We’re not going to lie: Pulling up to the Sagamore Pendry Baltimore and seeing the beautiful people step out of Maseratis and Porsches at the valet station can feel a touch, well, intimidating. But if you walk past the hotel’s luxe lobby and stylish whiskey bar, then through the airy courtyard built on historic Recreation Pier, there’s a welcoming space for all: the pool bar.

Many locals don’t realize that the swanky patio at the Pendry is open to non-guests from Memorial Day Weekend through October 4, though the actual pool is off-limits. The main attraction is a shipping-container-turned-bar that cranks out a menu of tropical and frozen drinks and equally delicious snacks.

While the prices skew more upscale ($13 cocktails, $12-15 wine, $7 beer), the drinks pack a punch and the views—both of the harbor and ample people watching—can’t be beat. There are a number of seating options: Grab a stool at the marble-topped bar, waterside two-tops, or cushy couches to make believe you’re on vacation.

Pendry bar manager Kat Webster assembled a fun menu for the season, adding the playfully named Tropic Like It’s Hot, a mix of Casamigos Reposado Tequila, crème de banana liqueur, lime, and coconut that’s an earthy take on a piña colada. When in a Kevin Plank-owned property, one must try something with his locally distilled rye whiskey, so we indulged in the Sagamore Crush. Though not made with signature crushed ice, we loved the use of blood orange juice as opposed to the more acidic orange or bitter grapefruit. And the picturesque flower garnish was a nice touch.

Thanks to newly appointed Rec Pier Chop House chef Robert McGrattan, an Asheville native who is eager to show off Maryland seafood, the menu at this pool is much more elevated than snack-shack fare. Don’t miss the flavorful and chipotle-laced Thames Street Tacos with tequila-marinated rockfish, charred pineapple slaw, and cotija cheese. For something a bit lighter, try the tuna poke with spicy aioli, which is served with some of the best house-made, Old Bay-dusted chips we’ve ever had. (Sorry, Utz.)

And the fun doesn’t end there. This summer, the outdoor pool will feature Champagne spritzers on Mondays, live music every Thursday, and end the week with tableside oyster-shucking on Fridays. But, if the sun’s out, anyone can enjoy the perks of hanging at the Pendry without the hefty price tag.

It’s that time of year again: When airlines entice you to head west, toward snow-powdered mountains in Tahoe or Telluride. When temperatures lure you south, to snap bikini-clad Instagrams on some sandy beach near Tulum. We can’t deny the transformative power of a vacation, but here in Baltimore, thanks to a growing number of hip and haute hotels (many centered in Mt. Vernon), there are also now plenty of reasons to simply stay put. Staycations are an easy way to rediscover your city and revel in its own attractions, and the perks of doing so are piling up like room service trays in a hotel hallway. And the competition is getting fierce. Stunning views? Check. First-class spas? Check, check. Heavenly pillows, mattresses, and sheet sets? You can bet your lower back (and best of all, you don’t have to make the bed). So forget jet lag and the TSA this winter and treat yourself to a getaway without ever leaving home.

Four Seasons

200 International Dr., 410-576-5800, rooms start at $369.

Walk into this grand dame of local lodging in Harbor East and you’ll likely hear your inner voice vying for “Serenity now!” That voice, of course, has expensive taste, with every inch of this Baltimore branch of the Four Seasons empire exuding its trademark lavishness. From sweeping waterfront views, top-tier restaurants, and the hotel’s signature scent of teakwood and cardamom mingling with a weekly tower of fresh flowers in the front lobby, you’ll be swaddled in the lap of luxury before you even hit the five-star spa. But this plush pad, located in the city’s deluxe shopping district, isn’t just for socialites and celebrities ready to relish the private pool. It’s also surprisingly family friendly, with in-room babysitting services and glamping for kids—toy teepee and all.

