World Through My Eyes: 2025.01 Mission Inn Hotel & Spot 米遜客棧

We visited the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside in 2018 to enjoy the Festival of Lights and were captivated by the dazzling displays and the bustling stalls nearby. My husband saw a video about the Mission Inn recently and decided we should stay there for a night on the final day of the display of the Festival of Lights in 2025 to celebrate our daughter's birthday. Before our stay, I assumed it was just a hotel that used lights to attract visitors and create a festive holiday atmosphere. However, after checking in, I felt that the experience was well worth the cost. Only registered guests are allowed to walk around inside the hotel. We stayed in one of the more affordable rooms, so the room itself was nothing extraordinary. But exploring the maze-like hotel, admiring its architectural design, and appreciating the intricate interior décor was truly mesmerizing — it felt like stepping into a European castle. The feeling during the day and at night is also very different.
我們在 2018 年來里弗赛德 (Riverside) 的米遜客棧 (Mission Inn Hotel & Spot) 參觀聖誕花燈，就被它炫麗的燈飾及附近熱鬧的擺攤景象留下深刻的印象。我先生最近看到一個介紹米遜客棧的影片，決定在2025年聖誕花燈展示的最後一天來這裏住一晚幫女兒過生日。在住進來之前，我以為這只是一個用燈飾吸引羣眾來此感染過節氣氛的旅館。因為只有登記過的客人才可以進入飯店內部參觀，住進來之後，才真覺得很值得來這貴參參的旅館住一晚，我們住比較便宜的房間，所以房間本身沒什麼特別，但走在像迷宮似的旅館裏，探索並欣賞它的建築造型及裝潢佈置，有如置身歐洲城堡，很有意思。白天和晚上的感覺也很不一樣。

Photo Date: 2025.01.05-2025.01.06

Introductions of Hotel History 酒店歷史介紹

The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is a historic AAA Four-Diamond destination that blends Spanish Mission-style architecture with modern luxury. Originally established as the "Glenwood Cottage" boarding house in 1875, it was later purchased by Christopher Columbus Miller and transformed by his son, Frank Augustus Miller. Frank Miller partnered with railroad tycoon Henry E. Huntington, and together, they hired architect Arthur Benton to reconfigure the Glenwood Cottage’s layout. Benton embraced a variety of architectural styles, particularly Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.

The transformation took nearly two decades and included the addition of over 200 guest rooms, with the Mission Wing debuting in 1903. Miller continued renovating the structure over the next 30 years. As demand grew, three additional wings—the Cloister Wing, the Spanish Wing, and the Rotunda Wing—were completed by 1931. The building also incorporated castle-like towers, Mediterranean domes, flying buttresses, and sprawling arcades. Miller filled the hotel with valuable items from around the world, including artwork, furniture, and religious relics. He successfully ran the Mission Inn until his death in 1935. His family managed the property until the mid-1950s, after which it changed hands multiple times.

The hotel continued to struggle until the Mission Inn Foundation and the Friends of the Mission Inn worked together to have it designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Despite this recognition, the hotel officially closed in 1985. Local Riverside entrepreneurs Duane and Kelly Roberts later sought to revive it, launching a seven-year, $55 million renovation. The hotel reopened in 1992, with Kelly Roberts serving as Vice Chairman and COO. Kelly has been instrumental in maintaining its luxury standards and expanding its offerings.

The Mission Inn has received numerous accolades, including Historic Hotels of America’s “Best Historic Hotel” award. The Roberts have also introduced signature events, such as the Festival of Lights, and expanded their ventures into wineries and cupcake businesses. Today, the Mission Inn remains a beloved destination for weddings, vacations, and cultural events, seamlessly blending rich history with contemporary elegance.

It is worth mentioning that the Mission Inn has been used in famous movies such as 1915’s “The Vampire”, 1938’s “Idiot’s Delight”, and 1997’s “Man in the Iron Mask”. It also has hosted many notable people through the years including celebrities and presidents. Some of the names of those who have visited here are Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, Hoover, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Bush Jr; social leaders such as Booker T. Washington, Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller and John Muir; and entertainers including Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin.

