Mt. Ada

The 1921 Wrigley family mansion above Avalon, run as a six-room inn — the only hotel on Catalina Island with a chimney, perched on Mt. Ada's hill with the harbor and the channel below. Mt. Ada is unusual in every direction: tiny, very expensive, accessible only by a steep walk or a ride from the harbor, and the closest thing on Catalina to staying in a private mansion.

Owned by the Catalina Island Conservancy and operated as a small inn since the 1980s, the property still feels like William Wrigley Jr.'s home — original family furniture, the same parlors, the same view of Avalon Harbor that the Wrigleys saw from this hill in the 1920s.

The setting

Catalina Island sits twenty-two miles off the Southern California coast, accessible by ferry (an hour from Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport, or Dana Point) or by helicopter (fifteen minutes). Avalon, the only real town, holds about 4,000 year-round residents. Mt. Ada sits on the hill above Avalon, overlooking the harbor and the casino.

The hike up to Mt. Ada from Avalon takes twenty minutes uphill; many guests take the inn's golf-cart shuttle. The Avalon Casino (the iconic round building, not a gambling casino — built 1929 as a movie theater and ballroom) is at the harbor below. The Catalina Island interior (95% protected by the Conservancy) starts beyond the town.

The building

The 1921 Wrigley mansion — Mediterranean-revival, stucco walls, tiled roof, two stories with verandas wrapping the harbor side. The original architect built it for William Wrigley Jr. as a private summer home. The Conservancy converted it to an inn in the 1980s, keeping the family furniture and most of the original interior layout.

Materials are stucco, terracotta tile, brass, velvet, dark wood — classic country-estate Mediterranean. Public spaces are the original family parlors, dining room, and verandas. The chimney and fireplace are real and used in cooler months.

The rooms

Six rooms in the mansion's bedrooms — five named after Wrigley family members or features (the William Wrigley Suite, the Inn-keeper's Quarters, etc.). Each is a different size and shape, all with private bathrooms (some en-suite, some across a hall). The rooms keep their original residential proportions; a few are larger suites with sitting rooms.

Rates from $895, all-inclusive (breakfast, lunch, evening hors d'oeuvres, golf cart for getting around Avalon, and round-trip ferry can be coordinated).

Food & drink

Most meals are included — a full breakfast, lunch (often a packed picnic for harbor or interior excursions), and a multi-course dinner served family-style. The kitchen runs in scale with the small guest count. Wine is included with dinner.

On the property

The verandas with the harbor view and the original family library are the program. There's no pool, no spa, no gym. Guests get a golf cart for getting around Avalon (the standard local transport mode — Catalina has a limit on cars). Direct access to the Conservancy hiking trails inland.

• Most meals included (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Golf cart for guest use in Avalon
• Veranda with full Avalon Harbor view
• Operated by Catalina Island Conservancy
• Open year-round (book well in advance)

Who it's for

• Travelers who want to stay in a 1921 Wrigley mansion
• Couples on a milestone trip
• Anyone who appreciates that the property runs more like a private estate than a hotel
• Repeat Catalina visitors looking for the most unusual lodging on the island

Who it's not for

• Travelers wanting modern amenities or design
• Anyone uncomfortable with a small all-inclusive operation
• Budget travelers — the all-inclusive rate floor is high
• Travelers who can't manage the hike or the golf-cart access

Nearby

Avalon's harbor and the iconic Casino building (the 1929 ballroom and movie theater, not a gambling casino) are below the hill. The Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden is a short hike from the property. The Catalina Island interior, almost entirely protected by the Conservancy, starts beyond town for hiking and the bison-spotting drives. Two Harbors (the smaller village at the north end of the island) is a forty-five-minute boat or shore-boat ride. The Avalon Aerial Tram and the Casino tour are walkable.