Originally built to house Marconi employees, The Marconi hotel — set within the forested hills near Marshall, California — is steeped in history; Guglielmo Marconi, known as the ‘inventor of radio’, hiring a New York engineering company to create a luxury property for staff of the Marshall trans-pacific receiving station in 1913.
Today, named ‘Lodge at Marconi’, the upscale coastal retreat sits on 62 sprawling acres off Highway Route 1 within the Marconi State Historic Park, and is home to 45 new accommodations set over a collection of freestanding buildings, as well as eight versatile indoor and outdoor venues with breathtaking views of West Marin County’s unparalleled natural beauty and the property’s equally stunning grounds.
The 17-month-long, multi-million-dollar renovation saw Oliver Hospitality instil the expertise of New York-based design studio Home Studios, whose modern touches were inspired by both the inventive spirit of Guglielmo Marconi and the Third Bay Tradition architectural style. Attention to detail was key as was the use of custom furnishings, organic materials, a saturated colour scheme, and wall cube art inspired by the style of Stuart Arends. Ample natural woods and textiles were used throughout the guest rooms (which range from the Standard Double Queen, up to King Suite) to render a cohesive feel and connect guests to the nature that surrounds.
Home Studios sought to create an authentic, ‘clubhouse/campesque’ environment, with a unique layout of a collection of rooms as opposed to a formal lobby. Upon arriving at the newly opened Reception Lounge, guests are welcomed into an intimate space which alongside checking-in guests, conveniently moonlights as a coffee and espresso bar serving beverages and handmade pastries from beloved local establishments. A grab-and-go market offers additional local provisions such as beer, wine, and artisanal fare, whilst a small retail area features a curated selection of books from nearby indie gem Point Reyes Books along with Lodge at Marconi branded merchandise.
The heart of the property is the outdoor courtyard which also serves as the main social hub as guests gather around a gas fire pit bestowed with custom lounge seating, benches, and natural boulders. This, along with the thoughtful landscaping throughout the grounds, was conceived and designed by landscape architect Anooshey Rahim, Principal of Bay Area-based Dune Hai, and serves as the connection between the various buildings.
Honouring the historic landscape and maintaining as much of the existing vegetation as possible, while creating more of a cohesive language, the Dune Hai team focused on sustainability opting for low water usage and utilising local oyster shells as soil, crafting custom posts with upcycled wood from Bay Area Redwood, and contracting local installers to reduce the carbon footprint.
While the exterior façades of the buildings were refinished as a part of the makeover, the overall modern architecture was untouched to preserve the site’s history and character, making the overall feel at Lodge at Marconi a holistic experience with a true connection to the history of this site.
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Lodge at Marconi Marshall Photography, Brian Ferry.
