The hotel, located in the Bunker Hill suburb, was built and designed by the architect John C. Austin and developed by Thomas Pascoe.

The plans for building the hotel were developed in November 1901 and initially faced resistance from the next door Olive Street School establishment.

[6] In 1913, under the hotel's then owner Colonel Richard A von Falkenberg it was running under loss, and he was reported missing probably to avoid creditors.

[2] The Los Angeles Times reported that the hotel owner Falkenberg and his wife had disappeared due to "a precarious financial position," he explained it as case of nervousness and that he had gone to Ventura for a rest.

The hotel briefly appears in the background near the end of Charlie Chaplin's 1914 debut film, Making a Living, during a fight scene on the road.

Room options included singles or suites, and they were outfitted with a private bath, closets, electric lights, gas, and telephone.