by staff Hotel Reviewer Julia Jugadora 
In the years prior to the construction of the Hotel Playa, Ensenada was just beginning to recover after having spent years of terrible economic crisis; some derivatives for the change of the capital to Mexicali; others probably influenced by the effects of the economic recession that the United States was going through.
If it had not been for the fishing industry, Ensenada would remain stagnant and with little growth, since the tourism that visited us was the one that came looking for alcohol and to have fun in the only casino that was in the port.
This business was called Los Cuervos Negros and it was located on Ruiz Avenue and First Street. It was visited by film personalities and internationally known businessmen. Most of them arrived in Ensenada by boat. Ensenada still did not have paved streets.
In 1930, Ensenada barely had 3 thousand 42 inhabitants, of which 1,787 were men and 1,525 were women. The limits towards the East just arrived at the Ensenada Creek and to the North the shore was practically the 11th street, where was the school for children “Progreso”.
Also there was the school for girls “La Corregidora” located on Ruiz y Sexta street, whose original structure is still preserved. There was also a night school for adults and two kindergartens.
The scarce tourism that visited us, arrived at the hotels Hidalgo, Comercial, Bay Biew, Bungalows Savoy Orange and Ensenada Beach Hotel. They could get to Ensenada by boat or by land, there was frequent transportation to the State of California.
The people supplied themselves with food and tools in the houses of Yun Kui and Rafael Chan, two of the main stores. The houses were decorated with beautiful gardens. The population of Ensenada was considered cultured, as they had frequent music-literary evenings at the Centennial Theater and attended Sundays at Parque Revolución where an orchestra supported by the government entertained. Likewise, they attended the Regional Museum, also known as the Goldbaum Museum, the first museum in Baja California.
Fishing was growing and was the industry that generated the most employment. In El Sauzal, a sargasso beneficiation plant was working to extract potash; as well as a tuna packer called Productos Calmex that Maximiliano Berstein had founded and sold to General Abelardo Rodríguez.
In Punta Banda, there was also a modest abalone packing plant. After having bought the company from Berstein, General Rodríguez installed in El Sauzal the private packaging company Compañía de Productos Marinos, giving a great boost to the industry. The first package that was made on July 9, 1929, was made of abalone.
The construction
The hotel was built entirely on the extensive dunes that were part of the beautiful bay of Ensenada. Historically, that is the first action against the beach ecosystem of the bay. It will be followed by a series of actions that will end up ending with the safest and most beautiful part of the beaches that originally were the main attraction of the first tourists of the port.
When the Mexican Company of Rosarito, acquires the concessions that covered the beaches of Rosarito, San Miguel and Ensenada; He then bought the hotel that was almost completed in Rosarito and that his first businessmen left because they could not carry out the project, proceeding in the same way in Ensenada, where construction had also begun (in 1928) of what its promoters Originals were called the “Ensenada International Club” and then the “Ensenada Beach Club”.
The Mexican Company of Rosarito, formed a subsidiary company: the “Cía. De Mejoras de Ensenada, SA “to manage the hotel in Ensenada and attract tourism, through the guaranteed offer of:” enjoy an excellent climate, a beach-spa first, fishing, hunting nearby, tennis and a splendid bay to sail or take a walk on their yachts. Then a golf course would be added. A businessman could be very good there with his colleagues, as well as a family man who wants to spend a vacation with his wife and children, being able to have a drink without fear of being arrested or falling into the hands of a smuggler. ”
The work was done by the architect, Gordon F. Mayer and the builder James L. Miller. Its architectural style is representative of the stylistic current of Mexican architecture called “Californian” of the thirties, a style that is based on a technique inherited from Spain that takes the constructive form of the colonial period with the classic aspects of tiles, arches and lattices.
The materials used for its construction were brought from different parts of the world. For example, the bars that were installed in arches and windows are said to have belonged to old colonial buildings in Havana; the fine woods of its roofs and lintels, are cedars of a species that inhabits a worm, that when the tree is knocked down, leaves it leaving that interesting eaten texture; its leaded stained glass windows are in the Italian style; the filigree lamps and beautiful beveled glass lanterns were brought from Spain, as well as all their mosaics, some of which include the double-headed eagle of the Habsburgs, the Austrian house that reigned in Spain, and in other cases, the lions of the Kingdom of León and Castilla; the select furniture was brought from many parts, from Persian rugs to comfortable and Chinese screens; In the entrance hall, European tapestries and a large grand piano were installed. All the materials were brought in boats. The decoration was complemented by the murals and pictorial works of Alfredo Ramos Martínez, considered the father of Mexican mural art.