米遜客棧是一個歷史悠久的 AAA 四鑽酒店，融合了佈道院建築和現代豪華的風格。這旅館最早建於 1875 年，名為“格倫伍德小屋”寄宿公寓，後來被克里斯托弗·米勒(Christopher Columbus Miller) 買下，並由其兒子弗蘭克·米勒(Frank Augustus Miller) 改造。弗蘭克米勒與鐵路大亨亨廷頓 (Henry E. Huntington) 合作，共同聘請建築師亞瑟本頓 (Arthur Benton) 重新改建格倫伍德小屋的佈局。本頓融合了多種建築風格，尤其是西班牙殖民復興風格。

改造耗時近 20 年，增加了 200 多間客房，米遜翼樓於 1903 年首次亮相。隨著需求的增長，另外三個翼樓 ——迴廊、西班牙和圓形大廳—— 於1931 年竣工。建築還加入城堡式的塔樓、地中海式圓頂、拱扶垛和不規則地伸展的拱廊。米勒在飯店裡擺滿了來自世界各地的珍貴物品，包括藝術品、家具和宗教文物。他經營米遜客棧很成功，直至 1935 年去世。他的家人管理這處房產直到 1950 年代中期，之後多次易手。

飯店這時一直苦苦掙扎地經營，1977 年在米遜客棧基金會和米遜客棧之友的共同努力下，爭取到米遜客棧被指定為國家歷史地標。雖然它獲得了這樣的認可，但還是於 1985 年正式關閉。里弗赛德當地的企業家杜安 (Duane) 和凱利 (Kelly) 羅伯茲 (Roberts) 為了重振它，啟動了一項為期七年、耗資 5500 萬美元的翻修工程。酒店於 1992 年重新開業，凱利羅伯茨擔任副董事長兼首席營運長。凱利在維持其豪華標準和擴大產品範圍上辦演了重要的角色。

米遜客棧榮獲無數讚譽，其中包括美國歷史酒店協會頒發的「最佳歷史酒店」獎。羅伯茨夫婦還推出了聖誕花燈等特色性活動，並將業務擴展到釀酒廠和紙杯蛋糕生意。如今米遜客棧仍是舉辦婚禮、度假和文化活動的熱門地點，將豐富的歷史與現代優雅完美地融合在一起。

值得一提的是米遜客棧曾經是多部著名電影的拍攝場地，包括 1915 年的《吸血鬼》(The Vampire)、1938 年的《傻瓜喜事》(Idiot’s Delight)和 1997 年的《鐵面人》(Man in the Iron Mask)。多年來，它還接待過許多知名人士，包括名人和總統。曾經造訪過這裡的總統有羅斯福總統、塔夫脫總統、胡佛總統、甘迺迪總統、尼克森總統、福特總統、雷根總統和小布希總統；社會領袖有布克·華盛頓(Booker T. Washington)、蘇珊·安東尼(Susan B. Anthony)、阿梅莉亞·埃爾哈特(Amelia Earhart)、阿爾伯特·愛因斯坦(Albert Einstein)、海倫·凱勒(Helen Keller)和約翰·繆爾(John Muir)等；以及包括朱迪·加蘭(Judy Garland)、貝蒂·戴維斯(Bette Davis)、克拉克·蓋博(Clark Gable)、湯姆·漢克斯(Tom Hanks)、芭芭拉·史翠珊(Barbra Streisand)和詹姆斯·布洛林(James Brolin)等藝人。

Photo Gallery 照片庫

Gound Floor: Main Lobby (Orange Street Entrance)

As soon as you step into the main lobby, you will see Christmas trees adorned with lights, pots of red Poinsettia, and decorations scattered here and there. You can feel the lively atmosphere immediately.
一踏入入住的大廳，便會看到一棵棵掛滿彩燈的聖誕樹、一盆盆紅色的聖誕花，以及東一點西一點的聖誕裝飾。你可以立刻感受到熱鬧的氣氛。

Authors Row & Anton Clock (Spanish Wing)

Authors Row holds a special class of rooms at The Mission Inn. Each room is named after a special author, painter, songwriter who stayed at the inn in the early 1920s and 1930s. The rooms are at the top floor of the Spanish Wing. Each room has its own tall spire in front of it.

On one end you can see Anton Clock. The Anton Clock, two stories high, was named after a story by Walter Dryer, Called "The Vision of the Anton Clock". The rotating carousel of figures was designed and added to the clock in 1953 by Frank Miller's daughter, Allis Miller Hutchings. Five rotating figures symbolic of California's history include Father Junipero Serra, explorer Juan Bautista De Anza, St. Francis of Assisi, The California Grizzly Bear, and The California Indian. In the mid-1970s, the Friends of the Mission Inn contributed outfits for these figures. And in 2021, they re-outfitted the statues with fresh garments.

