The Project

Originally built in 1947 as the Suburban Lodge, the renovated River Lodge is an iconic mid-century motel turned retro-chic resort located along Highway 101 in Paso Robles, complete with a beautifully restored neon sign. The project was awarded an AIA Honor Award in 2024.

This renovation project includes a complete site overhaul, the modernization of existing hotel guestrooms, a new lobby, restoring the original iconic sign, and adding a central pool and al fresco restaurant/bar that serves as the core of the new resort.

Nomada Hotel Group first approached Arris in 2021 to help them with their labor of love in restoring the rough property to its former glory with contemporary and local touches. Similar to their other hotels, Nomada wanted to preserve the existing character of the place but also create an elevated, fun, contemporary boutique hotel experience. They shared a passionate vision to capture the magic of great old American road trips and roadside lodging, popular in the 1960s.

The iconic roadside sign eventually served as the initial launch point for guiding the project’s architectural style -mid-century, googie vibes with a dash of the Central Coast agrarian ranch style. The sign served as an example for how the design team would tackle the renovation with a goal to enhance and modernize but keep many of the bones of what was originally there.
Eventually a modern River Lodge was born – a 28-room, mid-century pool resort centered around a heart that feels like a retro, lush oasis waiting to be discovered.

Drone Photo Credit: Ashley & Vance Engineering