By pacbiztimes Friday, February 8th, 2019

Hotel San Luis Obispo, with 78 rooms and meeting and event space for 350 people, is slated to open in downtown SLO on June 5.

A slew of new hotels, including some that have been in the works for more than a decade, have opened or will open in 2019. Ranging from first-class hotel chains to privately-owned concepts, the new lodging spaces cater to a blend of luxury, tourism and business-oriented markets.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

The Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort in Montecito, with 124 guest rooms, 37 suites and an estimated construction price tag of $185 million, officially opened on March 1.

Spread over almost 16 acres of prime oceanfront real estate, the residential-style resort began operating with a soft opening on Feb. 11, according to a spokeswoman for owner Rick Caruso. Rates begin at $825 per night.

“We are assembling a world-class team to help bring this iconic property to life,” Managing Director Seán Carney, who joined the team in November, wrote in an email to the Business Times. “We will be bringing on over 300 employees at Rosewood Miramar Beach, many of whom are from the Santa Barbara region.”

Since 1876, the Miramar has been an historic destination, drawing visitors from across the country. The resort, originally called Miramar By The Sea Hotel, closed in 2000 for planned renovations that never materialized. It sat as a derelict eyesore until Caruso, the property’s third owner, took the development’s helm, according to previous Business Times reporting.

The Miramar’s design was inspired by Montecito homes and estates, said Carney.

The centerpiece of the development is Manor House, which includes three signature suites and a curved staircase designed by architect Paul Williams. The project also includes one-story cottages and bungalows and two-story oceanfront buildings.

Every room and suite features a furnished terrace or balcony with views of the ocean, mountains or landscaped gardens, Carney said.

The resort offers a spa with six treatment rooms, a hair and nail salon, two pools, a members-only beach club and a ballroom that can seat 400 people. Executive Chef Massimo Falsini will use local ingredients from farmers markets in the resort’s six restaurants and bars, including the signature-dining destination Caruso’s.

Also opening in Santa Barbara on upper State Street is the 88-room Hyatt Place Santa Barbara, which is scheduled for late spring, according to Sales Manager Christine Heinrich.

The dog-friendly hotel will have an outdoor hot tub, a gym and a business center for guests as well as a 300-square-foot board room and an outdoor patio with fire pits. Targeting leisure and business travelers, the hotel that used to be Hope Ranch Inn has been in the works for about 10 years, Heinrich said.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

Two downtown SLO hotels are under construction. The planned opening date for Hotel San Luis Obispo, with 78 rooms and meeting and event space that can host up to 350 people, is June 5.

The hotel features a rooftop bar, private meeting rooms, several pre-function venues, two restaurants and three bars, a full-service spa with eight treatment rooms, and an outdoor pool and hot tub located on the main entrance above the shops on Monterey Street.

General Manager David Smith said the privately-owned project at 877 Palm St. has been in the works since 2005.

“Our goal is to be a city center,” he said.

The hotel is currently accepting reservations. While room rates haven’t been made official, Smith said they’ll likely range from $400 to $750 per night.

The hotel has already hired a chef and spa manager and will likely begin hiring its 80 employees in late spring, with that number expanding to 130 with seasonal employees, Smith said.

Opening in September is Hotel Cerro on Garden Street, which will have 65 rooms. According to a brochure from Marketing Manager Kyvon Brown, the project has been ongoing for 15 years.

The hotel touts downtown and mountain views, edible gardens, a Brasserie restaurant, a full service spa, a gym, a rooftop pool bar and meeting spaces for up to 75 people.

“Our goal at Hotel Cerro is to showcase the good and the great from the neighborhood we live in to provide a uniquely ‘San Luis Obispo’ experience,” the brochure states.

Four different suite types, ranging from 380-900 square feet, are available as well as one-and-two bedroom residences, which range from 1,000-1,500 square feet and have a full kitchen, a fireplace and private entrances for longer stays.

VENTURA COUNTY

In Ventura County, the cities of Camarillo and Moorpark are both welcoming new hotels.

Marriott’s Fairfield Inn & Suites Camarillo was slated to open in late March at 444 Central Ave. Its 103 rooms include 25 two-bedroom suites, and it offers a full breakfast, free parking and Wi-Fi and mini fridges and microwaves inside its rooms.

A meeting room offers 460 square feet of space, with 1,500 square feet of space available for meetings and events.

The new Marriott Fairfield Inn in Moorpark, with an estimated cost of $15 million to build, is looking at a fall 2019 opening at its location on 14350 White Sage Road.

It will be the city’s first new hotel in several decades, and it has taken over a decade to build.

As of July last year, hotel plans included four stories and 109 rooms, and developer Peter Bhakta told the Business Times then that estimated room rates would vary with the market, but likely range from $130 to $200 a night.

The hotel’s location, a mile away from the Patriot Commerce Center with the sixth largest office park in the Tri-Counties, makes it a prime location for its target market of business customers.

• Contact Annabelle Blair at [email protected].