New Marriott Breaks Ground in Goleta
Hotel Will Feature 109 Rooms, Meeting Space, Putting Green
At a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, Robert Olson of R.D. Olson Development said that in less than a year Goleta’s new Courtyard by Marriott will open its doors at 401 Storke Road. R.D. Olson Construction will be responsible for building the hotel, one of the last pieces of the Camino Real redevelopment project that has been in the making for the past 16 years.
Originally, the plan was to build an independent hotel, the Camino Real Hotel, but the Marriott brand was chosen because “[It] is considered the best hotel chain by consumers” and it is also “considered the best employer in the hotel business,” said Olson.
The 68,000-square-foot Mediterranean-inspired hotel will feature 109 rooms, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a fitness room, a large outdoor pool, putting green, an outdoor terrace, and a spa. According to Olson, the $28-million venture “is going to be unique,” but it is going to “complement the rest of the community well. It will be a great addition to the community.” The hotel will generate new jobs for Goleta residents, and nearby businesses will be able to utilize the hotel for out-of-town visitors and larger meetings, Olson explained.
The hotel lobby will feature modern technology such as an “innovative and interactive” GoBoard that will display weather conditions, news, traffic, as well as showcase local restaurants and stores. There will be nine suites, all with two separate rooms, and out of the hotel’s 109 rooms, half of them will be designed to accommodate families visiting students and faculty at UCSB. Additionally, the hotel will feature a restaurant, The Bistro, with “a choice in food and service style, from grab-n-go to quick service dining.”
Goleta Mayor Margaret Connell expressed her excitement at the groundbreaking and said the new Marriott will be “beautiful and different from any other hotel in the area.” Connell also voiced, with a smile, a slight concern for the guests who choose to enjoy the fire pit in the outdoor terrace because of the constant noise from the airport.
