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Discover Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa, which has hosted renowned celebrities like Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, Warren Beatty, and the original band members of Pink Floyd.
Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa, a member of Historic Hotels of America since 2024, dates to 1885.
VIEW TIMELINEAround the end of the 19th century, San Francisco was rapidly emerging as one of the most affluent metropolises on the American West Coast. Both the establishment of the city’s now-famous harbor and its bustling train depot had made the region a prime location for trade. This economic activity allured many enterprising individuals from across the United States, who sought to partake in the surging prosperity. Among the many entrepreneurial people to travel west at the time was William G. Barrett and his family. Originally a prominent lumber baron from Vermont, Barrett relocated to San Francisco to serve as the Secretary-Treasurer for the San Francisco Gas and Electric Company. A few years after assuming his new corporate role, Barrett had a chance encounter with another local businessperson, Donald Tillinghast of the Sausalito Land and Ferry Company. Tillinghast’s operation spent the previous decade selling residential lots within the undeveloped community of Sausalito, which resided on the opposite side of the Golden Gate. He specifically envisioned the town functioning as an upscale suburb of San Francisco, with its wealthy residents commuting into the area by way of a municipal ferry. Upon hearing Tillinghast’s pitch, Barrett eagerly purchased a couple of acres along one of the community’s rolling hillsides in 1885.
He went about constructing a magnificent palatial manor on the lot, designing it in a style reminiscent of the gorgeous villas of Italy’s renowned Tuscan countryside. Standing three stories high, the beautiful mansion displayed many Mediterranean-inspired motifs, like handsome porticos, spacious verandas, and a projecting cornice complete with curved brackets. Christening the structure as “Casa Madrona,” Barrett and his family lived inside their beloved home for the rest of the century. But in 1906, the Barretts decided to sell Casa Madrona, turning over the rights to a well-known attorney named John P. Gallagher. However, Gallagher did not use the compound as his own home, instead opting to transform it into a luxurious guesthouse referred to as the “Casa Madrona Hotel.” The amazing architecture and wonderful seaside setting made the Casa Madrona Hotel one of the most popular attractions in the region, coming to entertain numerous travelers passing through San Francisco. Then in 1959, an ambitious married couple from France—Robert and Marie Louise Deschamps—chose to acquire the site. Initiating a sweeping renovation, the two instituted several important improvements that only further elevated the hotel’s prestige. Their most impressive achievement was the debut of their magnificent Le Vivoir Restaurant, which began attracting celebrity clientele, such as Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, and Warren Beatty. The eatery even hosted the iconic English rock band Pink Floyd during its inaugural American tour in 1967!
Nevertheless, the hotel eventually fell into challenging times following a series of significant landslides that greatly affected Sausalito during the early 1970s. Its fate appearing bleak, the structure fortunately received a new lease on life when John Mays bought it in 1976. Recognizing its inherent beauty and charm, Mays diligently strove to save the ailing hotel over the next few months. Mays invested heavily toward completely revitalizing the architectural integrity of the Casa Madrona Hotel, ensuring that its fascinating historical character remained intact for future generations to appreciate. (Thanks to his efforts, the restoration even resulted in the U.S. Department of the Interior listing the building in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places several years later.) The innovative Mays planned to expand the hotel’s offerings by constructing a variety of innovative suites within 16 accompanying cottages. Mays’ dedication subsequently led to the Casa Madrona Hotel reopening to great acclaim, where it resumed its prior status as one of the area’s finest holiday destinations. Now known as the “Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa”, this terrific historic hotel has continued to enchant countless guests each year due to its stunning assortment of luxurious amenities and comforting ambiance. Cultural heritage travelers have come to adore the location as well, given the state of its masterfully preserved architecture and impressive institutional history.
