Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows is a historic luxury hotel near the beach in Santa Monica, California, close to the Santa Monica Pier. The property began as Miramar, a Victorian-style private estate built in 1889 by John P. Jones, a silver-mining entrepreneur and one of Santa Monica's founders. Jones named the estate after the Spanish expression for an ocean view. His wife, Georgina, developed the property's rose garden and contributed to the planting of trees along Santa Monica's streets, helping establish the landscaped character associated with the site. After Jones died in 1912, his widow sold the estate to King Camp Gillette, the safety-razor inventor. Gillette later leased it to a military academy, but in 1921 sold the property to hotelier Gilbert Stevenson. Stevenson converted the residence into the Miramar Hotel, establishing the business that eventually became Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. A six-story wing was added in 1924 to accommodate longer-stay guests. The hotel became associated with entertainment and celebrity culture during the twentieth century; Greta Garbo reportedly lived there for more than four years, while Jean Harlow was seen dining at the property and Betty Grable performed in its lounge with Ted Whidden's band. The hotel's bungalow identity developed in the 1930s, when 32 poolside bungalows were constructed separately from the principal hotel buildings. The original 1889 mansion was demolished in 1939, leaving later structures and landscaped grounds to carry forward the property's historic character. The ten-story Ocean Tower was added in 1959, expanding the accommodation capacity and becoming a prominent part of the modern hotel complex. Ownership and management changed several times. Fujita acquired the hotel in 1973 and brought in Sheraton Hotels to manage it in 1978, after which it operated under the Miramar-Sheraton and Miramar Sheraton names. In September 1999, Los Angeles investment firm Maritz, Wolff & Co. purchased the property and contracted Fairmont Hotels to manage it. The hotel was renamed Fairmont Miramar in November 1999. Its historic bungalows received an approximately $18 million renovation between 2002 and 2003 intended to preserve their original design. Maritz, Wolff sold the property to MSD Capital, associated with Michael Dell, in 2006. The property has also been the subject of prolonged redevelopment debate. In 2011, the owners announced a proposal to replace existing structures with a new hotel and residential complex. The concept was revised in 2013 to include a 21-story tower, prompting community concern. A 2016 ballot initiative that would have restricted development was defeated. A reduced-scale replacement hotel proposal was presented in April 2018. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the proposed building was planned at 130 feet, the maximum height permitted under newer restrictions. The California Coastal Commission approved the redevelopment plans on March 10, 2022, although further local approvals were still required at the time described in the reference material. The hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2023 it became involved in a wider labor dispute affecting Fairmont Miramar and other Los Angeles-area properties. The hotel remains identified with luxury accommodation, landscaped grounds, bungalows, dining, events, and its long association with Santa Monica's coastal tourism history.

The Fairmont Miramar site originated as a private coastal estate in Santa Monica. In 1889, John P. Jones built a Victorian mansion there for his family and called it Miramar, a name referring to the sea view. Jones had arrived in California in 1849, made his fortune in silver mining, and in 1874 acquired most of Robert Symington Baker's ranch. Jones and Baker founded Santa Monica in 1875. Georgina Jones, John's wife, established a rose garden at the estate and planted trees along local streets, contributing to the property's later landscaped identity. Following John P. Jones's death in 1912, his widow sold the mansion to King Camp Gillette. Gillette leased the estate to a military academy near the end of World War I before selling it in 1921 to hotelier Gilbert Stevenson. Stevenson transformed the private residence into the Miramar Hotel. A six-story wing followed in 1924, designed to support longer stays by beach visitors. The hotel soon gained a public profile through celebrity residents and performers, including Greta Garbo, who lived there for more than four years, and entertainers associated with the hotel's dining and lounge spaces. During the 1930s, 32 poolside bungalows were built apart from the main buildings. These structures became a defining element of the property's accommodation concept. The original mansion was demolished in 1939, but the hotel's association with its historic estate, gardens, and bungalow layout continued. In 1959, a ten-story Ocean Tower measuring approximately 115.96 feet in height was constructed, giving the property a larger and more vertically organized hotel format. Fujita bought the hotel in 1973. In 1978, Sheraton Hotels took over management, and the property operated as the Miramar-Sheraton and later the Miramar Sheraton Hotel. Maritz, Wolff & Co. acquired it in September 1999 for $90.6 million and engaged Fairmont Hotels to manage the property. The hotel adopted the Fairmont Miramar name in November of that year. A renovation of the historic bungalows took place in 2002 and 2003 at a reported cost of approximately $18 million, with the stated objective of retaining their original design. In 2006, Maritz, Wolff sold the hotel to MSD Capital for a reported $210 million. Redevelopment became a major issue in the following decade. In 2011, the owners announced plans to demolish the existing structures and construct a new hotel and residential complex. The proposal was revised in 2013 to include a 21-story tower. Community opposition and concern about the scale of the project contributed to a 2016 ballot initiative intended to limit development, but voters defeated it. A smaller replacement-hotel plan was released on April 12, 2018. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects designed a proposed 130-foot building, corresponding to the maximum height allowed under newer restrictions. The California Coastal Commission approved the redevelopment plans on March 10, 2022; additional approval from Santa Monica's Landmarks Commission and Architectural Review Board was still needed according to the cited account. The property is included in Historic Hotels of America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's official hotel program. In 2023, employees at Fairmont Miramar joined a strike involving 12 other Los Angeles-area hotels. The labor action also had a visible sports connection when Inter Miami CF cancelled a reservation that had been made for its match against Los Angeles FC, citing solidarity with the striking workers. Across its history, the property has evolved from private mansion to resort hotel, while retaining its importance as a landscaped coastal landmark and a recognizable Santa Monica hospitality address.