Sweet Dreams: Each room is simple and sophisticated, featuring an earthy color palette, luxe linens, and a prime vantage point overlooking the city skyline. For that, splurge on a balcony, like those of the aptly named Serene Suites, which also include a built-in fireplace and a full kitchen with Wolf appliances. Room Service: The Atlas Restaurant Group is taking over the hotel’s (and neighborhood’s) dining scene, with three on-site restaurants—the splashy Azumi sushi bar, the buzzy Loch Bar seafood spot, and the sceney, rooftop Bygone—as well as another upcoming concept opening in the former Wit & Wisdom space later this year. (For what it’s worth, the shrimp and grits at chef Cindy Wolf’s nearby Charleston would be part of our last supper.) Concierge Cue: The hotel spa is reason enough to visit, be it for a stellar massage or a stint in the spacious sauna, and Baltimore residents make up the majority of appointments throughout the year. Just don’t miss the warm stone seats in the “heat experience.”

Hotel Indigo

24 W. Franklin St., 410-625-6200, rooms start at $89.

It’s easy to feel inspired after an overnight at this fresh-faced Mt. Vernon hotel, located in a 1908 landmark building that once housed the city’s first YMCA. Just around the corner from the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s central branch, the Baltimore location of this national boutique hotel chain is designed with the city’s literary legacy in mind. Murals depicting pencil-drawn book shelves float above the beds. Physical books for your perusal linger in the lobby library, where live jazz is performed on Thursday nights. Manhattan cocktails are made-to-order at the marble bar of Poets, the hotel’s aptly named restaurant with high ceilings and giant windows looking out onto the city streets. (And, of course, the gilded George Peabody Library is just a short scramble up Charles.) Soon enough, you, too, will be drinking the Kool-Aid (aka the spa water next to the concierge), as the entire space is sleek, modern, and fittingly funky without being overly cool. We especially love the rotating art exhibit, curated by local gallery Maryland Art Place and featuring works by Baltimore artists.

Sweet Dreams: Colorful furnishings and fixtures add a pop of energy to every room, while Aveda bath products and solid shower pressure inspire you to relax. We left wishing that more hotels had hardwood floors. And pups are also welcome for a one-time fee of $25, which is far less than the other guys. Room Service: Since you’re only one block away, be sure to scoot over to the venerable Tio Pepe for sangria pitchers and paella platters. For breakfast, make the four-minute walk to Jack and Zach’s for bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches on homemade English muffins. Concierge Cue: Sleep in without nightmares of Baltimore City meter maids thanks to the Penn Parking garage directly across Franklin Street, which costs only $5 a day.

The Ivy Hotel

205 E. Biddle St., 410-514-6500, rooms start at $595.

Prepare to be pampered like Baltimore royalty at this almost-all-inclusive former mansion in Mt. Vernon. Entering the stately home-turned-boutique hotel, you’re greeted with a glass of gratis champagne and then given free rein to the sprawling grounds, from the leafy conservatory, where you can try your hand at the grand piano, to the handsome library, where you can grab any book off the self, to even the Hemingway-worthy game room, where you can play a round of eight-ball on an antique pool table. That’s not to mention the afternoon tea time or access to the verdant courtyard, which quickly makes The Ivy feel like your new home away from home. Take our advice and stay awhile.

Sweet Dreams: With in-room fireplaces, heated bathroom floors, oodles of natural light, and a complimentary minibar—yes, you read that last part right—your bedchamber gives you little reason to leave it. The two-story Suite 18 is especially lovely, with vaulted ceilings, a spacious interior, and après-ski-chic design. Did we mention the heated bathroom floors? Room Service: A regular on our annual “Best Restaurants” list, Magdalena is an experience in and of itself, where chef Mark Levy turns out some of the most inspired fine dining in town. For morning meals, the restaurant also offers what Food & Wine has rightfully hailed “the best hotel breakfast you can’t have”—that is, unless you’re a lucky guest. Concierge Cue: There are a few fringe benefits for an additional fee, such as bringing Fido, with dog beds, crates, and walking services available upon request, or indulging in a tailored massage at the tranquil guests-only spa. We recommend the in-room treatments, which are followed by an aromatherapy soak in your very own bathtub.