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About the Location +
Nestled just across the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, California, is a picturesque community defined by its charming city streets and tranquil seaside scenery. Its history is incredibly diverse, harkening back centuries to the indigenous Coast Miwok people. Relying upon the abundant natural resources of the land, the Coast Miwok created an intricate network of semi-permanent villages that covered the expanse of San Francisco Bay. Then during the late 18th century, European explorers encountered the Coast Miwok, with Spanish mariner Don José de Cañizares being among the first to record their culture. But Cañizares also began charting the local geography, calling the area where the Coast Miwok resided “Sausalito”—or “little willow”—in reference to its heavily forested landscape. The Spanish started to settle the region in the wake of Cañizares’ expedition, specifically subdividing it into numerous homesteads. However, an English immigrant named William Richardson managed to obtain a massive land grant from the newly created Mexican government in 1838, which covered the entire Sausalito site. Called the “Rancho del Sausalito,” Richardson proceeded to establish a successful ranching operation at the location that lasted for years. Following the admittance of California into the United States during the mid-19th century, American settlers began inhabiting significant portions of the Sausalito estate. A small port named “Sausalito” soon emerged near the heart of those settlements, offering ferry services between the town and the neighboring metropolis of San Francisco. But the discovery of extensive ore deposits nearby further developed Sausalito into a major transportation hub, causing several major rail companies—starting with the North Pacific Coast Railroad—to run train service on-site.
Sausalito had become one of the most preeminent urban centers in central California by the start of the 20th century. Its balance of economic prosperity and pastoral beauty inspired many wealthy San Franciscans to construct homes throughout Sausalito. This success continued over the following decadesparticularly once the Marinship Corporation started manufacturing Liberty ships just off the coast during World War II. The industrial boom brought thousands of workers to Sausalito, transforming the small town into a bustling city! (In fact, the shipyard’s legacy is still evident today, with some of the original buildings repurposed for modern use.) After the war, Sausalito experienced a period of decline when the shipyard closed for good. However, the middle of the century saw a resurgence in Sausalito’s fortunes when an influx of artists, writers, and musicians sought out its tranquil setting for creative inspiration. A robust artists colony quickly materialized throughout Sausalito, with many intellectuals taking up residence in a new community of charming houseboats. Sausalito has maintained its thriving character, which has attracted thousands of tourists in consequence. Its distinctive downtown area is filled with boutiques, galleries, and restaurants that offer a blend of historic charm and modern amenities. Cultural heritage travelers have particularly enjoyed visiting modern Sausalito not only for its wonderful cultural sites, but its proximity to many more fascinating landmarks. Sausalito is close to dozens of impressive historic sites, such as Cavallo Point, Alcatraz Island, Angel Island State Park, Muir Woods National Monument, and the prolific Golden Gate Bridge. Sausalito is a wonderful place for any adventurer eager to experience a memorable vacation.
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About the Architecture +
Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa stands as one of the finest examples of historic Italianate architecture in California. One of the first examples of Renaissance Revival-style architecture, Italianate design principles are some of the most historic ever used in the United States. Despite its popularity in the United States, it was originally conceived by a British architect named John Nash at the beginning of the 1800s. Inspired by the architectural motifs of 16th-century Italy, he constructed a brilliant Mediterranean-themed estate called “Cronkhill” in his native England. Nash had borrowed heavily from both Palladianism and Neoclassicism to design the building, both of which were derivatives of the Italian Renaissance art forms. Soon enough, many other architects began copying Nash’s style, using it to construct similar manors across the English countryside. However, the person responsible for popularizing the aesthetic was Sir Charles Barry, who had his own offshoot called “Barryesque.” By the middle of the century, this Italian Renaissance Revival-style architecture had spread to other places within the British Empire, as well as mainland Europe. It had crossed the Atlantic during the 1830s, where it dominated the American architectural landscape for the next 50 years. Architect Alexander Jackson Davis promoted the style, using it to design such iconic structures as Blandwood and Winyah Park in New York. Although he was more widely known for his use of another Revival style—Neo Gothic—his work with Italianate helped cement it within the United States.
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Famous Historic Guests +
Dick Van Dyke, actor best remembered for his sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Carol Burnett, comedian, and actress best remembered for her comedy-variety series, The Carol Burnett Show.
Warren Beatty, actor and director best remembered for movies like Reds, Bugsy, and Bonnie and Clyde.
Pink Floyd, Hall-of-Fame English rock bank regarded as one of the best progressive musical acts of all time.