• 2023

  Workers join regional hotel strike

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  Employees at the hotel began a strike on August 30 as part of a labor dispute involving multiple Los Angeles-area properties.

• 2022

  California Coastal Commission approves redevelopment plans

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  The California Coastal Commission approved the redevelopment plans on March 10, subject to further local approvals described in the source.

• 2018

  Scaled-down redevelopment proposal unveiled

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  A revised replacement-hotel proposal designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was presented with a planned height of 130 feet.

• 2006

  MSD Capital acquires the property

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  Maritz, Wolff sold the hotel to MSD Capital.

• 2002

  Bungalow renovation begins

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  A major renovation of the historic bungalows began, continuing into 2003 and focusing on preservation of their original design.

• 1999

  Fairmont management and renaming

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  Maritz, Wolff & Co. acquired the property and contracted Fairmont Hotels to manage it. The hotel became Fairmont Miramar in November.

• 1978

  Sheraton begins management

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  Sheraton Hotels took over hotel management, leading to the Miramar-Sheraton operating name.

• 1973

  Fujita acquires the hotel

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  Fujita purchased the Miramar property.

• 1959

  Ocean Tower constructed

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  A ten-story Ocean Tower was added to the property.

• 1930

  Poolside bungalow concept established

  [1]Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org

  Thirty-two separate poolside bungalows were built during the decade, creating a lasting feature of the hotel's identity.

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Historic luxury beachfront hotel and resort with distinctive garden bungalows in Santa Monica.

• Hotel accommodation · 1921

  Guest rooms and suites

  The main hotel buildings provide luxury guest rooms and suites for short- and extended-stay visitors. The accommodation offer is integrated with the property's beachfront setting, landscaped grounds, dining facilities, and event infrastructure.

• Hotel accommodation · 1930

  Historic garden and poolside bungalows

  The bungalow accommodation originated with a group of 32 poolside structures built in the 1930s. Their separate, low-rise form distinguishes the property from conventional tower hotels, and a 2002–2003 renovation sought to preserve their historic design.

• Hospitality services · 1921

  Dining and lounge venues

  Food-and-beverage operations form part of the hotel's resort proposition. Historically, the property hosted celebrity dining and live performances, and its lounge became associated with entertainers including Betty Grable and Ted Whidden's band.

• Events and hospitality

  Weddings, meetings, and private events

  The hotel's coastal location, gardens, accommodation, and public spaces support weddings, private functions, meetings, and other hosted events.

• 2023

  Hotel labor strike

  Fairmont Miramar workers joined a strike on August 30, 2023, alongside employees at 12 other Los Angeles-area properties. The dispute generated operational and public-relations consequences, including the cancellation of an Inter Miami CF reservation in solidarity with the workers.

  Source

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• 2018

  Scaled-down replacement hotel planStrategy

  Background

  Community opposition and new development restrictions led the owners to revise the larger redevelopment concept.

  Action taken

  A smaller replacement hotel designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects was unveiled, with a planned height of 130 feet.

  Aftermath

  The California Coastal Commission approved the redevelopment plans in 2022, while additional local approvals were still identified as necessary.

  Source

• 2011

  Initial comprehensive redevelopment proposalStrategy

  Background

  The owners proposed replacing the existing hotel structures with a new hotel and residential complex.

  Action taken

  Plans were announced to demolish existing structures and redevelop the site.

  Aftermath

  The proposal was revised in 2013 to include a 21-story tower and faced sustained community concern.

  Source

• 2002

  Historic bungalow renovationGeneration change

  Background

  The bungalow structures were a distinctive and historic component of the property but required substantial refurbishment.

  Action taken

  The hotel undertook an approximately $18 million renovation between 2002 and 2003 intended to preserve the original bungalow design.

  Aftermath

  The bungalows remained central to the property's heritage-oriented accommodation positioning.

  Renovation cost. $18 million (2002–2003)

  Source

• 1999

  Fairmont management agreement and rebrandingStrategy

  Background

  After Maritz, Wolff & Co. acquired the hotel, the new owner sought management by Fairmont Hotels.

  Action taken

  Fairmont Hotels assumed management and the property was renamed Fairmont Miramar in November 1999.

  Aftermath

  The hotel continued operating as part of the Fairmont brand while retaining its historic Miramar identity.

  Acquisition price. $90.6 million (September 1999)

  Source

1. 1Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalowsen.wikipedia.org