Hotel Revival

101 W. Monument St., 410-727-7101, rooms start at $139.

From vintage furnishings and whimsical wallpaper to a whole rooftop room of succulents supplied by Remington plant shop B. Willow, this chic boutique hotel follows the nationwide trend of providing a respite for younger travelers who crave unique experiences over the big, beige, cookie-cutter options of yesteryear. But the hip new space, opened last April to much applause by the San Francisco-based Joie de Vivre hospitality group and situated on the western edge of Mount Vernon Place amidst the neighborhood’s historic brownstones, is more than just millennial fodder (though we won’t judge you for Instagramming your toes on the incredible tiled floors). As the name implies, the hotel draws on its local roots, past and present, with small odes to former resident Mary Garrett, whose father founded the B&O Railroad, and modern homages to the local arts, as the walls are decorated with works by contemporary creatives like collage artist Beth Hoeckel and Baltimore Print Studios. The lobby’s small gift shop also showcases regionally made goods, like candles by Knits Soy & Metal and bags by Treason Toting Company.

Sweet Dreams: Snag an east-facing room for a front-row seat to the Washington Monument. Swoon over the old-fashioned doorbell on your way inside, and spend some time finding redecorating inspiration in the eclectic aesthetic. Extra points for the in-room fabric steamer. Room Service: While the sub-level Square Meal is worth a cup of Ceremony Coffee, the main event is up the elevators on the 15th floor. At Topside, the rooftop bar and restaurant, the cocktails are current (think house-made shrubs and decorative garnishes), the tap list touts the hotel’s own beer (Thirstay, made by Peabody Heights Brewery), and the views (once again) are epic. Concierge Cue: Forget fitness centers and fresh-pressed laundry—our new favorite hotel amenities are the private B-Side Karaoke rooms. Book a solo session or bring a group of friends, with liquid courage available throughout the night.

Sagamore Pendry

1715 Thames St., 443-552-1400, rooms start at $350.

When it was announced that the iconic Recreation Pier in Fells Point, circa 1914, would be converted into a glitzy new hotel backed by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, you could almost hear the community’s collective grumbling: “There goes the neighborhood.” But nearly two years after opening its doors, the Pendry has become a welcome addition—in part for having the hands-down coolest pool in town. Sure, it’s hard to connect such modern amenities (and a $60 million renovation) with the former 1990s TV set of Homicide: Life on the Street, but outside, the original façade remains intact against the sparkling waterfront, and inside, local interior design guru Patrick Sutton has created a tony tribute to Baltimore’s heritage. Both the industrial décor and the curated art collection tip their hats to the city’s maritime, manufacturing, and historical heydays (with plenty of nods to the county’s horse country and Plank’s own thoroughbred farm). Go just to marvel at the colorful, complex, Maryland-centric mural by local street artist Gaia in the lobby lounge.

Sweet Dreams: Fancy yourself a stylish sea captain in these natty, nautically inclined rooms, featuring rich leathers, warm fabrics, and dark wood throughout. Whatever the season, a west-facing Harbor Suite offers exceptional sunsets behind the Domino Sugars sign, especially during the city’s festive fireworks on New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July. Room Service: While the revered Rec Pier Chop House by celebrity chef Andrew Carmellini might be only a few feet from your bedroom door, we suggest the few extra steps across the street for the whole-belly clam rolls at Thames Street Oyster House, followed by a little late-night boogie next door at Cat’s Eye Pub. Also beware the time-sensitive “honor bar” (aka the trendy term for minibar) that charges you 60 seconds after you’ve lifted that Sagamore Spirit bottle from its perch. Concierge Cue: Leave your car at home—the hotel features a fleet of Cadillacs that you can personally cruise around town for up to four hours.

Baltimore has always had character to spare. We’re charming, with our cobblestoned streets, genteel 19th-century architecture, and decades-old crabhouses. We’re hip, in the form of cool coffeehouses and cocktail bars. And, of course, we’re quintessentially quirky. (Hello, John Waters and toilet races.) 

But the one thing we’ve never had much of until now? Sex appeal. 