Fun Facts: Spanish Wing contains work from three different Architects
1. 1913 – 1914 – Spanish Wing and Patio – Myron Hunt
2. 1921 – 3rd Floor Addition – Arthur Benton
3. 1928 – Author’s Row – G. Stanley Wilson

作家排房是米遜客棧的特殊客房。每個房間都以 20 年代初和 30 年代初住在這家旅館的一位特別作家、畫家或詞曲作者的名字命名。客房位於西班牙翼樓的頂樓。每個房間前面都有高聳的尖頂。

在一端你可以看到安東鐘(Anton Clock)，安東鐘兩層樓高，以沃爾特·德萊爾 (Walter Dryer) 的小說《安東鐘的願景》命名。輪換的人物轉盤是由弗蘭克·米勒的女兒愛麗絲·米勒·哈欽斯於 1953 年設計並添加到時鐘上的。五個輪換的人物象徵著加州的歷史，包括朱尼佩羅·塞拉神父、探險家胡安·包蒂斯塔·德安薩、聖弗朗西斯、加州灰熊和加州印第安人。1970 年代中期，米遜客棧之友為這些人物捐贈了服裝。2021年，他們為雕像重新穿上了新的服裝。
趣聞：西班牙翼是三位不同建築師在不同年代的作品

Authors Row 作家排房

The Anton Clock 安東鐘⁠

The Spanish Patio (part of the Mission Inn Restaurant)
西班牙庭院（米遜客棧餐廳的一部分）⁠

St. Francis of Assisi wedding Chapel (Rotunda Wing)

The Chapel is used for weddings. Plain on the outside, but magnificent on the inside. The wood carved gold altar from Mexico is especially noteworthy and also the exquisite Tiffany windows and mosaics. There are guided tours available. They provide an in-depth look at the Mission Inn’s intricate design, the Catacombs, historical artifacts, and its significant role in the region’s history.
這教堂用來舉辦婚禮。外面樸實，但裏面金碧輝煌。來自墨西哥的木雕金祭壇尤其引人注目，還有精美的蒂芬妮窗戶和馬賽克。米遜客棧有導覽的參觀，可深入了解米遜客棧的精妙設計、地下墓穴、歷史文物及其在該地區歷史中扮演的重要角色。

Bacchus fountain

sneaked a peek at the inside of Chapel

Fliers’ Wall (Rotunda Wing)

Fliers' Wall, a shrine which is next to the St. Francis of Assisi wedding Chapel dedicated to aviators, was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of birds and aviators. The tradition began in 1934 under the direction of Allis Miller Hutchings and her husband, DeWitt, with the installation of a shrine to honor famous fliers. Aviators who visited the Inn could place their copper wings on the wall during ceremonies, marking their names and symbols. The wall grew over time, with the St. Francis Chapel dedicated as an International Shrine to Aviators in 1932, after Mrs. Frederick Payne's suggestion. The St. Francis medallion, created in 1933, became a symbol of good luck for fliers during WWII and the Korean War. A notable moment in the wall's history was when astronaut John Glenn's wings were added in 1982, making him the first astronaut to be honored. After the Inn closed in 1985, the wings were removed and later restored in 1992, with missing wings replaced. Today, 160 wings adorn the wall, and the tradition continues, with the most recent addition in 2019.
在教堂旁有一飛行員牆，它是一座獻給飛行員的聖壇，其靈感來自鳥類和飛行員的守護聖徒聖方濟‧亞西西。這項傳統始於 1934 年，由阿利斯·米勒·哈欽斯 (Allis Miller Hutchings) 和她的丈夫德威特 (DeWitt) 主導，當時建立了一座聖壇來紀念著名的飛行員。入住旅館的飛行員可以在儀式期間將他們的銅翼貼在牆上，刻上他們的名字和代號。隨著時間的推移，這堵牆不斷擴大，在弗雷德里克·佩恩夫人的建議下，1932 年聖弗朗西斯教堂被指定為國際飛行員聖地。聖方濟各紀念章於 1933 年創建，成為二戰和韓戰期間飛行員的好運象徵。一個歷史上值得注意的時刻是 1982 年太空人約翰·格倫的銅翼被加在牆上，使他成為第一位獲此殊榮的太空人。1985 年旅館關閉後，銅翼被拆除，之後在 1992 年被修復，並更換了丟失的銅翼。如今牆上有 160 個銅翼，這項傳統仍在延續，最新添加銅翼是在 2019 年。

Alhambra Court & Carmel Dome (Cloister Wing)

