History Lesson 8- Hotel San Clemente. This is a staple in our town, now it’s time to learn the history. The elegant 60-room Hotel San Clemente was a shimmering light in the darkness for many people needing to rest their heavy heads when traveling between Los Angeles and San Diego in the 1920s. Built by city founder Ole Hanson at an astronomical cost of $75,000, it was considered by many as the place to stay in Southern California when it opened on November 7, 1927. The three-story hotel building, designed by J. Wilmer Hershey in the Spanish Colonial Revival style patterned after similar structures in Santa Barbara. The hotel is located in the heart of San Clemente’s original commercial center. It is the largest and most imposing of the remaining commercial and public buildings that were part of the settlement period. Part of Oles marketing efforts was to create a comfort station for prospective buyers he brought in from all over the country to buy lots in town. He attracted buyers from Pasadena, LA, Long Beach, La Jolla, San Fran, Seattle, Chicago and even New York. The hotel was where Oles sales team would wine and dine their prospective buyers. Today Hotel San Clemente has transformed into studio and one bedroom apartments. The hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