Enter Rec Pier Chop House. Set inside Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s gleaming Sagamore Pendry Hotel in Fells Point—a place which has fast become a private playground for locals—it positively oozes glamour. On a typical Saturday night, Maseratis and Mercedes pull up to the dramatic glass-wall façade, as well-toned—and well-dressed—bodies spill onto the street and through the doors, past a velvet rope, across limestone floors, and then finally into the swanky dining room appointed with luxe leather booths and cypress-green velvet banquettes. You can practically feel the pheromones here.

It goes without saying that we’re not on the former set of Homicide: Life on the Street anymore. Instead, we’ve been transported to an Italian rosticceria chop house, as imagined by ever-talented designer Patrick Sutton and James Beard Award-winning, Michelin-starred chef Andrew Carmellini of New York City’s Bar Primi and The Dutch, among others.

With massive hunks of meat for two, house-made pastas made for twirling, aphrodisiacal artichokes puréed into creamy soup, and a robust wine list, the menu for this modern steakhouse is full of temptation—and see-and-be-seen Baltimoreans have taken note. Among them, former Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who was dining there on one of our several Saturday night visits.

On each of our visits, we kept coming back to the classic Caesar salad made tableside—it’s a highlight not only because it’s a proper Caesar loaded with garlic and house-made croutons, but because watching salad specialist Miles tend to each lettuce leaf with some tongs and a set of kitchen shears is pure dinner theater. (Other servers toss, too, but Miles is masterful—ask for him.) Other star starters include a creamy puddle of burrata pleasingly partnered with pepperonata and pine nuts and ringed by a drizzle of spicy arugula pesto that adds depth of flavor and texture to the mild cheese. A dramatically composed yellowfin tuna crudo drizzled with a bracing black-olive aioli also provides a lovely beginning to the meal. The crab cake appetizer, swimming in marinara sauce and blanketed by Hollandaise, was more of a miss and something that likely only out-of-towners will order.

Our state crustacean is used to greater effect in a simple, soulful dish of house-made linguini tossed with slivers of jalapeño, flecks of Calabrian chili, and a sauce offering intense tomato flavor that plays well with the sweetness of the crab. Similarly successful was an order of spaghetti and meatballs, Carmellini’s nod to the thousands of Italian immigrants who landed in the New World at Rec Pier. What an homage it is: The toothsome noodles are a wonderful foundation for the house-made marinara sauce, and the meatballs, a classic combination of ground veal, pork, and beef, feature a surprise center—a chunk of fontina.

Steaks and chops are also prominently featured. On one visit, we enjoyed an 8-ounce petit filet sitting almost monk-like on a plate adorned with a stem of roasted cherry tomatoes. If you’re looking for something lighter, the rockfish cacciatore—a white filet of pan-roasted fish singed just so and served with olives, chunks of tomatoes and peppers, fried herbs, and roasted garlic—is simple but special.

Despite an overall excellent experience, I do have a few minor quibbles. Service was adequate across our visits, but the waitstaff had only shallow knowledge of particular preparations and ingredients. But I suspect that will improve in time. And maybe it’s just a personal peeve, but the paper placemats were immediately stained with dabs of extra-virgin olive oil when it arrived in a saucer for dipping the tasty foccacia. (Woven vinyl placemats would have been preferable.)

We’ll leave you with one more tip: Go on your birthday. Chances are, when your tiramisu arrives, you’ll end up with some sparklers set inside a replica of the Ferdinand Botero bronze horse that presides in the hotel’s courtyard. Doesn’t get racier than that.

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REC PIER CHOP HOUSE 1715 Thames St., 443-552-1300. HOURS Breakfast: Mon.-Sun. 7 a.m.-11 a.m.; Brunch: Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Lunch: Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner: Mon.-Sun. 5-11 p.m. PRICES Appetizers: $6-58; entrees: $17-125; desserts: $7-12. CUISINE Modern Italian. AMBIANCE Industrial chic.

Though this is the seventh property that Michael Fuerstman has opened, he admits there is something extra special about being in Baltimore.