The casino was inaugurated with great celebration, on October 31, 1930. The total cost of the work was estimated at 2 million dollars.
Hotel Playa (1930 – 1938)
Definitely, with the opening of the Playa Hotel, a great boost was given to Ensenada’s economy. Aesthetically, the brand new construction adorned its beautiful bay and through the promotions of the hotel, the city became more known every day. During this time the hotel and casino functioned successfully as expected by its owners, including Jerome D. Utley, the majority shareholder.
Customers arrived continuously from the United States by sea aboard private yachts and two ships and by air, aboard the “The Maddox” plane that landed on the beach taking advantage of low tides. On Saturdays came the passenger ships “Alexander” and “Ruth Alexander”.
One arrived at the port at noon, and the other at midnight. Among the celebrities who visited us were several film artists, such as Charles Chaplin, Dolores del Río, Marion Davis, William Hearst, Merle Norman, Lupe Vélez, Johnny Weismuller, Mirna Loy, Arthur Hornblow, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnal, Lana Turner , Ali Khan and Geni Tierne, among others. Most of the clients stayed at the hotel, being the only ones who could use the facilities. At that time the membership did not work yet.
At this stage, hotel rules were very strict, employees were not allowed to enter the casino, or the dining room.
During the first three years, the hotel and casino worked very well due to the increase of visitors who came to have fun and drink intoxicating drinks, because in the United States the “Prohibition Law” reigned, but that period of bonanza, came down to be The law was repealed in 1933.
As if that were not enough, the hotel crisis worsened when the president of Mexico, General Lázaro Cárdenas, banned gambling in 1935. In short, during this period of crisis, the hotel opened and closed, until a bad day in 1938, the hotel unable to hold closed its doors. The world was no longer for parties and the first stage of glory of the majestic Hotel Playa ended.
The military barracks (1941 – 1942)
When the hotel closed its doors, it was left to the care of Mr. Isaac Chapluk, a trusted employee and a night watchman.
Those were the times when the Second World War was developing and Mexico had become an ally against the Axis forces, led by Germany, Italy and Japan. Because it was feared attack by the Japanese, the Beach Hotel became the headquarters of the General Staff of the Second Military Zone, belonging to the Sixth Pacific Region. As commander of the area was appointed the former president of Mexico, General Lázaro Cárdenas del Río, who remained in Ensenada from the end of the year 1941, until August 1942, when he had to change to the facilities of the Second Military Zone of the Cypress. Again, the hotel was for the second time in charge of Mr. Chapluk and his family.
First abandonment (1942 – 1948)
In this hotel stage, the deterioration of its facilities begins. The gardens look neglected and the facilities are prey to moisture and dust. The administration goes through serious economic problems and the embargoes are numerous. All the investors claim their part, but Mr. Jerome A. Utley, a septuagenarian bachelor, in 1948, cedes the building by public deed to Mrs. Marjorie King Plant, who for business interests, marries Lic. Alfonso Rocha and they reopen the building with the new name of Hotel Riviera del Pacífico and a new stage of the building begins.
Hotel Riviera del Pacífico (1949 – 1964)
With its new administration, a good stage of the hotel begins, which, without a casino, opens up more to the society of Ensenaden. It begins to celebrate the famous dances “Black and White”, which annually organized the Rotarian Ladies, where they met all the ambassadors from the State and Sonora and California. It was also a place for celebrations of the Emperador Club, as well as celebrations of weddings, quinceañeras and parties of the society with greater economic resources of the town. The most demanded rooms were the luxurious Cathedral Hall and the Casino Room.
It was also the scene of concerts, cultural events and national and international conventions. The great figures of politics and show business were staying there.
At the beginning of the 1950s the Hotel Riviera del Pacífico experienced one of its best times. But the fate was adverse, because Mr. Utley, who had transferred the rights to Marjorie Plant, wanted to recover the hotel because he was still owed 42,000 dollars that had not been able to pay him, so he filed a lawsuit. bankruptcy. It was a time of great litigation, which finally favored Mrs. Plant, who returned to manage the business in the company of his partner, however, so many problems with the business, tired Margorie and went to live in California. A short time later, in 1950, he asked for a divorce from Lic. Rocha.
Meanwhile, in 1955, Lic. Rocha paid his share to his ex-wife and reorganized the structure of the former Ensenada Improvement Company, in order to apply to the Hotel Credit Bank of Mexico City for the amount of four million pesos. to build a new section of one hundred rooms, whose profits would help to solve the operation of the hotel.
This work was almost finished, when another blow comes. Utley, was not satisfied with the way things had been, so in 1956 he demands a criminal trial against Lic. Rocha, and already tired of so many litigation, Rocha decided to leave the business and leaves Ensenada. Due to the debt incurred, in 1957 the hotel is in charge of the Hotel Credit Bank.
The problems continued to be presented with the new administration, which had to face intermittent closures and reopenings, until the final closure in January 1964, the date on which the wedding of a couple ensenadense takes place, this being the last social celebration.
Since then, the facilities of the Riviera passed to the federal government, which through erroneous decisions begins to demolish the building with all the valuable works of Alfredo Ramos Martínez, which in my opinion very personal, I do not rule out the possibility that some have saved and still remain in shelter of a particular collection, as is the case of innumerable furniture and objects that adorned the building. Fortunately, at the end of that year there is a change of government and a sector of Ensenada, is opposed to continue destroying what has been of such beautiful architectural work.
The second abandonment (1964 – 1978)
This period is distinguished by the almost total abandonment, where the facilities remained mutilated and in full decline. In this time is when I met their facilities. The building still looked imposing, but you could see the neglect and it was a shelter for dogs and used as a stable in its lower parts, which are now known as the Red Room, Cathedral Hall and the Bugambilia Courtyard. Every once in a while there was a person who did not allow you to approach or enter their facilities. Even so, the looting and pillaging of what was left continued.
Social and cultural site (1978 – Present time)
Fortunately, in 1978 it was decided to give life to the building. It is the architect Jorge Swain Chávez, then head of the Board of Material Improvements, who decides to clean part of the hotel to use it.
This measure was well seen by citizens, and from then on its restoration becomes a reality. From here you start using the property. In this year, the Riviera del Pacifico Hotel is converted by Presidential Decree of September 22, 1978, into the Social, Civic and Cultural Center of Ensenada.
In 1979, the Federal Government transferred it to the Government of the State when it was governor Roberto de la Madrid Romandía, who in 1980 put him in the custody of a board headed by Guillermo Corral who administered it until 1990.
Once the Cathedral Hall had been conditioned, on August 14, 1981, the 50th anniversary of its inauguration was belatedly celebrated. In 1992, a Decree was signed by the State Government, in which the custody of the building was transferred to the Municipality of Ensenada. Ernesto Ruffo Appel was the head of the State Government. Shortly after, José Luis Fernández Bandini was appointed as administrator, who for 14 years dedicated himself to improving and beautifying the building and its large gardens. We owe a lot to the Ensenadenses.
When Fernández Bandini passed away, his son José Luis Fernández Ruiz passed him, and since he started the Administration of the Riviera Cultural Center, he assumed a task that, in addition to the maintenance of the property, made the official procedures with the Federal Government, Conaculta, and INBA so that the building is decreed as an Artistic Monument of Ensenada.
This document is issued by the Ministry of Public Education on February 4, 2011 through a Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. In this is declared an artistic monument known as the Social, Civic and Cultural Center Riviera de Ensenada (Old Beach Hotel or former Hotel Riviera del Pacífico).
The document in question signed by the President of the Republic establishes that this decree is based on articles 2, 3, 5, 22, 33 and 34 of the Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological, Artistic and Artistic Areas and Historical
There are still more stories to tell about this beautiful building that has become an icon of the city, but we will do it in other installments. For the moment, I want to share this information with the support of photographs for each of the stages shown here. Some images are unpublished and others, almost unknown by the public.
Credits and thanks. Especially Mrs. Elsa Villavicencio Rudametkin, who has grown up with the history of this building. She shared interesting anecdotes and historical information; she is owed some images shown here. I also relied on the magnificent work of Mrs. María Eugenia Bonifás de Novelo.
The oldest photographs are from the collection of Mrs. Jeannette Miller, daughter of the architect builder. The images of General Cárdenas with his General Staff, and where Dolores del Río appears, are from the General Archive of the Nation.
EXPAT in BAJA Mexico 