This website is intended to recognize the historical significance
of the Miramar By The Sea Hotel in scenic Montecito (Santa Barbara), California. The Miramar closed for renovations on September 10, 2000 when it was sold - over 15 years ago!
Since then, it has been an eyesore for Montecito residents as well as thousands of past guests.
Most recently, Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso purchased the property from Ty Warner in 2007 and has begun renovating the hotel in 2016 for opening by Summer 2018.
Needless to say however, there have been countless delays that have
frustrated neighbors, former guests, owners, developers, etc.
We are excited to hear however that the property seems to be on-schedule for re-opening this year!
Official Page: https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/miramar-beach-montecito
ABOUT THE MIRAMAR:
The Miramar history began in 1876 when Josiah and Emmeline Doulton purchased
the 20 acre ocean front property in Montecito. In 1889 the Doultons built
a separate cottage for visiting friends, which soon served to accommodate
outside guests. Originally called Ocean View Farm, a friend/guest at the hotel
suggested that the name of the destination be changed to “Miramar”,
meaning “behold the sea.” Mrs. Doulton was immediately taken with
the name and ordered signs the following day. Over the years, the hotel was
expanded and by 1910 there were 29 structures on the property. The Miramar
struggled during the Depression and the Doultons eventually sold the hotel
to Paul Gawzner on November 3, 1939. Gawzner owned the Miramar until September
1998, when Ian Schrager purchased it for $31.7 million. The hotel closed its
doors on September 10, 2000 to begin renovations and was set to reopen in
about 18 months. Five years later, the partially demolished Miramar Hotel
still sat vacant on some of the most valuable property in California. On April
29, 2005, TyWarner Hotels purchased the hotel from Schrager promising to renovate
it in the near future. Less then 2 years later, no renovations had been made.
Finally, in January of 2007, Rick Caruso of Caruso Affiliated purchased the Miramar for an undisclosed price. Faced initially with funding issues in the wake of the financial crisis, Caruso is now planning to renovate the hotel beginning in 2016. However, multiple bureaucratic hurdles continue to plague the Miramar's schedule for re-opening.
LATEST NEWS:
As someone who has had a continuing interest in the Miramar, we wanted to provide you an important update about the project. As you may have seen in the news, we have recently submitted revised plans for our project, the Miramar Beach Resort and Bungalows. Working with renowned local architect, Marc Appleton, we've created what we believe to be the best possible design for the property, and we hope you'll agree. To view the revised site plan, please click here (Miramar Site Plan)
We're also pleased to share, that with a timely approval of the revised plan, we'll be able to open the new hotel by Summer 2017.
The revised design is even more compatible with the Montecito community's unique character. We have managed to maintain all of the key parts of the hotel that the local community has supported throughout this process while making the project smaller and less impactful in every way than the previously approved plan. Some highlights of the revised plan include:
Moreover, during our ownership and since the economic downturn in 2008, markets have not supported new hotel developments in a way that would make this project feasible. However, the financial markets for the ground up development of new hotels have improved so much that we are now confident that once this revision is approved, we will finally be able to move the project forward to construction and opening.
We thank you for your continued support over the years and appreciate that you have followed us through many generations of the plan. True to our word, we have remained committed to this once-in-a-lifetime project that the entire community of Montecito will once again be proud to call its own. This is the best plan to date, and the plan that we will build. But as has been the case in the past, your support for the project will be essential to getting it built.
You can show your support for the Miramar in the following ways:
Thank you again for your continuing interest in the Miramar Hotel. Please do not hesitate to contact the project development manager, Evan Krenzien, at ekrenzien@carusoaffiliated.com or 323 900 8196. He will answer any questions you may have and will share with you more ways you can be supportive of our efforts to get this new plan entitled as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Rick J. Caruso
Click Here for a Recent News piece with a Link to the Blueprints.
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The Historic Miramar:
Anyone who has visited the Miramar while it was open, knows of the historical significance the Miramar offers that other premier hotels cannot. The Miramar is over 100 years old, and provides a warming atmosphere to its guests. The bungalows, the railroad car diner, the private beach, tennis courts, etc. So many things made the Miramar a unique destination so much different then hotels American have grown use to. The reason I am developing this site is because so much of the Miramr Hotel is its history, if its history is forgotten, the Miramar will just join the rest of the five-star hotels around the country. But the Miramar is truly one of a kind. I sincerely hope Mr. Caruso will focus on the historic miramar during his upcoming renovations.
Bits of History:
National
Embassy #1205
Most guests of the Miramar did not know much about the old railroad car in
the parking lot of the Miramar The inside of the car was not opened after
Mr. Gawzner's death in 1984. In 2000, Morgan's Hotel Group (Ian Schrager) donated
the car to the Santa Clarita River Valley Railroad Historical Society. They
are now the proud owner. It is very unfortunate the car will never see the
Miramar again, however a Railroad historic society will surely be the best
possible new home for this unique piece of history.
Here are some pictures of the car being moved from Montecito to Fillmore:
At the Miramar just as it sat when the Hotel was open.
Being put on a truck, it's last minutes at the Miramar.
Moving Day at the Miramar
Santa Fe-Amtrak Railcar Diner
If you had ever stayed at the Miramar, I am sure you have had at least one good meal at the Santa-Fe Amtrak Railcar which sat adjacent to the beach. I personally ate lunch there each day of my many stays at the Miramar. Unfortunately, it too is no longer on site. It is now owned by Burger Depot in Bakersfield. I have not visited it yet, so I do not have any pictures unfortunately. However, I do plan on making a trip to Bakersfield within a few months to visit the car.
Note: I have additional pictures of the car which are not presently online, I will post more as soon as they are scanned and I have visited the new location in Bakersfield.
Presently
Ian Schrager's Plans
Drawing from Ty Warner
The design for the Miramar gave homage to the original club while
expanding its menu of amenities. Pictured here is a proposed spa.
DISCLAIMER:
This website is not affiliated with the Miramar Hotel, Caruso Affiliated, Ty Waner Hotels, Morgans Hotel Group, Santa Clarita River Valley Rail Historic Society, or Santa Barbara / Montecito officials. This page is intended to gain public attention and offer an alternative to demolition of a HISTORIC PROPERTY.
Website Visitors:
1,775,225
PUBLIC GUESTBOOK COMING SOON - We have received over 5,000 emails since 2006 from past Miramar guests looking for updates.
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