Under the direction of Terry Underwood, The Grande Colonial�s general manager and creative designs of Interior Designer Dalton Robertson (Robertson Associates, Los Angeles), the completed renovation will offer a refreshing and stylish early California seaside atmosphere with new furnishings, design treatments, colorful and lush floral arrangements and warm lighting. And because it is located on the Southern California coastline, mere steps from the famous La Jolla Cove, a strong emphasis has been placed on bringing in natural sunlight to each room and enhancing the sweeping ocean views.

�This hotel is an architectural gem from a golden era of long ago that reflects our rich California heritage,� said Underwood. �We are committed to restoring this piece of La Jolla�s history to the grandeur it once held.� Each of The Grande Colonial�s 75 guest rooms and suites has been renovated to incorporate old world charm with a modern color palette expressed in the new carpet, drapes, beds, bed linens, down comforters and pillows and duvets.  The guest rooms� eclectic furnishings include rich mahogany tones, unique painted-finishes and sun-drenched cotton fabrics. In addition, new lighting and such modern conveniences as 27-inch remote cable televisions are found in each room.

Guest room bathrooms have been updated with new tile and fixtures, pedestal sinks and tubs. A new state-of-the-art telecommunications system has been installed throughout the hotel allowing for two-line telephones with data ports to be placed in all guest rooms. A newly installed four-pipe HVAC heating and cooling system provides individual climate control to each guest room and suite. Guest room corridors are also being updated with new carpet, paint, lighting and wall coverings. Guest room corridors are also being updated with new carpet, paint, lighting and wall coverings.

The Grande Colonial now also caters to guests with disabilities boasting four newly designed and remodeled guest rooms that comply with current ADA requirements along with the conversion of the hotel�s public restrooms to ADA standards.

The Grande Colonial�s newly redecorated lobby and meeting rooms reflect the elegant yet relaxed atmosphere of the hotel. The lobby area, with its woven grass cloth walls and quaint colonial architecture, provide a rich backdrop for larger social events or intimate gatherings. The addition of the �La Jolla Room� meeting area, situated at the front of the hotel overlooking the village of La Jolla, will accommodate 60 persons for dining or 80 for cocktails. The new meeting room boasts 13-foot high ceilings, custom upholstered walls and lush new Axminster carpet from Holland.  Putnam�s Grill, The Grande Colonial�s award-winning restaurant, has also received an updated look to include new seating, lighting, artwork and interior finishes.
 

Grande Colonial Hotel Capitalizes on Trend Toward Boutique Hotels

Whether traveling for business or pleasure, Americans are discovering something Europeans have known for years: the full-service experience of larger hotels can be found in intimate, more personal settings at smaller, �boutique� hotels.

At The Grande Colonial Hotel in La Jolla, a dramatic, $2.2 million renovation is underway to place the historic hotel in this elite class of hotels.  The Grande Colonial, with its 75 guestrooms and suites, fits neatly into the category of �boutique� hotels, defined as those with less than 100 rooms.

�For many years, a high-caliber hotel was defined as a Hilton,� said Terry Underwood, general manager of The Grande Colonial.  �However, today�s travelers are becoming more sophisticated, and they�re turning to boutique hotels to give them the same services, but with personalized attention that just isn�t possible at a larger hotel.�

The renovation of this 86-year-old hotel is extensive, touching nearly every part of the hotel, including the guest rooms, meeting rooms, lobby, landscaping and even a repainting of the exterior.  The completed look will strongly reflect that of a European hotel with grand, colorful floral arrangements, warm lighting and other effects that preserve a comfortable atmosphere.  And since it is located in Southern California, mere steps away from the famous La Jolla coastline, a strong emphasis has been placed on bringing in natural sunlight and enhancing the sweeping ocean views. 

Underwood said, �We are committed to restoring this piece of La Jolla�s history to the grandeur it once held.�

The Fargo Colonial, LLC was created in 1998 to purchase the hotel. Franklin Croft LLC and Fargo Hotel investors LLC joined forces to create the Fargo Colonial LLC and purchased the hotel in July of 1998. 

Since its opening, the hotel has seen many changes. In 1913, the original Colonial Inn contained 28 apartments and 25 single rooms inside a white, wood-frame building, designed by Richard Requa.   Each room in the hotel had a private bath, quite luxurious at that time, and offered rooms for $1 per night.  Owners A.B. Harlan and George Bane drew the Colonial�s name from two white columns on either side of the front door. 

The La Jolla Drug Store, next door to the Colonial and occupying much of the hotel�s frontage, became part of the hotel in 1915.  Kansan Silas O. Putnam spent one winter in Southern California�s temperate climate and decided to make La Jolla his home, buying the drug store and adding an ice cream parlor on the sidewalk.  It became a prime location for La Jolla locals to gather to talk and watch the rest of the town go by.  The store�s pharmacist was well loved by the town, and his son, Gregory Peck, later became one of La Jolla�s most famous former residents.

Bane became sole owner of the Colonial in 1920, realized the tourist potential of this picturesque seaside town and decided to give the Colonial a whole new look.

In 1926, he commissioned architect Frank Stevenson to design a hotel that would �rival anything in the West.�  The existing building was moved to the rear of the property and a new, four-story concrete apartment-hotel building was erected.  The first fire proofed hotel west of the Mississippi, the new Colonial had the first sprinkler system; solid, unsupported, reinforced cement stairways and a fire door that still exists in the structure. 

Even with its safety features, the Colonial was breathtaking in its design, including a �sunburst design� of windows and semi-circle domes of leaded glass above the French doors that captured the sunlight and drew it into the hotel.  Inside, the new interior included colonial fireplaces with black, marble hearths, chandeliers and richly-colored couches and chairs.

Bane said of the new Colonial, � I�ve always had confidence in La Jolla, and I still do.  This building is the concrete expression of my faith.�

During the World War II years, the Colonial became home to many of the �top brass� from nearby Camp Callan.  At night, the sunroom was partitioned for the single servicemen to add to the Colonial�s accommodation capacity.

The Colonial also became a temporary home to some of Hollywood�s up and coming stars who were performing at the La Jolla Playhouse, founded by Gregory Peck.  Charlton Heston, Dorothy McGuire, Groucho Marx, Jane Wyatt, Eve Arden, Pat O�Brien, David Niven and many other celebrities occupied the hotel well into the late 1950�s.

Over time, the Colonial fell into disrepair until 1976, when the hotel was purchased by La Jolla real estate developer Don Emerson, Del Mar contractor Herbert Tuner and La Jolla architect Robert Jones for approximately $1 million.  In the next four years, a $3 million restoration effort brought back the original grandeur of the hotel, including an interior designed by San Diego�s Robert Carlisle to look �like an elegant, European hotel.�

The space once occupied by Putnam�s drug store became Putnam�s Restaurant, reflecting La Jolla of the 1920�s.  Dark wood paneling, wrought iron chandeliers and ceiling fans, oak dining sets and large picture windows defined the ambiance of the restaurant.

As The Grande Colonial takes on a new attitude, so will Putnam�s Grill. The restaurant, which has traditionally also served breakfast, will be open for lunch and dinner along with a Sunday brunch. Hotel guests will soon enjoy a continental breakfast in a unique living room setting similar to a bed and breakfast experience.

Underwood said, �We look forward to introducing the sophisticated business and leisure travelers who stay at boutique hotels to the unmatched beauty and unique shopping experience of the La Jolla village area.  Without question, we think it�s going to be a great fit.