms, club and rooftop gatherings.  The Prospect Nightclub located on the first floor has been renovated and is a posh club with modernized interior that accommodates VIP tables, not only on the first floor, but on the second floor with a loft-style appearance.

“The finishes that were put in the building were state of the art, and it was more restored to be a new and very contemporary look that you might find in the Hard Rock Café,”  Bunker explained. “It’s a boutique-style hotel, so it’s more of a lifestyle hotel.”

Not only are the renovations inside the building of importance to Bunker, but also the renovations on the outside of the building in which the parking lot is being reconstructed and making space for newer and more efficient installments to further the progress of The Padre.

The renovations have not only affected workers and management in the building.

“Bakersfield partnered up with The Padre and gave us a loan for the renovations,” Bunker said. “It has created 140 jobs and brought tax revenue to the city of Bakersfield.”