Summary
The Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara is a luxury resort hotel located in Santa Barbara, California known for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and gardens. It opened in 1927 as the Santa Barbara Biltmore, part of the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels chain. The hotel closed in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Location | Santa Barbara, California |
| Address | 1260 Channel Drive |
| Coordinates | 34°25′01″N 119°38′31″W / 34.41696°N 119.64196°W |
| Opening | 1927 |
| Owner | Ty Warner |
| Management | Four Seasons Hotels |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Reginald Davis Johnson |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 206 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
History edit
The Santa Barbara Biltmore was designed by architect Reginald Johnson and landscape architect Ralph Stevens in 1926-1927.[1] Their design of the hotel and outdoor garden rooms synthesizes Mediterranean Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Moorish Revival styles of architecture. The $1,500,000 construction cost was funded by the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Corporation of New York City, with a 5 March 1927 groundbreaking.[2] Since its 1927 opening, the hotel has been known popularly simply as 'The Biltmore'.[3]
Allied Properties of San Francisco bought the Biltmore in 1936. They sold the property in 1976 to Marriott for $5.25 million and the hotel was renamed Marriott's Santa Barbara Biltmore. Marriott sold the hotel to Four Seasons Hotels in 1987 for $55 million[4] and it was renamed the Four Seasons Resort Santa Barbara. In 2000, billionaire Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner purchased the hotel[5] for $150 million,[6] while retaining Four Seasons as the management company. He restored the hotel at a cost of $240 million and brought back the historic 'Biltmore' name soon after, renaming the hotel the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara.[3] The hotel closed in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] The hotel has remained closed, due to a dispute between Warner and the Four Seasons chain.[8] In August 2023, it was reported that Warner and the company were nearing an agreement, and the hotel might reopen in late 2024.[9]
Coral Casino edit
Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, built across the street in 1937, was also purchased by Warner in 2000.[10]
References edit
- ^ Gebhard, David. Santa Barbara Architecture, from Spanish Colonial to Modern. Capra Press. Santa Barbara. 1980. (later editions avail.)
- ^ "Santa Barbara Biltmore history - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- ^ a b Herman, Valli (May 27, 2007). "All dolled up -- but no stunner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- ^ Ryon, Ruth (March 15, 1987). "Santa Barbara Biltmore to Close Escrow". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ Kesmodel, David (May 24, 2000). "Beanie Babies' Warner Buys Santa Barbara Four Seasons". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Hayden, Tyler (March 26, 2015). "Spilling the Beans on Ty Warner's Toys and Troubles". Santa Barbara Independent.
- ^ Pridgen, Andrew (February 11, 2023). "The Beanie Babies billionaire is holding a Calif. hotel 'hostage'". SFGATE. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- ^ Fickenscher, Lisa (October 2, 2022). "NYC's Four Seasons hotel in standoff with Beanie Babies mogul". New York Post. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- ^ "Siteline | Ty Warner and Four Seasons Appear to Have a Deal". August 3, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- ^ Pridgen, Andrew (November 25, 2023). "Reclusive billionaire to reopen Montecito property, details remain secret". SFGATE. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
Further reading edit
- [1]: Dunn, Jerry Camarillo . "The Biltmore, Santa Barbara: A history". Pub: Santa Barbara Biltmore Associates. 1990. ISBN 978-0-917859-90-8.
External links edit
- Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara website