Located 400 feet above the town of Avalon on Catalina Island off California’s coast, Mt. Ada provides a quick getaway that’s far removed from nearby L.A. This colonial-style mansion, with its sparkling white exterior and hunter-green shutters, recalls the grand summer residences more often seen on the East Coast.
Completed in 1921, the former
home of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. hosted important social
gatherings during its heyday. Nowadays, you’re the guest of honor in the cozy inn’s
six guest rooms and suites, which feature ocean or harbor views (some rooms
have fireplaces and others have terraces or decks).
Floral-patterned wallpaper, bed coverings and
window treatments lend a New England ambiance, while high ceilings and large
windows make the rooms feel spacious.
- The Catalina hotel evokes the feeling of staying in a private residence. With only five rooms and one suite, allowing for a mere 14 guests (plus a gust-to-staff ratio of 2-to-1) there are never any crowds or lines to contend with.
- Mt. Ada was positioned so that it receives the morning sun and captures the evening sunset, not to mention it’s about 10 degrees cooler than down in Avalon. A mild breeze wafts though the house almost continually.
- If you’re feeling peckish, The Butler’s Pantry near the kitchen is available 24/7 for a light snack, glass of wine, port or soda, while Wrigley’s former office offers access to a small liquor cabinet.
- You can be sure of a serene stay at this scenic inn — it doesn’t allow children under 14.
- As an inn guest, you’ll enjoy complimentary access to the nearby Descanso Beach Club, Catalina Country Club for tennis and the Catalina Island Golf Course.
- Breakfast and lunch are part of the price of your room, but the luxury hotel does not serve dinner.
- You can arrange for an in-room massage, however there is no spa, fitness center, or business center onsite.
- Outside vehicles are not allowed on the island, but you’ll have a complimentary golf cart during your stay.
- The mansion retains its original architectural footprint, so the rooms are somewhat small. The Garden Porch room is the most intimate at 181 square feet, excluding the balcony.
- Stay in Wrigley’s former bedroom. Now called the Grand Suite, the space has a 280-square-foot private balcony.
- Most guests of the Catalina inn opt to enjoy their meals on their balconies, where you might see deer and foxes on the manicured lawns or dolphins and whales in the harbor.
- Only four of the rooms have fireplaces and just three come with balconies, so be sure to request these amenities when you book.
- The staircase detail and molding reflect ocean waves while the green shutters remain to honor Ada Wrigley’s love of them.
- The living room, bright and capacious, affords endless views of the Pacific Ocean, and like the rest of the house is not formal but retains an understated elegance.
- Throughout Mt. Ada there are the original lighting fixtures, oak hardwood floors, built-ins and most of the windows and glass. There are also a few original furniture pieces as well from the Wrigleys’ days.
