Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-29
OPENING
OF HOTEL
VIRGINIA
NOTABLE SOCIETY FUNCTIONS
ARE SCHEDULED
FIRST SEASON TO COMMENCE ON
SUNDAY
Hotel at long Beach One of the Most
Magnificent in the World.
Model of Archi-
lecture

prove a decidedly beneficial ADDITION
to the many existing attractions OF
perennially beautiful Southern Cali
fornla has just been opened at Long
Beach, and on next Tuesday afternoon
and evening notable society functions
to which leaders in wealth and posi-
ton have been invited from Los An
geles. Pasadena, Hollywood. Long
Beach and other cities will formally
mark the commencement of the Vir-
ginia's first season. The hotel cost
$1,500000
Two years were required III puiioins
and equipping the Virginia, but no
visitor can say that there has been
waste of either time or of money. Not
only the knowledge and skill of the
west entered into the Virginia, but It's
construction and equipment followed
thorough tours 'of the largest cities OIL
the whole United states ana the inose
advanced fashionable, social centers
by directors and officers of the build. {.
ing company, the Long Beach Hotei
company. 1t is fitted up to delight
those who are most exacting ana VINO
will bestow their patronage only wnere
there are the niceties with which they
wish to be surrounded.
overIooks the Pacific
The Virginia overlooks the Pacific,
while from the ever warm sanos alons
the long, wide strand and from the
always brilliant and fragrant mowers
and spreading trees which make the
CITY of 10000 souls almost like great
park. from spring to spring again, the
eye may turn to memorable vista
of mountain ranges, capped with eter-
nal SHOWS Between the mountains
and the sea are vineyards, orcnaros
and far-stretching ranchos. The Paios
Verdes, San Jacinto and Sierra Madre
ranges of mountains meet, inclosing
the coast land like gigantic amphi-
theater.
Built by the Long Beach company
the Virginia was made another of the
famous Linnard chain of hotels. ID. M.
Linnard, years ago journalist, now
ranks among the royalty when notel
men are up for discussion. He is
known of all who meet him as ver-
liable prince of good fellows. But Lin
nard is a great man of business. The
Maryland, the big Pasadena caravan
sary; the Leighton in Los Angeles
the Casa Iona at Redlands and the
Arrowhead at Arrowhead hot springs
all known throughout the country-are
included in this chain extending from
ocean side to mountain. The success
of the Virginia was made doubly sure
when Linnard whose name stands for
the ne plus ultra in hotel excellence,
became its manager. He leased the
hotel for ten years.
II. w. Stanley and G. A. Stanley,
formerly of the Hotel Potter, Santa
Barbara are local manager and chief
clerk, respectively.
The Hotel Virginia is a massive
six-story structure, built of reinforced
concrete in the mission style of archi-
lecture. 1t occupies a block OF ground
at the foot of Chestnut and Magnolia
avenues. There Is a street level en-
trance leading from the natural en-
bankment against which the building
rests, through a Moorish entrance into
a magnificent lobby, running east and
west, from wing to wing. In the west
wing are grand salon and ball
room, while at the east terminus OF
the lobby is dining room in which
1000 people can. be seated. A kitchen
which is one of the features of the
hostelry, is located on this floor. Wide
pergola porches are built around the
hotel.
On the floors above. are 24O rooms
or suites of rooms, with $50 baths.
Two passenger elevators are in oper-
alton. Above an elaborate mantel in
the salon is a large oil painting OF
Capt John Smith and Pocahontas.
Grand Salon and Lobby
The grand salon and lobby. follow
the Louis XVI style. the massive pill
lars. the wainscoting and the grand
staircase being finished in beautiful
scagliola. The bases of the pillars are
green marble. The capitals are of the
Corinthian style, overlaid in gold.
Great leather chairs and divans grace
foyer and salon, whose floors are
spread with rich hued rugs. Lobby
and salon are hung with glittering
chandeliers. The architectural distinc-
tions of the ball room and music room
follow the Louis XIV style with the
more fiorid ornamentation of the latter
part of the eighteenth century showing
in the furnishings. The scene pre-
sented by the lobby and the main
salon is one of vastness and elegance
The finishing of the music room and
ball room. with it's golden chairs and
pink wall, inspires feeling of lux
uriance in keeping with thoughts of
gayety and pleasure. Rich velour
hangings of soft green, like those in
the Plaza in New York. drape the big
windows. The dining room is In
Gothic and pillars and wainscoting are
finished in English oak. There is a
handsome built-in buffet with huge
mirrors. There is also a fountain,
back of which is another great mirror,
while overhead is the loft for the or
chestra. The dining room reaches en-
incly cSCLOSo tiO OuliOin6 clQ AlOhA
any point one can gaze either out upon
the rolling sea or upon the avenue and
city or the other side. The velour
hangings which grace the broad win
dows of the dining room are of deli
cate blue.
The kitchen is more complete, hotel
men say, than may be found in any
other Southern California hostelry
There is ample room and there are
ample conveniences. There are num-
erous automatic appliances. The ar
rangement of things is such as to
facilitate the service. A row of oil
ranges is built along the north wall.
The modern washing and drying APP
paratus is located along the south wall.
A service elevator operates between
the kitchen and the main cold storage
room in the basement.
Ice Water Plant
One of the most striking things in
this basement is the ice plant and the
plant which forces ice water through
out the entire hotel, so that In every
room at any time a cold drink is OBJ
tainable by the turning OF faucet.
A splendid bake shop is also located
in the basement and dining room for
the hotel employees. In the west END