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person, one could have privileges at the Coral Casino Beach and
Cabaña Club, which featured excellent dining, dancing, and bar
facilities, in addition to a salt water Olympic-sized swimming pool
complete with diving towers. Overnighters who required no meals
could get a room for $8-12. And quarters were still available for
“white servants.”
By the 1960s, the Biltmore’s strict policies were under attack.
When Kirk Douglas and his son Michael were turned away because
Michael’s hair was collar length, the national press had a field day.
Also in the 1960s, O’Dell attempted to add more rooms and
parking in an eight-story structure. Public outrage convinced him
to abandon the idea. Nevertheless, the original Biltmore has seen
dozens of alterations over the years. One of the most significant
was the removal of
Inellan/Cabrillo Cottage
and the construction
of 60 additional guest rooms on its site in 1982 by the Marriott
Corporation. When Marriott sold the property to Ty Warner in
2000, additional renovation as well as preservation of historic
elements was instituted.
One of the latest embellishments is the addition of decorative
designs inspired by Mudejar tradition on the concrete beams of the
lobby and lounge. Camarillo-based artist Darin Ward researched and
created the designs especially for the Santa Barbara Biltmore which
now, too, has the verve and color of Smeraldi-like ceilings.
(Sources: “Santa Barbara Biltmore Souvenir,” 1928;
Morning Press
,
16 December 1927;
The New York Times,
26 December 1913, 6 March
1927, 3 February 1928; Biltmore Hotel website;
.
com/GON/GON041.htm;
The Biltmore Santa Barbara: A History,
by
Jerry Camarillo, 1996;
Montecito and Santa Barbara
by David Myrick;
OAC finding aids for Reginald Davis Johnson; Cultural Resources
Study by Alexandra Cole, April 2001; vertical files of the Santa Barbara
Historical Museum and the Montecito Association History Committee.)
Landmarks
(left top)
Colorized postcard of beach cabanas circa 1930
(left bottom)
The Coral Casino circa 1950 boasted a saltwater pool, diving exhibitions, and a sand area complete
with colorful beach umbrellas (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
(top right)
The rose garden at today's Biltmore (Courtesy of the Four Seasons Biltmore)
