Steep Thrills

The $560 pay-in-advance tab had already popped onto our credit card bill by the time we arrived for a honeymoon splurge at the Inn on Mt. Ada. We had agreed to the price, of course, but seeing it in print was a little daunting.

We were determined to wring every cent’s worth out of our one-night stay at the famed bed and breakfast--reputed to be one of the most romantic getaways in Southern California.

The inn did not disappoint.

Other resorts may offer more amenities for less money. There are no golf courses, no mud wraps, no free manicures at Mt. Ada. You can’t soak in a Jacuzzi or order up a massage. There isn’t any room service.

Instead, Mt. Ada offers unpretentious, old-fashioned elegance that seems so much more relaxing--and in its own way, so much more luxurious--than modern-day resorts. It was built as a millionaire’s mansion, but it has a cozy, comfy feel to it with board games and a communal VCR for entertainment, rather than pay-per-view movies. In fact, our room had neither television nor telephone. But they would have seemed crass modern intrusions, out of place in Mt. Ada’s refined atmosphere.

The view alone could spoil you. When chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. commissioned the estate in 1921, he ordered his architect to build wherever the sunrise brushed earliest in the morning and the sunset lingered latest in the evening. That spot turned out to be on a cliff 350 feet above the town of Avalon.

From all over the inn, we caught glorious panoramas of Catalina Island shimmering below. The scraggly hills of the island’s interior tumbled down onto the sanitized boardwalk. Boats bobbed in the harbor; sea gulls circled on cue. No view can be worth $560 a night, but this one came close, making us feel coddled, inspired, uplifted, romantic and very, very wealthy.

Wrigley did not think the Inn on Mt. Ada luxurious at all. Sure, it had 22 rooms and a five-acre garden, but he considered it just a summer cottage. “It was their kick-back, trailer-at-the-beach house,” innkeeper Marlene McAdam explained.

During the peak tourist season (June 1 through Oct. 31), the six rooms range from $340 to $620 a night, plus tax. The rest of the year they’re $250 to $495 a night.

We opted for a smaller corner room, which compensated for its puny square-footage with an astonishing 180-degree view. Our four-poster bed was raised high enough off the floor that we could see the ocean, the harbor and the lights of Avalon even lying down. A gas fire provided a toasty glow to counter the brisk sea breeze.

When we slipped out for dinner, a maid zipped into our room to turn down the bed, set out chocolate mints and spread out two of the thickest, fluffiest bathrobes I’ve ever encountered. Aaaaah. The expense, we decided, was well worth it.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Our Mt. Ada honeymoon began when a staff chauffeur picked us up in Avalon and loaded our gear into a van for the winding drive up to the white-and-green estate.

Co-owner McAdam greeted us at the door, grabbed our bags and guided us on a tour--which turned into a recitation of invitations to indulge. She showed us the bar where we could help ourselves to soda or juice, the fruit bowl, the cookie jar, the nut bowl, and the carafes of port and sherry. Walking us through the living room and into the kitchen, she urged us to play the piano, read the books or raid the refrigerator stocked with beer and wine.

Stomachs rumbling, my husband, John, and I raced for the lunch buffet (the daily room rate includes three meals and all the snacks you can carry). It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was satisfying: vegetables, pasta salad, deli meats, cheeses, soup and several types of bread, with a do-it-yourself grill at the ready. Stacks of soft chocolate-chip cookies and mugs of rich cocoa made a perfect dessert.

In addition to meals, a stay at the inn includes either unlimited cab service around the island or free use of an electric golf cart. We had seen the carts putt-putting around Avalon and couldn’t resist the opportunity to test one. We meandered down the curving path that leads from Mt. Ada to Avalon at a lazy pace, cruising past tiers of lonely, scrubby hills. The tranquil isolation ended 10 minutes later when we arrived at the beach, crowded as always with yelping kids and bronzed tourists.

We had never tried snorkeling, but John persuaded me to put on a mask and flippers, and we fumbled our way into the warm surf of Lovers’ Cove. After a few gulps of saltwater, we got the hang of it and floated with the red, silver and purple fish that darted through tangles of kelp. I was pointing out one especially vivid school when I felt the current tug--and my brand-new wedding ring slide off. John tried diving for it, but it was gone for good.

Only one thing could make me feel better: a steaming mug of Mt. Ada cocoa. Back to the inn we went, trying not to stare at the forlorn beginnings of a tan line on my left-hand ring finger.

After a call to our jeweler to order a replacement, we plopped down on a wicker couch to laze away the afternoon. Much of the mansion is closed off, but guests do have access to two living rooms, a sun porch, the dining room and the wraparound veranda. When we became bored marveling at the view, we used the inn’s lightweight telescope to zoom in on the luxury boats in the harbor. (According to McAdam, Wrigley used a similar spyglass to watch his baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, practice during spring training on the island.)

The air was so peaceful and the sky so beautiful, we stayed outside until nearly 8 p.m. Finally, the inn’s lone waitress came up to politely remind us of dinner waiting inside. From our window seats in the dining room, we could see the far-off lights of oil rigs and the graceful outline of Avalon’s historic Casino ballroom.

The inn does not offer a choice of dishes; the chef selects one menu each night, with modifications for guests with dietary restrictions. We had requested no red meat. While everyone else oohed and aahed over steak, we relished our swordfish, served with scalloped potatoes and green beans. Strawberry crepes topped off the meal.

The next morning, we took the golf cart for one last spin down to Descanso Beach--where we snuck in an hour of kayaking. Then, sadly, we returned to Mt. Ada to collect our luggage, vowing to return for a longer stay.

Simon is a reporter with The Times’ Metro section.

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Budget for Two

Catalina Express boat, round trip, San Pedro to Avalon : $72.00

Parking at San Pedro Terminal: $17.00

One night, Inn on Mt. Ada, including all meals: $561.35

Catalina Diving Supply Snorkel gear rental for one hour: $10.00

Kayak rental at Descanso Beach: $18.00

FINAL TAB: $678.35

The Inn on Mt. Ada, (310) 510-2030; Catalina Express, (800) 995-4386; Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce, (310) 510-1520.