What to Know
- Five November bookings, two nights each; reservations open on Oct. 27 at noon
- One night will be inside the Casino, the second night will be booked at the 100-year-old Hotel Atwater in Avalon
- $899 (Round-trip passage on the Catalina Express is included)
Unusual places to catch a few winks have been surreally springing up everywhere over the last few years.
Bedding down in a treehouse, a cave, a castle, a fire lookout tower, a farm? You can find all of those, and even more offbeat stay-overs, with a quick and simple search.
But buildings that serve other grand purposes, and typically cater to a caboodle of people all at once, don't usually welcome a couple of guests for their own overnight stay.
That's changing in Avalon this November, when Catalina Island's world famous Casino building will play pop-up hotel to a select number of visitors eager for a cinematic sleepover.
And we do mean select: The Catalina Island Company is offering five packages in all this fall, with the first one happening Nov. 10-12, 2020.
This year has seen a lot of unexpected firsts, and staying overnight at the iconic Catalina Casino, with a sweetheart or pal, definitely fits that category.
"Guests will feel as if they’re part of the 'Roaring Twenties' as soon as they step foot in the Casino, once home to performers from all over the world including Charlie Chaplin, Louis B. Mayer and Marilyn Monroe," shared the Catalina Island Company in a statement.
"Their stay will consist of a personal tour with a local Avalon historian; a three-course chef's dinner for two on the Casino's veranda featuring a time period-appropriate menu, Champagne and other signature drinks; a private screening of a Hollywood classic film, accompanied by gourmet movie treats; breakfast daily and a $100 resort credit."
And if you're curious about having a contact during this super-rare experience? Worry not, for "(a) VIP concierge will be on hand to oversee every detail." Further, the "... Catalina Island Company is allowing for a full 24 hours between each booking for extensive deep cleaning."
Good to know?
While the packages are indeed two nights each, you'll spend your second night at nearby Hotel Atwater in Avalon (which is another handsome historic structure, so the vintage vibe of the Casino will easily extend into the second evening).
And passage on the Catalina Express, to Avalon and back to the mainland, is also included into the price of the Catalina Casino Sleepover package.
The ocean-fronting landmark, which boasts a big band allure and early-Hollywood stories aplenty, opened in 1929.
The person behind the colossal commission? William Wrigley, Jr.
As for what you can expect to see inside the round wonder, which is as symbolic of the island as bison, flying fish, glass-bottom boats, and golf carts?
"The Casino features a 20,000 square-foot ballroom, the world's largest circular ballroom without supporting pillars, that has been screened off to create an extraordinary, Art Deco-themed accommodation."
"Outfitted with vintage furniture and accessories from the past 90+ years —including two original theater seats from the world-famous Avalon Theater on the Casino's first floor — the accommodation pays homage to the Casino's jeweled past."
The Casino has long hosted a splashy New Year's Eve party in that ballroom, complete with an old-school balloon drop.
And while many mainlanders have attended the elegant affair over the last few decades, surely an overnight in the giant, '20s-era jewel will be something high on any Catalina Island fan's reminiscing list for a long time to come.
Stay tuned for booking link, and keep in mind that reservations open on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at noon.