Kimpton raises flag in Goleta
The former Holiday Inn on Calle Real in Goleta will officially start flying the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants flag in July.
The San Francisco-based boutique hotel operator said it has partnered with Newport Beach-based hotel owner Makar Properties to rebrand the 150-room hotel as The Goodland following a renovation.
Makar Properties purchased the hotel for $24 million, free and clear of existing debt, the Business Times first reported in July 2013, and started working with Kimpton to upgrade the property to the boutique chain’s standards. It has been called Hotel Goleta in the interim.
The property becomes the second Kimpton-branded hotel in Santa Barbara County after the San Francisco chain bought the Canary Hotel in downtown Santa Barbara in 2012 for an estimated $40 million.
“We’re thrilled to be expanding our footprint in Southern California with The Goodland,” Kimpton CEO Michael Depatie said in a statement. “Just a short distance from downtown Santa Barbara, Goleta is an emerging destination in and of itself, home to beautiful beaches and Fortune 500 companies alike. To be a part of this continued development is quite exciting, and we look forward to helping to build further awareness for this ever popular Santa Barbara-area destination.”
The Goodland will include a spa, fitness studio and more than 4,500 square feet of indoor meeting space as well as pre-function space and an event lawn for weddings, musical performances and other social events, the firms said.
Located at 5650 Calle Real, the hotel will feature a throwback Americana theme with a vintage house car, record concierge, curated art program and a lobby photo booth, Kimpton said. Guests will be treated to Mexican Coca-Cola and Coronita upon arrival. The eclectically decorated guest rooms were designed by Santa Monica-based Studio Collective.
“The Goodland has all the characteristics of a traditional surf lodge and will provide guests with culturally relevant arts, events and experiences making it a must-visit destination along the Southern California coast,” hotel General Manager Jeremy Wilhide said in a statement. “It’s the perfect home base for those seeking a slow burn vibe and rich social scene, alongside the stylish and personal approach expected from the Kimpton brand.”
The hotel will also debut a new restaurant, Outpost at The Goodland, led by Executive Chef Derek Simcik.
Newport Beach-based Makar Properties was founded in 2001 by UC Santa Barbara alumnus Paul Makarechian. The firm has also developed the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point and Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs.
“We selected Kimpton for this project because of its fantastic reputation,” Makarechian said in a statement. “The brand is the perfect partner for the stylish, fun and easy-going atmosphere we’re creating at The Goodland. We’re excited to have the Kimpton team make this hotel opening our most successful yet.”
