History of California, at the historic Mission Inn Luxury Merge
Hotels Inn June 22nd, 2009Most people can not really think of a distinctive feature in Riverside, California. But get down the highway and you will find one of the most unique holiday experiences in the state - an experience that transports you to early California through the architecture and by the efforts of the fathers of the city to preserve the past of Riverside. Smack in the middle of all this is an inn so grandiose that the chairs were married there, honeymooned and it has even planted trees there. It is always a good sign when the place of residence has a name on the street - and the location of our destination is easy when we took the Mission Inn Road exit and is immediately surrounded by historic architecture of the Spanish on every street corner. We noticed that churches, museums and historic facades are all a short distance from each other, and dominating all, was our weekend - Historic Mission Inn. Just inside the ivy covered adobe arc, we walked through lush landscaping of the front yard to get our first glimpse of the majestic lobby. Chandeliers and giant wood beams complete the elegant patterned carpet of flowers to create a sense that this building is both luxurious and historic. The grand entrance hall of the piano is merely Steinway piano for the Centenary of 1876. But it was only the beginning - the Historic Mission Inn is like a house of pleasure for those who marvel at the architecture and history of creation. Something unusual that awaits you at every corner. The Mission Inn in historic first gives the impression that it could have been a real mission or monastery, with its 239 rooms including 28 suites. But the closer reading of its history, this palace was made as an inn built by Riverside town father Frank Miller, who took the original Glenwood Tavern, built in 1874 and converted to a small hostel which opened in 1903 . Over the years, Miller continued to expand the hostel using the popular Mission architecture so prevalent in California, but the mixture of architectural styles and ornamental details of the south-western United States and several Mediterranean countries - and, of course, the missions of California. The hostel is closed for seven years in the late 80's for a $ 55 million renovation and reopened in 1992 to rave reviews. Today, the inn is located on a block of the city and has a total of 320,000 square feet. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a California State Historic Landmark. President Nixon was married here, President Reagan honeymooned here and President Teddy Roosevelt planted a tree on his land. There is even a chair, still on the property which was built for 300 pounds, William Howard Taft, a visitor to the hostel. Of course, dozens of movie stars and other dignitaries have also spent time at the inn and its original architecture has served as a backdrop for a string of films dating back to 1913. The rooms and suites - a unique offering numerous floor plans - are almost as interesting as the architecture of the inn from the outside. The corner of our office was appointed to the former - a little more elegant than others - and the room features a comfortable four-poster bed. Our unit has an L shape and floor plan, just beyond the meeting was a large table and four chairs that could double as a workspace or a dining table. There was no view to speak of, but once you have traveled outside the suite there was a series of stairs, sidewalks and bridges that offers a variety of beautiful views of the hostel the architecture. The hostel has several award-winning restaurants, with Duane's especially with a long list of prizes to writers and restaurant Wine Spectator Magazine. Although relatively new, Las Campanas Mexican restaurant the hotel, which start to appear on many lists of prices - and you can see why. We received a variety of dishes that all seem to have a flair. The hostel has a year round heated pool and Jacuzzi, relaxation area, but if you want the ultimate, Kelly's Spa pamper you until you do not want to go home. A recent addition to the historic Mission Inn - and are particularly popular with residents - Kelly's offers a variety of scrub, polishes, body wraps, therapeutic baths, massages and facials. Get treated like kings are not cheap - plan to spend about $ 250 for a half day or $ 400 for a whole day, but may vary depending on treatment. There are several museums around the hotel. Located near Riverside Municipal Museum, Art Museum Riverside, California Museum of Photography and the Riverside Ballet Theater. There is even a museum right in the Mission Inn. In fact, there is a strong community support for historic preservation of Riverside and many historic buildings throughout the city are open to the public. More than 100 monuments, 20 national register of sites and two national landmarks were designated by the City Council of Riverside. The mission architecture is everywhere, in Riverside, and it seems are churches. The Church-Unitarian Unversalist is particularly striking with its Norman Gothic architecture. Another neo-Gothic style building is the Magnolia United Presbyterian Church, the oldest church building in Riverside. Like the Mission Inn, the Union Pacific Depot is an example of mission architecture. Walking around the Mission Inn Historic District, you notice a symbol of the mission and on the flags at various locations around the hostel - raincross is the symbol that was designed for the Mission Inn and given to the city of Frank Miller. There are several antique shops and specialty shops of the Mission Inn Historic District. Many stores are small, but the Mission Gallery includes several floors of the Old Sears Building and offers a wide selection of antiques and collectibles in addition to a deli, a flower shop and a fine jeweler . In this case, the store itself is something ancient - it has been for over 65 years. If fine dining, shopping, museum-hopping and spa are not enough to keep you busy, Riverside is ideally located for day trips to a couple of other popular holiday destinations - Big Bear Lake and the Temecula wineries. Or is reached in less than an hour's drive from Riverside. Big Bear Lake offers mountain scenery reminiscent of the Sierra Nevadas, while it is increasingly in the Temecula wine industry offering a variety of rooms and cellar tasting gifts. For us, however, the Mission Inn Historic District has a lot to keep us occupied during our brief stay in Riverside. You sometimes miss a lot in cities that you pass on the network. AT A GLANCE WHERE: The historic mission is the Riverside Inn, 55 miles east of Los Angeles, near the junction of highways 60 and 91. It is also easily accessible from the north or south via Interstate 215. WHAT: The historic Mission Inn is one of the most spectacular and historic hotels in California. Riverside has a history that is surprising in evidence throughout the city. It has a warm climate in the sun. WHEN: A tour on the river can be very hot in summer but not unbearable. Best time to visit is not the summer months. WHY: There are simply not many historic hotels that have been restored to this degree. Combine this with the world-class luxury hotel and restaurant itself is sufficient reason for the leak, even if the environment of museums and shops are not so interesting. HOW: For more information on the Historic Mission Inn, call 800-843-7755 or visit www.missioninn.com. For more information about the city of Riverside, telephone 909-683-7100.