“Last night I was having cocktails at Waterfront and I was watching people peer through the glass and look at the hotel across the street,” says Fuerstman, co-founder of Pendry Hotels. “You can feel the buzz in the air.”

As the $60 million Sagamore Pendry Hotel gets ready to debut to the public, there is a lot for local residents to ponder. A building that was abandoned for two decades is now home to a gleaming, four-star hotel, thanks to Fuerstman’s Pendry group and Kevin Plank’s Sagamore Development Co.

“Much of our job has been getting out of the way to let this amazing building speak for itself,” Fuerstman says. Here are some of our favorite details that do just that.

History repeating.
Though it was out of use for decades, the Recreation Pier of course served many functions throughout history. Most notably, it was a landing point for thousands of new immigrants who arrived in American for the first time at Locust Point.

“The fact that this was an immigrant processing station is pretty incredible,” Fuerstman says. “We’re honored to know that this is where people became American citizens.”

In fact, history will speak through nearly every surface of the hotel, from the original 1914 floors in the ballroom to the laser-cut lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the wall of the entrance.

Loose cannons.
The construction team—quite literally—stumbled upon some buried treasure.

“One of my favorite stories is while we were rebuilding the pier, the team kept hitting some immovable objects, three different times,” Fuerstman says. “Turns out, these were cannons that date back to the 1700s. Europeans would come here and need to make room on their ships for more goods and dumped them overboard. We found three of them, which leads me to wonder just how many more cannons are out here There’s potentially a whole graveyard of cannons.”

Guests can see the cannons for themselves, as two of them stand sentinel by the pool entrance and the other is enclosed in glass on the floor of the hotel’s whiskey bar.

Small but mighty.
Aptly named the Cannon Room, the hotel’s whiskey bar is about as intimate as it gets—with just 20 seats in total. The entire room is designed to feel like the inside of a booze barrel with wood curvature and steel wrap on the ceilings.

The standard guest rooms are intimate, too. But that’s also the idea. Part of Pendry’s vision was for each room to feel like an elegant captain’s berth, channeled by local designer Patrick Sutton’s use of mahogany and brass.

“These rooms are floating on a pier over water,” Fuerstman says. “Typically, that makes you think of a bungalow in the Maldives, but you’re right in the heart of a city.”

Let there be light.
From the outside, it might be hard to tell that there’s a giant open-air courtyard in the middle of the hotel, which allows for light and greenery in an area that might have otherwise been closed off.

In addition, Sutton and his team paid attention to light in all ways: the exterior lighting from the building’s facade, the illuminated carpet on the stairs leading into the ballroom, and preserving and updating the original windows.

“We wanted to keep the feel of the hotel, and especially the ballroom, like the early 1900s,” Fuerstman says. “Details like the window panes really make it shine.”

Horsing around.
Fittingly, there are plenty of nods to Sagamore’s horse-racing ties, including a giant horse sculpture in the courtyard and plaster horses in every guest room that appear to be protruding out of the walls.

“We want to celebrate all of the cool aspects that make Baltimore a great American city,” Fuerstman says. “So you’ll see tons of nautical, industrial, and equestrian elements throughout.”

Pool parties.
In Baltimore, we’re still not very used to feeling fancy. The Four Seasons was a big step for us. But now we have another infinity-edge pool to add to our list at the back-end of the pier, which conveniently looks straight across to the Under Armour sign. The bars on the pool deck will be housed in shipping containers and nearby there’s also a private boat dock

“I see the pool deck as very Montauk meets Baltimore with oysters and crabs and buckets of beer,” Fuerstman says.

Stoop sitting.
Keeping the character of Baltimore intact was important to the hotel owners, hence keeping the “City Pier Baltimore” sign that’s visible from the back of the building. Homicide fans will recognize the set’s police entrance that leads guests into the ballroom.

But maybe one of our favorite local nods is right at the entrance, where guests can sit on some outdoor furniture, nurse their drinks, and watch the world go by. They’re calling it The Stoop.

“We have a huge responsibility to honor the city of Baltimore and get it right,” Fuerstman says. “We are really trying to embrace that.”