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Historic La Playa

From an Artist's Retreat to a Hotel of Distinction

March 7, 2024 by Amelia Ward

In 1905, artist Christian “Chris” Jorgensen—an accomplished painter known for his evocative watercolors of California landscapes—started construction on La Playa in the remote and wild dunes of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It was to be a winter home and studio for Jorgensen and his wife, Angela Ghirardelli. Ghirardelli was heiress to the San Francisco chocolate empire, but despite her vast wealth, she and her husband were bohemians at heart, lovers of nature and the arts. They came upon Carmel in 1904 while on a rugged two-year horse-and-buggy painting tour of the California missions and fell in love with the area’s natural beauty, purchasing two lots—for $10 each—in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Jorgensen’s life did not begin in the lap of luxury, and his path was far from certain. He was born in Norway in 1860, the fifth child in his family. After his father died of tuberculosis, the family immigrated to the U.S., settling in San Francisco. But despite his impoverished beginnings, the gods seemed to smile upon Jorgensen. While sketching in the streets of San Francisco at the age of 14, he was spotted by Virgil Williams, the director of the newly-formed San Francisco School of Design. Williams took an interest in the youth and admitted him—tuition free—as the academy’s very first pupil. Jorgensen went on to be an instructor and eventually became the assistant director of the school. It was there that he came to know his future wife, Angela Ghirardelli, a talented artist in her own right. Their courtship lasted many years after her art instruction ended, holding fast without marrying due to her parents’ disapproval. But her father relented after the death of his wife, and the couple were finally wed in 1888. During their married life, the pair traveled extensively and spent summers roughing it in Yosemite. Jorgensen was the first artist in residence in the national park. With the government’s permission and a long-term lease, he built a home and studio near the Sentinel Bridge on the Merced River, which was completed in 1904 and is now part of the Yosemite History Center. Jorgensen’s Yosemite studio became a gathering place for artists, early conservationists and dignitaries, including President Theodore Roosevelt.

Back in Carmel, Jorgensen designed La Playa himself, a stately stone and wood-frame building, featuring a quatrefoil window inspired by the Carmel Mission. Despite the breathtaking views and grand details of their Carmel home, the Jorgensens’ time at La Playa was relatively brief. Some say they left in sorrow after their niece Alida Ghirardelli—a talented art student of Jorgensen’s—tragically drowned nearby. Alida was visiting Carmel during the summer of 1909, staying at the Pine Inn, as her aunt and uncle were away. She was known to be an excellent swimmer, swimming daily in the bay, but her swim on August 16 was to be her last. Newspapers hinted at suicide because her betrothed had cast her aside, but the waters were rough that day and even the boat of the men who attempted her rescue capsized. Another rumored explanation for the Jorgensens’ departure from Carmel was their wish to escape “Carmel Society,” as they were tired of their freeloading friends and neighbors taking advantage of their hospitality, drinking their wine to excess and gorging on their food. While the Jorgensens deserted Carmel, they did not leave the peninsula, but built another home just a stone’s throw away, directly across from the Lodge at Pebble Beach (on the lot that now houses the post office).

In 1915, the couple leased La Playa to Agnes “Alice” D. Signor, who began running a boarding house there called “The Strand.” A woman with a troubled past, Signor was on her own in Carmel after separating from her husband, a felon who had served time in San Quentin for forging the checks of a Monterey millionaire. Signor relied on the help of her nephews, Fred and Harrison Godwin, to help run her Carmel business. In 1917, the Jorgensens sold Signor La Playa for only $10. Signor continued to purchase land on the block, adding to her grounds over the next several years. By 1922, she had added on to the house as well, creating a full-service hotel with over 20 rooms, but she died just one year later and the Godwin brothers took over the business.

In December of 1924, the hotel was almost destroyed by fire and the Godwins hired Carmel’s most important master builder—Michael J. Murphy—to rebuild, adding 30 additional rooms with private baths. Fred Godwin (who was also mayor of Carmel from 1946-1950) became the sole owner of La Playa in 1940 (his brother Harrison went on to own the Pine Inn). In the early 1950s Godwin renovated the hotel in the Spanish Revival style, which has gracefully persisted to present day. He also added on significantly, bringing the room count to 80. During this time, La Playa became a popular destination for Hollywood elite and San Francisco socialites.

A seasoned hotelier, who managed the Ambassador Hotel and the Hotel del Coronado, Ashton Stanley and his wife Irene, took over the hotel from Godwin in 1952 and brought with them a liquor license.

Howard “Bud” Allen was the next owner—from 1968 to 1983—and is the namesake of La Playa’s bar and lounge. Known for his wild, fun-loving nature, Allen’s tenure at La Playa was perhaps the most boisterous in its history, and, unsurprisingly, he is responsible for adding a full-time bar to the property. Dropping his name anywhere on the peninsula still gets longtime locals talking.

The Copes—who also owned the Huntington Hotel and Big Four Restaurant on San Francisco’s Nob Hill—purchased La Playa from Allen in 1983. They updated the hotel in true 1980’s fashion, and it was during their ownership that Steve Jobs unveiled the Macintosh computer there at an Apple retreat. In his book, “West of Eden,” author Frank Rose recounts the story of the Apple team becoming intoxicated while celebrating the Macintosh unveiling. The team stripped naked and took their raucous party to the pool, shocking and disturbing guests, which resulted in Apple being banned from the premises for 30 years. The ban was lifted when the current owners purchased the hotel in 2013.

The current owner of La Playa—Marc & Rose Hospitality—has just undertaken a $15 million renovation of the property, updating the hotel while bringing it even closer to its roots both physically and philosophically. The renovation pays homage to La Playa’s past through its tastefully selected décor—blending both the Craftsman style of the original Jorgensen home and the Spanish Revival style of Fred Godwin’s renovation—and by highlighting the area’s bohemian roots, integrating guests into the best that Carmel has to offer.

The La Playa experience is more like visiting a grand home than a commercial hotel, from the friendly, welcoming staff to the intimate and inviting common areas which are designed for luxuriating. The hotel lobby feels like a well-appointed living room with beautiful artwork and a roaring fire. And like many hotels of its age, guestrooms vary in size and shape, each with its own character. All are charming in their individuality with neighborhood, garden or ocean views. One of the most striking views on the property is in Room 414, where the vista stretches all the way from Point Lobos to Pebble Beach. Crisp linens and Mission style furniture provide a pleasant, uncluttered feel. Each guestroom features a handsome Art Deco style bar with a recipe box that includes instruction cards for a variety of things—from mixing your own tasty libations to suggestions for excursions down the coast or for artistic diversions in town. The recent renovation also added three new one-bedroom poolside suites, set in the exquisite gardens and grounds, which have garnered praise and accolades since shortly after the first guests arrived back in the early 1900s.

Perhaps more than any other bar and lounge in Carmel, Bud’s retains the classic masculine feel of a bygone era. A vast collection of ephemera tastefully lines the wood-paneled walls and the lighting is just dim enough to allow you to escape into the shadows, but light enough to be able to enjoy your surroundings. The cocktail menu is a deliciously curated throwback to prewar days, heavy on whiskey, gin and rum.

The new La Playa Hotel is an authentic homage to early Carmel. Down to the Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookies served in the afternoon, Marc & Rose Hospitality has put thoughtful intention into every aspect of the operation and design, making a visit or stay here a truly enjoyable and immersive experience.

Filed Under: Spring/Summer 2024, Uncategorized

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