The low-budget motel that has been at the center of Old Town Camarillo for decades is now the city’s newest gem. Early last year, owner Debra Kong began transforming the old Candlelight motel into a 25-room boutique hotel that caters to business travelers during the week and tourists on weekends. She finished the more than $1 million hotel renovation project late last month with the opening of the Old Town Café, a new eatery built on the hotel’s former swimming pool patio. Now called the Bella Capri Inn, the revamped hotel represents the city’s progress in revitalizing the original commercial district, and shows how business and property owners are helping to make the area a destination for residents and visitors. The commercial area along Ventura Boulevard was the city’s original downtown before the Ventura (101) Freeway came through and pushed development to the north. The Bella Capri stands out, not just as the only hotel in Old Town, but as the only independent hotel in a city filled with major hotel chains. “We have the Marriot and the Hampton Inn, but we needed a nice place for the mid-budget (market) with a boutique feel to it,” Kong said. Kong purchased the Candlelight in late 2007 with the intention of transforming it into more upscale lodging. Recent renovations also included adding one- and two-bedroom suites and meeting space, and replacing all the plumbing and electrical systems. “It is a totally different clientele (now), and they are looking for a nicer, cleaner place to say,” Kong said. “Before, it was pretty run down. We spent six months cleaning out the place and re-establishing the reputation.” City progress With the Bella Capri renovation now complete, all the buildings in the block of Ventura between Oak Street and Fir Street have been remodeled. “That block is the hub as it is the middle of the boulevard,” said Jennifer Wells, the president and CEO of the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce. The city spent an estimated $10 million on streetscape improvements such as widening the sidewalks, narrowing the streets, planting palm trees and adding decorative lighting to the street and trees. A facade improvement program upgraded the look of 40 businesses, and a new zoning code allowed business owners to make the most of their lot. Kong did not take part in the façade program but followed design guidelines set by the city. The Mediterranean front and interior, along with the courtyard, gives the hotel a homey feel, Kong said. “They have created some interesting features for the building that makes it more visually appealing,” said Ed Burns, redevelopment coordinator for the city. “They removed outdated signage and put on a smooth stucco finish with a tile roof.” Old Town is anchored by the Metrolink/Amtrak station on Lewis Avenue at the east end and Carmen Drive on the west, with the bell tower of St. Mary Magdalen church a prominent feature on the skyline. Ventura Boulevard is a mixture of restaurants, day spas, home furnishing and jewelry stores, and professional services. The area is a gateway for California State University, Channel Islands and the Camarillo Premium Outlets, one of the top visitor destinations in Ventura County. University visitors have stayed at the Bella Capri, and several local companies have used the hotel to host out-of-town employees, Kong said. This summer, five wedding parties have decided to book the entire hotel for their visiting guests. And at some point, she said, the hotel may offer special packages in connection with the outlet mall, she said. The Bella Capri draws some of its charm from the businesses that surround it. All of the other hotels in the city are surrounded by parking lots, and require guests to drive to dine at area restaurants, said Jeff Walker, a business owner and head of the Old Town Camarillo Association. “You walk out the front door (of the Bella Capri) and you are in downtown,” Walker said. Walker, who has stayed at the hotel, said he was impressed by Kong’s makeover of the hotel. His group is collecting signatures from property owners to form a business improvement district that allows the city to collect special taxes, which are then used to promote and market the district. The association sponsors an arts and jazz festival and cruise nights in the summer. It will add more events if the special tax district is created, Walker said.
Hotel Makeover Boosts Camarillo’s Downtown Image
