With a new restaurant, refreshed spa, revamped rooms and coveted private members club, the nearly 90-year-old Malibu mainstay is now a transporting five-star resort with a country club feel -- that hasn't lost its family values
In 1937, Navy veteran and businessman J. Grant Gerson and his wife, Helen Walter Gerson, founded Calamigos Covered Wagon Club in the rustic Malibu mountains.
"I was working for the YMCA, [and] at the end of the season, I decided to start my own camp," said the late founder, who grew up in L.A.'s Wilshire District, in a video for the brand. As he didn't yet have money to purchase property, he launched Calamigos as a travel camp for children, and aspired to foster family and community while sharing the area's natural beauty.
The name came to him from a story relayed by Captain Fremont Scott -- a wagon captain who recalled how, upon being gifted a horseshoe nail necklace, a Native American chief from the Chumash tribe that inhabited Southern California had proclaimed, "How Calamigos." ("Come as my brother, come as my friend.") "So when I started my own camp, I thought that would be a good name," Gerson said.
Ten years later, in 1947, he bought 15 acres and established a physical home for the children's camp at Calamigos Star C Ranch -- which has grown over nearly eight decades into a sprawling 300-acre property hidden in the hills above Pacific Coast Highway. Family-run for five generations, the nearly 90-year-old Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club just received its biggest reimagination yet, and is looking to the future while honoring its tradition and family values.
"I was drawn to Calamigos Guest Ranch because of its rich history and the breathtaking natural beauty that surrounds the property," says David Stork, who came aboard as general manager after roles at Patina Restaurant Group and Wally's Wine & Spirits. He believes the mix of rustic charm and modern amenities create a unique atmosphere. "[But] what truly sets Calamigos apart is its commitment to providing an unforgettable experience for guests, whether they're looking for adventure in nature or relaxation at our luxurious facilities," he adds.
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While the property has been updated through the years, Stork is one of the new team additions that accompanied its top-to-bottom transformation in spring 2025 -- prioritizing sustainability while implementing modern design updates and introducing luxury brand partners (from the electric Cadillac Escalades that serve as house cars to Frette in-room amenities). As a result, the once-discreet resort has grown increasingly popular and been racking up accolades, most recently being crowned The Hollywood Reporter's #1 hotel in Southern California.
Notes Stork, "Calamigos has completely redefined and enhanced our guest accommodations, and has introduced a variety of new spaces and amenities -- including new wellness and activity programs that focus on holistic health and adventure."
Guest accommodations consist of 52 ethereal cottages, bungalows and estate rooms immersed in nature and equipped with dreamy outdoor lounge furniture, outdoor showers, fire pits and private gardens. Inside, the tranquil newly redecorated rooms offer Flamingo Estate toiletries, rain showers, soaking tubs and custom beds, and come stocked with local snacks and refreshments -- including wine made on site at the Calamigos Ranch vineyard.
To take in some sun, hotel guests can lounge at multiple cabana-lined pools (one being adults-only). Steps up from the main Resort Pool is a new pool house bar that serves lunch and SoCal-inspired libations in a space decorated to tell the ranch's story.
Or, guests can opt to drive or hop on a complimentary Volkswagen shuttle for a 10-minute trip over to Calamigos' European-style private beach club -- located where Corral Canyon Road meets Pacific Coast Highway. Just as hotels on Italy's Amalfi Coast offer beach club experiences, the seaside retreat is complete with a scenic restaurant, lounge, pool and chaise setups.
The entire food and dining program at Calamigos has been revamped, under the culinary direction of chefs Rosie Gyulasaryan, Jon Peloso and Daniel Choo. While the ranch previously had a public-facing restaurant, the Malibu Café, for many years -- until 2023 -- a brand-new concept offers an elevated experience to hotel guests. The Ranch Club Restaurant conjures the opulence and equestrian vibe of The Polo Bar in New York with dark green walls and rich wooden accents. Historical relics from the ranch line the walls and a booth where performer Willie Nelson famously sat has been preserved.
Chef Gyulasaryan, who hails from Patina Restaurant Group and Wolfgang Puck Catering, aimed to create an authentic farm-to-table experience highlighting local ingredients -- from herbs grown on the property to sustainable seafood sourced nearby. "I wanted to craft a menu that not only delights the palate but also tells a story about the region and its bounties," Gyulasaryan says. "It's important for me to foster a connection between our guests and the food they enjoy, enhancing their overall experience at the ranch."
Some of her favorite seasonal items at the all-day Ranch Club Restaurant include a lemon mafaldine pasta, lamb tagine and burrata with summer nectarines; and the menus also include popular dishes like the Nameless salad (with avocado, Napa cabbage, kale and fennel) and a homemade-feeling chicken and dumplings with black truffle. The Ranch Club's lunch menu of hearty salads, sandwiches and burgers is also served poolside.
Another new culinary addition is Gentry Market, a small Erewhon-like café that offers coffee drinks (like a popular strawberry matcha latte) and grab-and-go items (from pastries and breakfast sandwiches to spring rolls and sushi) -- that can even be packaged for a picnic.
Those who do wish to plan a picnic -- or any activity, from horseback riding to mat pilates to surf lessons and guided hikes or e-bike tours -- need only visit activities and experiences director Peter Deacy. Calamigos also has pickleball courts, carousels and several stunning event spaces on its grounds.
Adjacent to a gym with the latest Technogym equipment is Spa Calamigos -- headed by spa director Martine Blanchett. The refreshed facility with eight treatment rooms and a soothing lounge enables guests to experience red light and Himalayan salt therapy -- plus a sauna and cold plunges -- before heading into treatments that range from CBD massages to reiki energy sessions to a Malibu Glow facial.
An on-site boutique carries stylish swimwear, resortwear, jewelry and accessories. And the lobby is a woodsy home base, with a cozy fireplace and an array of beverage offerings.
While not heavily publicized, Calamigos' private members club is entering its fourth year -- and has a backlog of nearly 450 applicants, who are selected via a discerning process. "We've seen overwhelming demand," says head of private membership Adir Tal of the experience, that's more like a country club or a modern-day Discovery Land Company.
A safe but social outlet for adults and their families, the private club is comprised of many C-suite business executives and celebrities. "The most significant enhancement to membership at Calamigos [is] a completely private and secure member campus," says Tal of the VIP spaces accessed by QR code, that include a great room lounge, pool, cabanas, comfort station with complimentary snacks and rooftop with expansive views and golf simulators (though members also have access to Sherwood Lake Club's executive golf course).
In addition to a secure members campus, members have their own private areas within all of the hotel spaces, from the restaurant to the beach club. Four curated members events are organized every month. "As a safe haven for families, membership has evolved significantly with meaningful annual events like KidChella and KidCoach, and Daddy and Me Campout," notes Tal. "Calamigos Private Members is a community of families seeking connection and making lasting memories in a space that feels effortless and welcoming."
And it's true -- Calamigos feels like a family, with hospitable servers who pay meticulous attention to detail and deliver personal touches, such as a package with a canteen of hot coffee and a fresh buttery croissant left by guests' doors in the morning. Club members receive their own vine on the vineyard and family garden plot, and they come multiple times a week to use the facilities or drop off their kids at the still-popular camp that once started it all.
"The sense of community is palpable," notes Stork. "Our goal is to continue to create an even more immersive resort experience that allows guests to connect with nature -- and with each other."