Jack Tar Hotels

Jack Tar Hotels was a major hotel chain in the United States until 1997, when they were sold to Allegro.^[1][2][3] The sale included ownership of a resort and casino in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and assume two leases for resorts in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Cancun, Mexico. Allegro also acquired management contracts for two resorts in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, and a marketing and franchise agreement for a St. Kitts resort."^[4][5]

San Francisco, California

A 400-room Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco occupied a full city block at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue. When built in 1960 it was considered one of the most luxurious hotels in the city, although it was criticized by Herb Caen and others for its modern architecture, which they considered ugly. Part of the movie The Conversation takes place there. In 1973, the jury in the trial of Ruchell Magee was sequestered at the Jack Tar Hotel.^[6] In 1982, after major renovations, it became the Cathedral Hill Hotel. A major fire occurred in December 1983, causing the hotel to rebuild again. The hotel finally closed on October 30, 2009 and was demolished in November 2013 to make way for an expansion of California Pacific Medical Center.^[7][8]

Galveston, Texas

There was a 225-room Jack Tar Hotel in Galveston, Texas.

Orange, Texas

There was a Jack Tar Hotel in Orange, Texas on the corner of N 5th Street and W Division Ave in downtown. The popular hotel, built in the 1950s, featured a barbershop, ballroom, stores and a restaurant famous for its prime rib. Behind the building was a garden terrace area with shaded tables and a swimming pool. The Orange location was also base of operations for water events such as the Aqua Demons and Debs ski shows in the 1950s. The hotel eventually became home to a number of retirement centers, the last of which closed in 2006. The building was demolished in 2011. ^[9]

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