When the original Colonial Inn opened in 1913, it offered eight apartments and rooms in a white wood-framed building just steps from the beach. Foreseeing La Jolla’s future as a popular seaside destination, in 1926 the building’s new owner commissioned construction of a grand hotel that would “rival anything in the West.” The existing structure was moved to the rear of the property and a four-story Colonial Revival building rose in its place. Outside, the new hotel featured a “sunburst” design of windows and semi-circular domes of leaded glass that captured the sunlight and drew it into the hotel. Inside, the building was decorated with marble fireplaces, intricate wood moldings and elegant chandeliers. Guests rested comfortably knowing that the structure was outfitted with all the latest fire safety features, including the first sprinkler system west of the Mississippi.

From its beginnings, the new building — renamed the Colonial Hotel — was a gathering-place for the locals, who flocked to the in-house drugstore to talk and people-watch. During the 1950s the hotel gave them plenty to see and gossip about, as it housed Charlton Heston, Dorothy McGuire, Groucho Marx, Eve Arden, David Niven and other celebrities performing at the La Jolla Playhouse. (The Playhouse was co-founded by La Jolla native Gregory Peck, who also happened to be the son of the in-house pharmacist.) The hotel began falling into disrepair after the drugstore moved out in 1960, but new ownership and extensive renovations in the 1970s, 1990s and again in 2008 have returned the building to its former glory.

In 2007, the hotel took yet another stride forward as it unveiled the completion of an $8 million historical restoration project of the adjacent Little Hotel by the Sea and the Garden Terrace wings, adding 18 new suites to the hotel’s inventory (all with kitchens or kitchenettes and fireplaces). The eight-suite Little Hotel by the Sea and the ten-suite Garden Terraces had operated as residential apartment complexes for the past 30 years and had now been restored to their original glory for the community to enjoy for years to come. To recognize their historical significance in the development of La Jolla, both properties were designated as historic sites in 1984 and 1990 respectively.

Two significant elements of the Little Hotel by the Sea included the restoration of the building’s rooftop Loft and deck, and restoration of the 1929 Baker & Sons elevator. The rooftop is now used as a guest library and executive board room, as well as an outdoor terrace providing panoramic views of the Pacific. The Baker & Sons elevator, which has been restored to full operation, is a four-passenger, solid-mahogany elevator housed in a steel tower. Soon after it was added to the hotel back in 1929, it became recognized as the “The Smallest Hotel in the World with an Elevator."

Just as the hotel was envisioned by George Bane, the Grande Colonial remains today a classic European-style hotel that rivals anything in the West. Its staff strives to preserve the heritage laid down by its founders nearly a century ago by providing the most gracious experience in resort and business accommodations.