Fuego at Hotel Maya

Hotel Maya is now removed from its contract with Doubletree Hilton and returning to its roots as an independently Long Beach-owned and -operated hotel. And it has hired its first new chef in over a decade and revamped Fuego’s brunch menu. Executive Chef Luis Torres, who already has culinary experience in hotel hospitality, wants to keep it forward and simple.

“Fuego already holds a special place in many hearts in Long Beach,” Chef Luis said. “And it is also an essential extension of our service for guests. Because of that, it deserved a bit of an update. Is it still Fuego? Yes. But is it also a bit more contemporary and elegant? Yes.”

If there is one thing to say about Hotel Maya, I’ve long considered it the Long Beacher’s hotel. It’s the hotel where people go for staycation or celebration. After all, it has historically hosted everything from official Pride pre-gamers back in the 2000s and early 2010s to 40 Under 40 award banquets to being a perfect, more contemporary alternative to the Queen Mary’s retro vibe.

With its independent ownership, they will be hitting 50 years of operation as a hotel this summer. And with that, give the hotel some major upgrades. They will slowly be renvoating every room—which follows a $20M renovation back in 2009 and another $6M renovation in 2014—as well as the interior of Fuego.

“Right now, we are focused on simply trying to own our roots as a hotel that not just guests love but locals do as well,” said Allison Lesser, Director of Sales and Marketing for the hotel and restaurant. “There are other brunches around town [like Ammatoli, Marlena, and Fairmont Breakers]. They rightfully attract patrons, and we understood we must also accommodate that. Locals are our guests. And we are nothing short of appreciative when they take the time to come out here. Order some chips and margaritas. Or have some plates of tacos and enjoy the view before heading back home.”

For the full profile on Fuego at Hotel Maya, click here.