Press Releases

Santa Cruz, Ca. Hotel

For Immediate Release

Chaminade Fact Sheet

New Renovations

Nestled on a mountain ridge overlooking the Monterey Bay only 30 minutes from San Jose International Airport, Chaminade has just completed 5 million dollars of renovations.  The fresh new design features contemporary Spanish furnishings, granite bathrooms, rich fabrics, and fun whimsical patterns!  With 156 total rooms including 44 roomy suites, Chaminade is considered to be one of northern California's finest getaways for leisure travel. The resort is just minutes away from the Monterey coastline offering year-round recreation, award winning wineries, legendary golf courses and miles of spectacular beaches. Chaminade features 3 miles of hiking trails, an outdoor heated swimming pool and Jacuzzis, a complete resort spa, steam rooms, saunas, a fitness center, outdoor tennis courts, an on-site ropes course, and 12,000 square feet of event space.

History:

Chaminade takes its name from Father William Joseph Chaminade, who founded the Marianist Society in the 1700s. In 1930, Chaminade Boys High School was opened on the site of Chaminade at Santa Cruz. The school was located in the current main building, where the resort's meeting rooms and restaurants are located.

In World War II, Chaminade became a center for training priests in the Marianist order. It continued in this role until the early 1970s, when Chaminade became a religious retreat. Chaminade was acquired in 1979 when it was converted into a hotel and conference facility.

Opened: May 1985
Operator: Benchmark Hospitality
The Woodlands, Texas
Burt Cabanas, Chairman and CEO
Key Personnel: Tom O'Shea, Benchmark Senior Vice President and Davide Barnes is the General Manager for Chaminade
Location: Chaminade is located on 300 acres in the Santa Cruz mountains, off Highway 1.
Transportation: Chaminade is located 65 miles from the San Francisco International Airport, 34 miles from San Jose International Airport, and 43 miles from Monterey. Driving time is 90 minutes from San Francisco, 40 minutes from San Jose and 40 minutes from Monterey. Shuttle service is available for guests. 
Accommodations:

Chaminade features 156 sleeping rooms, including 44 suites suites. The rooms offer an impressive view of Eucalyptus and Redwood forests and the Santa Cruz mountains. The guest rooms include amenities such as:

  • Hair dryers
  • Robes
  • Irons and full-size ironing boards
  • Coffee makers
  • In-room safes
  • Remote-controlled television set
  • Two direct-line telephones for convenient Internet connection
  • The suites and junior suites feature an in-room wet bar, refrigerator, conference table and entertainment center
Dining:

Linwood's: A casual bar with light lunch and dinner menus and spectacular views of the Monterey Bay.

Sunset's: Offers daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, a Friday seafood buffet and Santa Cruz's finest Sunday Champagne Brunch.

The Library: Offering Coastal California cuisine that features fresh local ingredients with a delicate presentation, The Library is the perfect intimate fine dining experience.

Recreation/Attractions: Onsite:
  • Complete Resort Spa
  • Fitness center
  • Four lighted outdoor tennis courts
  • Heated swimming pool and two saunas
  • Outdoor sand volleyball court
  • Sports lawn ideal for badminton or croquet
  • 300 acres of nature hiking trails
  • Three 18-hole championship golf courses: Pasatiempo, Aptos Seascape, De La Veaga
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California's only seaside amusement park
  • Award-winning wineries
  • A variety of unique shopping boutiques in downtown Santa Cruz and Capitola Village
  • Sailing, surfing, kayaking and deep-sea fishing in Monterey Bay
  • Miles of breathtaking beaches
Complete Resort Spa:

Offering a variety of treatments including massage, facials, body scrubs and wraps, and featuring a private spa patio with Jacuzzi and Koi pond, steam rooms, saunas, a full fitness center, and beauty consultation center.

Executive Fitness Center: Chaminade's onsite fitness center offers the following:
  • Cardiotheatre including lifecycles, treadmills, Cybex equipment
  • Free weights
  • Aerobics room with daily classes
  • Massage treatments
  • Indoor basketball court
  • Locker rooms with steam room, sauna and whirlpool
  • Game room with billiards, ping-pong and board games
Weddings: The courtyard Terrace at Chaminade provides an elegant, intimate setting with breathtaking views of Monterey Bay for weddings of up to 230 people. Chaminade offers wedding packages including:
  • Professional wedding planner
  • Gourmet wedding cakes
  • Group rate accommodations
  • Ceremony and reception site
  • Dining ranging from hors d' oeuvres, buffet or sit-down meals
Meetings and Conferences: Chaminade is an award-winning conference center with twelve conference rooms and 12,000 square feet of total conference space with a maximum capacity of 250 people. The conference center includes:
  • Professional conference managers
  • State-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and trained equipment technicians
  • Audio-teleconferencing capabilities
  • ISDN lines for video conferencing and high-speed Internet connections
  • In-house closed-circuit video system
  • 24-hour Business Center with computers, printers, Internet and e-mail access.
  • Individual lighting and temperature control
  • Ergonomically-designed Herman Miller chairs

For Media Related Inquiries, Contact:
Alastar Connor
(831) 465-3404
sconnor@benchmarkmanagement.com