Tag archives: hospitality

Hotel Santa Barbara Sold to Wisconsin-Based Hospitality Group
By Nick Masuda   |   December 14, 2021

The iconic Hotel Santa Barbara has been sold for $41.9 million to the Geronimo Hospitality Group, ending a 46-year run by the current ownership. Hotel Santa Barbara, located at 527-533 State Street, has seen renovations as recently as 2019, but the new ownership will be utilizing 2022 to prepare upgrades to the 75-key facility. “We […]

Still-Furloughed Four Seasons Biltmore Employees Now Seeking Lost Wages
By Nick Schou   |   November 26, 2020

Santa Barbara’s hospitality industry still isn’t close to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic but few employees have had it as bad as the roughly 450 workers from the Four Seasons Resort the Biltmore Santa Barbara, all of whom were furloughed last March and who lost their employer-funded medical insurance in July. Although the resort is […]

Rosewood Miramar’s Chef Massimo Falsini Serves First Responders
By Claudia Schou   |   April 9, 2020

Santa Barbara’s hospitality industry has been hit hard by COVID-19. Several local hotels have laid off their staff and are now closed, putting a halt to the local service industry. Those who remain on property are keeping busy, however. For his part, Rosewood Miramar’s Executive Chef Massimo Falsini is working with first responders and other […]

Guest Who?
By Ashleigh Brilliant   |   February 27, 2020

One mark of a civilized society is a code of manners, part of which involves rules of hospitality. How should one behave when one is a guest or a host? We are not usually taught such things at school. There are books of “etiquette” – but, if we learn these rules at all, it is […]

The Do-Gooders
By Ashleigh Brilliant   |   October 3, 2019

Apart from the so-called “Golden Rule,” no law or commandment compels us to be “good Samaritans,” and help other people. In fact, there seems to be a general prejudice against unabashed “do-gooders.” In most cultures, the idea seems to prevail that things in general should be left as they are. The Brits say, “Leave well […]

Score Sheets
By Richard Mineards   |   June 6, 2019

Santa Barbara’s second annual hospitality summer games at the Hilton boasted 14 teams, double the number of participants at the first event at the Hotel Californian. The fun-filled event, which included a recycling race, a bed making contest, a server obstacle course, pastry cake wars, a toilet paper toss, and a talent and bike building […]

StonePark Capital’s Latest Project Opens
By Richard Mineards   |   May 23, 2019

Ubiquitous charity emcee and auctioneer Andrew Firestone has joined the inn crowd! Andrew and his business partner, Jess Parker, who run five-year-old StonePark Capital, have just opened their fourth hotel property in San Luis Obispo, the La Quinta Inn and Suites by Wyndham. The three-story, 102-room hostelry, formerly the Monterey Hotel, has a sky bridge […]