The Cloister Wing, originally called the Monastery, was built between 1909 and 1911. Following the addition's opening around 1911, the spacious rooftop terrace was used in those early days (circa 1910-1923) as a tennis court and roller skating rink for guests interested in some outdoor activities. In 1923, Frank Miller worked with architect Arthur Benton to top the spacious tennis court with the Alhambra Suite, its adjourning courtyard, and the “Star Lodge”. The Alhambra Suite and Court were inspired by Frank's travels in the Spanish Alhambra and named after the great Moorish Palace in Granada, Spain. The “Star Lodge” would become the Inn's largest suite and was built for Frank Miller's sister, Alice Miller Richardson, who managed the hotel for over fifty years and resided in the suite from its completion in 1924 to her death in 1937. Alice, an amateur astronomer, used the court outside the suite for star-gazing and other viewing-related amenities like the camera obscura in the Carmel Dome. The benches and fountains of this secluded court are one of the favorite spots at the Inn for a relaxing time.
迴廊翼最初被稱為修道院，建於 1909至 1911 年之間。在 1911 年左右擴建開放後，寬敞的屋頂陽台在早期（約 1910-1923 年）被用作網球場和溜冰場，供對戶外活動有興趣的客人使用。1923 年，弗蘭克米勒與建築師亞瑟本頓合作，在寬敞的網球場上建造了阿爾罕布拉套房、毗鄰的庭院和“星星小屋”。阿爾罕布拉套房和庭院的靈感來自弗蘭克去西班牙阿爾罕布拉宮的旅行，便以西班牙格拉納達的摩爾宮殿命名。「星星小屋」成為旅館最大的套房，為弗蘭克米勒的妹妹愛麗絲米勒理查森(Alice Miller Richardson) 建造，她管理這家酒店超過五十年，從1924 年套房竣工至1937 年去世一直住在那裡。愛麗絲是業餘天文學家，她使用套房外的庭院及其他相關的設施，如卡梅爾圓頂的暗箱來觀星。這個僻靜庭院的長椅和噴泉是旅館最受歡迎的休閒場所之一。

Aunt Alice Suite/⁠Star Lodge

Carmel Dome

Carillon/Bell tower (Mission Wing)

The Inn’s Carillon has stretched high above the hotel’s main entrance since 1903, with a 1944 reconstruction that added approximately ten feet to the tower. These melodic chimes continue to ring out today.
旅館的鐘樓自 1903 年以來一直高聳於酒店正門上方，1944 年重建後，鐘樓高度增加了約 10 英尺。這些悅耳的鐘聲至今仍響徹雲霄。

International Rotunda & Amistad Dome (Rotunda Wing)

The Rotunda Wing, and the International Rotunda, was the last section of the Mission Inn hotel built by Frank Miller and completed in 1931 by architect G. Stanley Wilson and Associates. With six floors and 134 steps, the entire Rotunda is adorned with colorful symbols that represent dedication to world peace, honored guests, historic California figures and more. Atop the International Rotunda is Amistad Suite and Amistad Dome. Designed by architect G. Stanley Wilson, the Amistad (Friendship) Dome is covered in glazed Mexican tile proudly displaying the raincross symbol at the top. The Amistad Suite is one of the most stunning rooms at the Mission Inn.
圓形大廳翼和國際圓形大廳是米遜客棧由弗蘭克·米勒最後建造的一部分，由建築師史丹利·威爾遜及合伙人於 1931 年完成。圓形大廳共有六層、134 個台階，整個大廳裝飾著色彩斑斕的符號，代表著對世界和平的奉獻、貴賓、加州歷史人物等等。國際圓形大廳頂部是友誼套房和友誼圓頂。友誼圓頂由建築師史丹利·威爾遜設計，覆蓋著墨西哥釉面瓷磚，在頂部展示著雨十字標誌。友誼套房是米遜客棧最令人驚嘆的客房之一。

Somewhere in the Mission Inn

Festival of Lights

Mission Inn Hotel & Spa hosted the 32nd annual Festival of Lights event in 2024, which draws many people to enjoy millions of holiday lights and holiday-themed decorations in downtown Riverside. The event ran from November 24 to December 31, 2024. We visited on January 5, 2025, so it was much less crowded, and there were fewer vendors around. Nonetheless, we still enjoyed the lights.
米遜客棧於 2024 年舉辦第 32 屆年度聖誕花燈活動，吸引許多人前往里弗赛德市中心欣賞數百萬盞花燈和節日主題裝飾。活動時間為 2024 年 11 月 24 日至 12 月 31 日。我們於 2025 年 1 月 5 日入住旅館，因此人潮較少，周圍的攤販也較少。儘管如此，我們仍然欣賞閃亮的燈飾。