Chumash Casino hotel to open

This valley of vineyards and horse ranches will get an injection of cosmopolitan flair this week with the grand opening of the Chumash Casino Resort’s upscale hotel, the latest phase of a much-contested $150-million expansion.

The interior of the 106-room hotel is a visual departure from the bustling, brassy casino next door, said John Martino, director of operations. Designers aimed for a soothing, sophisticated California bungalow ambience in the lobby, using a palette of sandstone, mahogany and muted teal tones. A nod to the 153-member Chumash tribe comes in the form of contemporary ancestor portraits accenting lounge areas.

Guest rooms, Martino said, were designed to meet or exceed AAA’s guidelines for a four-diamond rating on the auto club’s five-diamond scale. (The hotel, which had its soft opening July 1, has not yet been rated by AAA.) All guest rooms have mahogany beds and armoires, stone-topped desks and nightstands, granite-and-tile bathrooms and 47-inch flat-screen TVs. The hotel’s 17 suites and mini-suites have additional amenities, such as whirlpool tubs, plasma TVs and fireplaces.

The 190,000-square-foot casino -- with 2,000 slot machines, more than four dozen tables for card games and three restaurants -- opened August, as did a 1,310-seat showroom where Whoopi Goldberg (Tuesday) and Fleetwood Mac (July 17 and 18) are scheduled to perform as part of the grand opening festivities. Adding to those recreation options is the hotel’s 5,000-square-foot spa.

Critics have complained that the four-story hotel, casino, parking garage and other planned developments are too large for Santa Ynez and the nearby communities of Solvang, Buellton and Los Olivos. But Martino, formerly general manager of the Santa Ynez Inn and resident manager of the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang, said the Chumash hotel filled a niche in upscale accommodations for the valley, which has only four inns with the four-diamond rating.

Published rates start at $125 a night for a standard room, $245 for a mini-suite and $345 for a full suite. Prices include breakfast, valet parking and access to the spa’s steam rooms, Martino said. A 10% “tax” -- equal to Santa Barbara County’s hotel tax -- will be charged, though resort officials said the tribe will devote the revenue to community programs of its choosing rather than turn over the money to the county.

For information or reservations, call (877) 248-6274. Information also is available at www.chumashcasino.com.