Timber Cove Inn sold for $8 million

Timber Cove Inn, a landmark 50-room hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean north of Jenner, has been sold to a Southern California hotel developer who plans to renovate the property, the new owner said Monday.

"I intend to help bring the Inn back to its glory days, when it was the place to be on the coast," said buyer Bob Olson, president of R.D. Olson Development Co. in Irvine.

The inn will be managed by Pacifica Hotel Co., a Santa Barbara firm that owns coastal lodgings from San Francisco to San Diego.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but county records showed the 22-acre property sold last week for $8 million.

Last year, the aging inn was placed on the market for $10.9 million by Richard Hojohn, who had owned the property since 1979.

The inn will close for several days next month for renovations, said Lori Keller, spokeswoman for Pacifica Hotel. The project should be finished by October, she said.

The inn's 30 employees will be retained and the new management may increase staffing when renovations are complete, she said.

The inn, built in 1960, is noted for its heavy timber construction, spectacular ocean views, hiking trails and nearby towering obelisk by modern artist Benny Bufano.

Most of its rooms have fireplaces or hot tubs. Rates range from $138 to $378 per night.

"People come back year after year who love the Timber Cove Inn," Olson said. "They will love to see the place renovated and professionally managed."

The project includes makeovers of the lobby, bar, restaurant and kitchen. The rooms will get new carpet, drapes and bedding, according to the partners.

The restaurant's menu will change to emphasize local fruits, vegetables, cheeses, wines, meats and seafood, they said.

The inn also will host special events, including music and wine tasting, the partners said.

R.D. Olson has developed hotels in Oceanside, Aliso Viejo, Burbank, Irvine, Anaheim and Riverside.

Pacifica Hotel operates hotels in Pismo Beach, Beverly Hills, Half Moon Bay, Marina Del Rey, San Diego and Port St. Lucie, Florida.

You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com. News researcher Michele Van Hoeck contributed to this story.