By Michael Best
Oil, the railroad, the movie industry and citrus: All of these have woven a profitable and illustrious alliance in the Santa Paula area since the late 1890s. If you seek a getaway that links all four plus some nostalgia and architectural style, then the Glen Tavern Inn in Santa Paula is an excellent Ventura County choice.
Truly, what makes the Glen Tavern Inn special is its historic architecture and its location in a very walkable area in the low-key, relaxing, small city of Santa Paula. Located in the downtown area, this chic boutique hotel with 38 rooms is just a stone’s throw off Highway 126. Take about a 20-minute drive and you’ll be at the coast, sitting on the Ventura beaches. Ojai, too, can be reached in about 35 minutes.
Matthew Cohen, general manager, shared that it’s the inn’s “age and the charm” that most people notice first. When walking into the lobby “you can’t help but be taken back” to another time.
Built in 1911 just after the movie industry arrived via French director Gaston Méliès (brother of Georges, the special effects pioneer of turn-of-the-century cinema), the Glen Tavern Inn maintains its enchanting elegance and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as earning official recognition as a Ventura County Landmark. Due to the masterful skill of the well-known architect team of Hunt and Burns, visitors will marvel at the vibe of the hotel; it truly is a pitch-perfect example of early 20th century grand Tudor architecture.
The Hunt and Burns team was active from 1910 to 1930 and designed a remarkably diverse set of buildings, including the Ebell Club of Santa Paula and Ventura’s Pierpont Inn, as well as other landmarks, primarily in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Most notably, Sumner Hunt designed the iconic Bradbury Building in downtown Los Angeles, featured prominently in three movies (“The Artist,” “Blade Runner” and “Double Indemnity”).
When the Glen Tavern Inn was built, Santa Paula had just over 2,000 residents. Today, the population tops 30,000. The growth, in large part, stems from the discovery of oil in the area. As early as 1890, the Union Oil Company incorporated on Main Street and the company thrived into the 21st century when Chevron acquired the company.
The surrounding area offers a farmer’s market on Saturday mornings and five bistros and restaurants within a 10-minute walk. Also around the corner, just steps from the inn, is charming Main Street, which is likely familiar from dozens of movie and television shows that filmed in the area. Several murals tell the history of the area and adorn the sides of local buildings.
The city boasts a few novel options for recreation. The most notably unique attraction allows you to pedal a two-seat “railbike” on the old rail line running through the plentiful citrus and avocado orchards of the area thanks to Sunburst Railbikes. The starting point, at the old rail depot, is just a two-minute walk from the Glen Tavern Inn and gives you a chance to feel like you’re riding through the citrus fields featured in the classic Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway classic L.A. noir “Chinatown” (some scenes of which were actually shot down the road in Moorpark). If there’s time, you might pop into the Agriculture Museum, housed in the same building as the Sunburst headquarters. With antique tractors and farm implements, a living beehive and interactive exhibits, it’s an interesting place to learn about the area’s farming and ranching history.
Another historic attraction, less than a mile from the inn, is the Santa Paula Airport. On most Sundays, you can drop by to look at the runways and check out some early model planes at the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula.
After exploring the area and working up an appetite, you can always dine at Enzo’s Italian Restaurant, the inn’s elegant eatery. The authentic, homemade cuisine includes daily fish specials, lasagna, chicken piccata, eggplant parmigiano, pizza and more, as well as fine wine, craft beer and cocktails. Some visitors enjoy grabbing a drink at the bar and savoring it on the plush couches and chairs in the handsome lobby.
Room rates start around $170 a night. The facility welcomes pets with a $50 fee per stay and offers plenty of safe and accessible grassy areas. (Nearby Steckel Park also has pet-friendly areas for hiking and running.) Parking is complimentary.
For style, history and a relaxing adventure that is a little bit off the beaten path, the Glen Tavern Inn of Santa Paula is a terrific 805 choice.
Glen Tavern Inn
134 North Mill Street, Santa Paula
805.933.5550
www.officialglentavern.com
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