Why Are We Called El Portal?

Why Are We Called El Portal?

People ask me all the time why we named our hotel El Portal<https://elportalsedona.com/meet-the-staff-at-el-portal/>. Part of the reason is that El Portal in Spanish means gate or entry, reflecting our mission to design a hotel that makes you feel like a guest in our home. But more than that, the dream of building a 1900s Spanish arts and craft hotel actually came from Hollywood.

In the 1980 film “Somewhere in Time<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081534/>,” Christopher Reeves plays a playwright who after a bout of writer’s block, stays at a historic hotel where he finds himself able to travel back in time to 1912. The film was shot on location at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan, constructed in the late 19th century and since then offering guests a chance to experience the past.

I always loved the idea of walking into a hotel and being immediately transported back to a bygone era, like the early 1900s. There is something magical about elegant design and old-world charm in an age that is more concerned with trends than timelessness. Many hotels now are so focused on what’s in at the moment they start to look outdated before they are even finished.

My obsession with pre- and post-World War I Americana led to my interest in the Arts and Crafts movement that was popular in American design around the turn of the century. While Sedona was founded in 1907, at that time it was little more than a stop on the way to the Grand Canyon and a far cry from the vibrant community it is today. It took until the 1970s when John Wayne and his crew were filming in the area that Sedona even built a motor lodge. Though Sedona has long, rich history, it lacked the old buildings and Grand Hotel like the one seen in “Somewhere in Time,” and so that is where it all started. We would build that hotel.

Designing and building an authentic turn-of-the-century hotel means not only incorporating old-world designs but sourcing furniture from the early 20th century. Southern California has a rich history in Arts and Crafts and Spanish revival furniture, and Pasadena in particular is one of the few places where you can still find antique stores that specialize in early 1900s and post-Victorian lighting and furniture. Our commitment to finding and using authentic period pieces ensures that just like Christopher Reeves our guests can travel back in time, no self-hypnosis required.

Our experience with El Portal has allowed us to expand into other projects around Sedona and the Valley. Last year, we purchased several buildings up the street from El Portal next to the Hummingbird House, the oldest home in Sedona. One of these will be a new, modern employee housing unit that I hope will be very futuristic and minimal. Another is one of our “Portal Back in Time” projects – a 1950s cabin and yard that we are turning into a 1930s Spanish revival. We are also working on a 1900s arts and craft compound as well as a loft space in Kierland Commons, so stay tuned for pictures and updates!