SLO group plans to restore 2 historic motels in Paso Robles. Here’s what’s planned
Two historic motels in Paso Robles will get a new life in 2023, giving tourists lodging options that capture the spirit of this Central Coast city.
The River Lodge Motel off Highway 101 and the Farmhouse Motel downtown were acquired by the San Luis Obispo-based Nomada Hotel Group, which plans to renovate and restore the properties to make them attractive to wine country tourists while still maintaining the integrity and character of their mid-century architecture, Nomada Hotel Group owner Kimberly Walker said.
“We are very passionate about old, discarded buildings or historical buildings that are needing a new chapter,” Walker said.
Nomada Hotel Group had been searching for the right opportunity in Paso Robles and was excited to discover two motels that could benefit from renovations while retaining the vintage characteristics that make them unique, she said.
“We’re so excited to be in the Paso community,” Walker said.
Why San Luis Obispo hotel group added Paso Robles motels to its portfolio
The River Lodge Motel and the Farmhouse Motel fit perfectly into Nomada’s portfolio, which includes Central Coast properties such as the Granada Hotel and Bistro in downtown San Luis Obispo and Hotel Ynez in Solvang, Walker said.
When Walker and her colleagues first learned about the River Lodge, they were immediately excited about the space.
Walker felt the situation with the motel, which was at one time set to be razed and replaced by a Hyatt Place hotel, was similar to the Granada, which had a demolition permit with the city of San Luis Obispo at the time the Nomada Group purchased the property.
“This beautiful building was going to be gone forever,” Walker said of the Granada.
The new River Lodge Motel will feature 27 rooms, dining and a big pool
Nomada has big plans for the River Lodge Motel to give it modern appeal while still maintaining its vintage, mid-century character.
The hotel group plans to add rooms, bringing the total to 27, and will be building a new pool complete with a poolside bar, Walker said.
“It’s right at the base of (Highway) 46, so you can literally just bike to the wineries and come back and hang by the pool,” she said.
The River Lodge Motel will have a fireplace, retail options and plenty of art features throughout the property.
The motel will also include dining, with a focus on barbecue, craft cocktails and local wines from the Paso Robles are, she said.
Despite these modern updates, the vintage neon sign that beckoned weary motorists for decades is set to stay.
“It’s a piece of Paso’s history, and we wanted to see that thrive in its current form, not to be torn down and turned into a big hotel or something else,” Walker said. “When those things are gone, they can’t come back.”
The Nomada Group purchased the River Lodge Motel from the Arizona-based developer, Pacific West Hotels and Resorts. The company owns La Bellasera Hotel and the Hampton Inn, located directly behind the River Lodge Motel.
The River Lodge Motel in Paso Robles has a complicated ownership history
The River Lodge Motel had a winding path to becoming a property in the Nomada Hotel Group’s portfolio.
After its heyday in the 1950s, the motel sat vacant for many years and was becoming a visible eyesore for the city of Paso Robles, City Planner Darren Nash said.
Eventually, the land and property was purchased by Bay Area hotel developer Zenique Hotels. In 2017, Zenique planned to demolish the property and build a Hyatt Place hotel, according to past Tribune reporting.
But a draft environmental impact report showed that the distinct 1950s architecture and proximity to the Highway 101 and Highway 46 interchange could make it a Paso Robles historic landmark, complicating demolition plans for Zenique.
In September 2017, the Paso Robles City Council voted to authorize a land swap between Zenique and the city. The deal called for the city to get ownership of the 2.1-acre River Lodge Motel and the developer to receive a nearby city-owned 3.2-acre parcel, where the Hyatt Place would then be built.
A June 2018 city staff report showed the properties had comparable value, with the River Lodge valued at $2.805 million and the city parcel at $2.87 million.
Not everyone was pleased with the land swap plan, however.
Kevin Bierl, president of Pacific West Hotels and Resorts, wanted the option to purchase the city land that was being offered to Zenique in the swap, according to past Tribune reporting.
Bierl suggested a plan in September 2017 that involved Pacific West Hotels and Resorts purchasing the city land from Zenique and incorporating the vintage motel as is.
At the time, Zenique declined to sell the hotel to Pacific West Hotels and Resorts.
In July 2018, Bierl filed a lawsuit alleging the city violated state open meeting laws and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by approving the land swap without public input or an environmental review.
Then, in 2022, the Nomada Hotel Group purchased the River Lodge property from Pacific West Hotels and Resorts, indicating that at some point, it changed hands from Zenique and the City of Paso Robles to Pacific West.
The Tribune reached out to Pacific West Hotels and Resorts to learn more about how they acquired the River Lodge Motel property but did not receive a response.
Farmhouse Motel offers bungalows in downtown Paso Robles
The Nomada Hotel Group also purchased the Farmhouse Motel from private owner, Kevin Lee, Walker said.
That property, located in the heart of downtown Paso Robles at 425 Spring St., features 26 rooms as individual single-story bungalows.
Walker said the motel was built in 1947 and offers a restful, retreat-like space close enough to downtown that guests can easily walk out their front door to explore nearby Downtown City Park, businesses and restaurants.
“It’s just an adorable piece of property, and its something that you don’t really see anymore, especially something that is so close to downtown,” she said.
The Farmhouse Motel requires less renovation than the River Lodge Motel and will be available for bookings beginning in early 2023.
Paso Robles motels will be open for bookings in 2023
The Farmhouse Motel will be accepting reservations beginning in January 2023, and the River Lodge Motel will be accepting bookings in spring 2023.
Farmhouse is set to open to the public in February 2023 and River Lodge in summer 2023.
This story was originally published December 19, 2022 at 12:53 PM.
