Fess Parker told me a dozen years ago during a fireside chat in his homey Los Olivos hotel lobby—one of several extensive interviews I was granted by the late actor-turned-Santa Barbara County winery/hotel owner—that for a wine region to flourish, it must have five-star lodging and food.
He explained that for Santa Barbara County to become “the next Napa,” the region would need more excellent restaurants and luxurious hotels, accommodations that wine connoisseurs come to expect in an established wine region.
A decade after planting vines and starting his winery, Parker bought the Victorian-style Grand Hotel in downtown Los Olivos in 1998, before the tiny town was brimming with wine tasting rooms—27 at last count.
He renamed it Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn and Spa. He and his wife, Marcy, lovingly decorated the rooms. The couple frequently dined in the restaurant and even sang with guests at the hotel lobby piano.
The family planned a multi-million dollar renovation of the inn. Fess Parker passed away in 2010, but he lived to see the completed remodel of the inn’s lobby and restaurant, Petros, which features upscale Hellenic-California cuisine.
Adopting Fess Parker’s perspective on décor was important to Parker’s son Eli, who took on the task of renovating the entire inn and spa, sparing no expense in doing so.
I recently spoke with Eli’s son, Kris, Fess’s oldest grandson and chief operations officer of Fess Parker Enterprises.
“My father obsessed over every detail for a couple of years. And I was pretty amazed at the depth of his interest and what an incredible job he did working with the designers and looking at every aspect of the renovation from every perspective,” Kris said.
Luxurious bedding, tiled fireplaces, Santa Ynez Valley photography, and thoughtful accents are found throughout the 20 gorgeous guest rooms, including seven suites.
Marcy adores wingback chairs, so the family made sure they adorn every room.
“We tried to update some of my grandparents’ perspectives on furniture,” Kris explained. “I think we were trying to go to sort of a timeless place—with their views ostensibly rooted in ’50s to ’60s Hollywood—with a slightly updated color palate, patterns, etc., etc.
“I think he’d be incredibly proud of my dad’s work especially,” Kris said of his iconic grandfather, “putting together the rooms, offering the product, taking into consideration my grandmother’s viewpoints on decorations, but most of all I think he would be proud that the family is working together, working toward creating a future for subsequent generations.”
Fess loved peanut brittle, which is why the snack is left on the bed for each guest during the inn’s turndown service.
“It was his favorite snack by far! We searched the entire country for the best peanut brittle we could find, and he chose the one he liked the best,” Kris said.
The inn’s outdoor swimming pool was beautifully reconstructed into an infinity pool with a coonskin cap-shaped succulent garden covering a wall the length of the pool.
That nod to Fess’s famous TV and film roles—Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett—was grandson Kris’s idea.
“It’s probably my single contribution to the whole renovation effort,” he said. “I’m a strong advocate for the Fess Parker brand moving forward, and it’s kind of fun to implement some of our history in the décor in everything we do.”
Guests can soak in the sun poolside on chaise lounge chairs, next to the green succulents, and enjoy a tranquil day at the inn’s brand new Champagne Spa. Elegant spa rooms are adjacent to the pool, offering treatments including Vino Therapy, a relaxing Swedish massage using locally blended grape seed oil, and Hot Stone Therapy, the placement and movement of heated basalt stones.
Hotel guests also receive complimentary tastings to not only the nearby Fess Parker Winery, but Epiphany Cellars and E&T Wines, as well as Bin 2860 International Wine Shop, next to the hotel, which also offers an outstanding craft beer selection.
The vast majority of the inn’s clientele loves wine and drives from Southern California for a wine country getaway.
“People come up on a Friday and leave on a Sunday,” Kris said. “The inn’s guests tend to be a pretty affluent group, interested in the wine industry and the incredible farm-to-plate offerings we have in Los Olivos with Sides [Hardware and Shoes—a Brothers Restaurant] and Los Olivos Café, and all of our restaurant partners throughout the valley.”
All of this was part of Fess Parker’s vision decades ago.
“I think visionary is the word that most comes to mind when I think of my grandfather and his contribution to the county, the city of Santa Barbara, just his perspective on real estate development and business. He was very entrepreneurial,” Kris said. “He had the ability to see outcomes before others did—an incredible gift that he had.”
A now thriving wine region is not Fess Parker’s only legacy; his children and grandchildren are taking great care to preserve their heritage.
“It’s a true family business, so we all kind of work together,” Kris said. “It’s easy to be motivated when you think about the work that you’re doing today is providing for the next generations coming along; my own kids, my nieces, my nephews, my cousins. Ultimately, that was my grandfather’s dream when he started all of this, so I’m happy to hopefully be pushing that ball that he worked to create forward.”
Sun food and wine writer Wendy Thies Sell loves living where people vacation. Contact her with story ideas at wthies@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 21-28, 2012.
