Hotel Los Gatos is slated to open its doors to the public for the first time on Monday, Nov. 18. Housed inside the hotel are Kuleto's Italian Restaurant, also opening Nov. 18, and the Saratoga-based Preston Wynne Spa, opening
next month.

"This fills in the missing piece for the Los Gatos accommodation scene," said Rob Delamater, vice president of creative services for Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the hotel's management company. "Frankly, I think this is as nice or nicer than any Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons."

The local community "is absolutely the number-one market," Delamater said, with management hoping to attract locals who want a weekend away from home. The hotel, which is also aiming to host special events, has a banquet room that can be divided into sections or has a capacity of 178 people as one room. The hotel also has smaller meeting rooms.

Delamater says the hope is also for the hotel to become a "destination escape"—not a resort. Those who stay at the hotel will treat all of Los Gatos as a destination spot, shopping and dining locally.

Delamater says the facility is shooting for a four-diamond ranking, with an "eclectic, sophisticated style." The 72 rooms in the hotel are decorated in warm colors—reds, mustard yellows and forest greens—with art that represents a "California charm," Delamater said.

"Because this hotel is being built by [Pinn Brothers Inc.], a company that builds homes, they're paying attention to detail that they usually don't do for hotels," Delamater said, pointing to intricate wood molding along the walls and painted tile in the bathrooms.

Of the 72 rooms, 30 are two-room suites. The rest are studio suites or regular-sized rooms. According to Delamater, the rooms start at around $200 a night, with management expecting to have an occupancy rate of 30 to 40 rooms on a typical evening.

Through this week, the hotel will run a series of tests, inviting guests to use the services and give feedback to management. There will also be a private party Nov. 15, fêting Randy Attaway, outgoing Los Gatos mayor and 12-year councilman.

The hotel started construction across the street from Los Gatos High School in April 2000 but has been a vision of Ogilvie's since long before that. Now in her 80s, Ogilvie originally had envisioned a complex that included a hotel, townhomes, retail and fountains, but encountered opposition from the town and from neighbors. Ogilvie, who also owns The Cats restaurant and Pigalle, received town approval to build in 1998.