TIL (Today I learned) that Princess owned a resort hotel in Oxnard, CA in the 80s.

[CineGraphic]

I stumbled upon this matchbook today, and the logo caused me to do yet another mindless google search.

 

 

Constructed in 1972, Casa Sirena was the brainchild of local hotel magnate Martin V. “Bud” Smith. Located in the heart of Channel Islands Harbor, the seaside resort once boasted 274 rooms, including a spacious lobby, pool, hot tub, and countless other amenities.  

In 1976, a 90-room annex was completed next door to accommodate Casa Sirena’s seasonal crowds.

I'm not sure when Princess first became involved with the property, but it was operating as Princess Resort in the mid-80s.

In 2006, Casa Sirena was redeveloped, and its annex was rebranded as a Hampton Inn that remains in operation to this day.

The rest of the resort property was deemed non-operational in 2009.

After remaining a popular tourist destination for nearly 40 years, Casa Sirena permanently closed its doors soon thereafter. 

 

Today, many of the resort’s interior spaces appear frozen in time, filled with discarded tables and toppled armoires. Other spaces have taken on a new life of their own, complete with vibrant graffiti and plant life. With sirena meaning “siren” or “mermaid” in Spanish, several concrete sculptures also remain scattered throughout the property—including a gracefully slender mermaid near the former entrance of the resort’s onsite restaurant.

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[mtnesterz]

Thanks! Will drive by it someday as there is a restaurant nearby that we like. Anything interesting left of Casa Sirena, will figure a way to send you photos. I looked at IMDB and no listings for location work. Tip for anyone visiting, the US Navy Seabee museum is nearby. Totally worth the price of admission, free. 

[4hunters]

That’s neat!  Appreciate the post. 👍🏻

[Coral]

Had no idea! Thanks!

[sunnydrk]

Very interesting.  Thanks for sharing.

[Rick&Jeannie]

This was a really nice distraction from all of the negativity in so many of the threads...

[Dunk]

They also had a Resort in San Diego--The San Diego Princess. I stayed there back in the mid 90's. They had a ship model of the original Pacific Princess in the lobby! The hotel is still there, operating as the Paradise Point Resort and Spa. 

[shellbeachjim]

We’ve stayed at the Hampton Inn at the Channel Islands Harbor a few times but had no idea it was formerly a Princess Resort. I’ll have to be more attentive next time we stay there. It’s a Hampton Inn, so it’s all about the waffles… 🧇

[mtnesterz]

@CineGraphic I wrote that I would drive by it someday and we had lunch yesterday at this seafood walk-up nearby. The statue at the entrance is gone. Still boarded up. No tresspassing or I'd have gone inside. Sign posted for a development hearing, but this place would take more than a cosmetic fix. Anything iron near the ocean rusts away without paint and structural failure is visible. Hard to imagine this abandoned prime property, next to yacht clubs and multi-million $ seaside homes left to rot for over a decade.

[Thrak]

On 7/17/2021 at 4:48 PM, CineGraphic said:

I stumbled upon this matchbook today, and the logo caused me to do yet another mindless google search.

 

Where did you get the matchbook?

[CineGraphic]

23 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Where did you get the matchbook?

 

It was on Ebay.

[that]

Incredible

stayed here July 1983

[Astro Flyer]

On 7/18/2021 at 11:04 PM, Dunk said:

They also had a Resort in San Diego--The San Diego Princess. I stayed there back in the mid 90's. They had a ship model of the original Pacific Princess in the lobby! The hotel is still there, operating as the Paradise Point Resort and Spa. 

In 1992 we took a train from the LA area to the SD Princess hotel to have a buffer dinner before being bused to Ensenada for a late evening sailing on The Love Boat (Pacific Princess) to Honolulu…fun times! 😊

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Who knew? 😀

So its been shuttered for 30 years?

[markemark]

The Desert Princess Resort is still going strong out on the border of Palm Springs and Cathedral City, Ca. No longer associated with Princess Cruises  but the Sea Witch is featured prominently on the resort signage.

 

Here is the LATimes article from back in the day:

 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-11-10-re-3127-story.html

 

My DW and I have a condo there.

 

cheers !

[cruisequeen4ever]

Wow, that’s so fascinating! Thank you for informing us of that!

[KikisDad]

I proposed to my late wife there in 1989

[lilghallinsf]

I love abandoned buildings. Thanks for sharing

[jeeper2]

Princess did operate this property for a very brief time.  For reasons I never could figure out, there was talk about making Port Hueneme (next to Oxnard) a cruise stop.  I was in the travel business at the time, and attended a luncheon put on by our Princess Sales Rep. at the onsite restaurant, the Lobster Trap. It was a delicious, wonderful presentation,  of the old time midnight buffets. 

It is very sad to see the buildings in such disrepair.  At one time, the Lobster Trap was one of the finest restaurant in Ventura County.  It sounds as if something will finally be done with this property.

[jeeper2]

On 7/18/2021 at 11:31 PM, shellbeachjim said:

We’ve stayed at the Hampton Inn at the Channel Islands Harbor a few times but had no idea it was formerly a Princess Resort. I’ll have to be more attentive next time we stay there. It’s a Hampton Inn, so it’s all about the waffles… 🧇

The Hampton Inn was constructed on the site of an annex to the original Casa Sirena.  It consisted of additional hotel rooms and a separate, small, banquet facility.  They were demolished, and the Hampton Inn built in its place.  You must enjoy that Hampton Inn if you keep returning!  😊

[shellbeachjim]

33 minutes ago, jeeper2 said:

The Hampton Inn was constructed on the site of an annex to the original Casa Sirena.  It consisted of additional hotel rooms and a separate, small, banquet facility.  They were demolished, and the Hampton Inn built in its place.  You must enjoy that Hampton Inn if you keep returning!  😊

It’s convenient when we have to stay in the Ventura area. We’ve tried many of the hotels nearby. Word to the wise, avoid the Crown Plaza in Ventura unless you really (and I mean REALLY) enjoy the sound of trains.