At new 6-room hotel in SLO, all bookings and check-ins are online
A few years ago, local architect George Garcia stayed in a tech-savvy vacation rental in Southern California, which he said got him thinking about a different type of lodging that the market wasn’t reaching.
That concept, along with his love of old buildings, led him to repurpose the vacant building at 1511 Monterey St., which was originally an auto repair garage, into a retro-tech boutique hotel.
Since opening in mid-June, The Butler Hotel has been well-received in downtown San Luis Obispo, Garcia said. He and co-owner Ryan Harris are now considering expanding the concept and are looking at other properties both in San Luis Obispo and around the county, Garcia said.
The six-room hotel has been running close to 60 percent occupancy on average, Garcia said, adding that most weekends are sellouts, and the hotel stays fairly busy throughout the week because of business travelers. He declined to disclose financial information, but he said that the hotel has seen a steady increase in both revenue and occupancy.
The hotel also has received an overall five-star rating on both Yelp and Trip Advisor.
Garcia and business partner Harris own the hotel as Monterey & California LLC. Garcia architecture + design was responsible for the architecture, interior and furniture design, and built most of the furniture in the rooms.
Garcia said they worked to retain the historic 1950s’ facade and the ivy-covered exterior. Inside, the hotel has an “industrial yet modern design” and classic midcentury furnishings that “celebrate modern design.” The hotel has a library lounge and outdoor patio.
He worked with daughter Alex Garcia, who has an art degree, to curate the artwork in the hotel rooms. Keeping with the family theme, his wife, April Garcia, helped select the interior design finishes, materials and fixtures and sourced the bedding, toiletries and amenities. Her business “April Cakes” makes the breakfast baked goods provided to hotel guests.
Bookings and check-ins are handled online, where guests receive a digital key that gives them access to their rooms during their stay. Guests can order services through a virtual concierge; the hotel has partnered with local businesses to offer laundry service, spa and massage services and picnic services, among other things. The hotel staffs one full- and two part-time employees.
Garcia said they’re taking feedback into consideration for future projects; they’ve received requests for a joining room, or rooms with two beds for families traveling together. Each room has one bed — four queens and two kings.
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This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 6:31 PM with the headline "At new 6-room hotel in SLO, all bookings and check-ins are online."