Escape to a revitalized Baltimore courtesy of Under Armour founder Kevin Plank.
The Sagamore Pendry is a reimagination of historic Recreation Pier.
If the touristy Inner Harbor and National Aquarium are what come to mind upon the suggestion of a trip to Baltimore, then you haven’t been to Charm City lately. The hometown of Babe Ruth, Thurgood Marshall and John Waters is also where Under Armour founder Kevin Plank now hangs his hat and where his Sagamore Development company is spending billions to revitalize the Fells Point and Port Covington neighborhoods.
Guest rooms offer harbor or courtyard views.
Plank’s properties set the stage for a hip, sophisticated getaway. Begin by checking in at the Sagamore Pendry Baltimore (from $246/night), a 128-room boutique hotel located at the long-neglected Recreation Pier, which opened in March after a two-year, $60 million renovation. The luxurious rooms are appointed with both equestrian and nautical elements in homage to the city’s historic past. Don’t miss the massive Botero sculpture in the courtyard and, should you visit on warmer days, the striking pool overlooking the harbor.
The Rye Street Tavern at Port Covington serves homey fare by famed New York chef Andrew Carmellini (who also oversees the hotel’s restaurants), including crispy fried chicken and buttery biscuits.
Eat at the hotel, explore the eclectic neighborhood where millennials mix with lifers, or hire nearby Charm City Helicopters to take you on an aerial tour before dropping you at Port Covington in South Baltimore. That’s where Under Armour’s new headquarters are under construction and where the Sagamore Spirit Distillery and the Rye Street Tavern, both part of Plank’s master plan, will provide sustenance in the form of Rye whiskey, farm-raised meats and sustainable seafood as you sit back and take in the sweeping view of the Patapsco River.
Charm City Helicopters offers aerial tours of Baltimore.
This story appears in the February 2018 issue of Washington Life.
