Mission Inn Foundation Vice President Rich Vandenburg and Mission Inn Foundation President Jennifer Gamble are seen Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in front of the former Mission Inn Museum in downtown Riverside. The museum closed after a dispute between the foundation and the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, but tours of the historic inn will resume in fall. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Guided tours of the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa will be coming back.
Duane and Kelly Roberts owners of the iconic Riverside hotel, said in a news release that tours will resume in the fall.
“Kelly and I believe that the Mission Inn is a treasure, not just for Riverside, but for everyone who appreciates history, architecture and culture,” Duane Roberts said in the release.
Beginning Sept. 5, tours will be offered three times a day from Thursdays to Sundays. However, the excursions will be led by a new group of tour guides.
Previously, docents from the Mission Inn Foundation led the tours. But tours were put on hold when the foundation and the inn got into a legal dispute in November that ended up in court. A judge ruled in favor of the company that runs the hotel.
As a result, the foundation was evicted from its spot in a corner of the Mission Inn and its museum there closed May 31, after the foundation’s lease expired. The disagreement also placed future Mission Inn tours — which have been on pause for more than six months — in jeopardy until the hotel’s recent announcement.
“Regardless of what happened, I still have a deep admiration for Mr. and Mrs. Roberts and the impact they’ve had on my life … I truly wish things did not go the way they went,” foundation Vice President Rich Vandenburg said.
The Mission Inn is recruiting for paid part-time positions that will be called Historic Mission Inn Ambassadors. The hotel will offer 45-minute tours for non-guests and hotel guests, with rates ranging from $15 to $25 per person.
“The tours provide an in-depth look at the hotel’s design, historical artifacts, and its role in the property’s history,” the release states.
As for the Mission Inn Foundation, Vandenburg said “we’ll find a way to survive and we hope that’s with the Mission Inn in the future.”
Though the museum is closed, the foundation will offer self-guided tours of downtown Riverside landmarks in July. The foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates independently from the Mission Inn to promote the hotel’s cultural legacy.
Michael Bussee, a former foundation tour guide, said “tours have been about our love for the Mission Inn; it’s part of who we are.”
It’s not known if former docents from the foundation will apply for the tour guide jobs being advertised by the Mission Inn. But Amanda Ruisi, a spokesperson for the Mission Inn, said management encourages former docents from the foundation and anyone else interested in leading tours to apply for the new positions.
Starting Monday, July 15, the foundation will offer 45-minute $10 ticket daily “Raincross tours” to visitors interested in downtown Riverside landmarks. The tours will start at the corner of the Main Street pedestrian mall and Sixth Street. More information can be found here.
It is unclear how the Mission Inn and the foundation will work together, but Vandenburg said, “Even though that door might be closed, I still hold hope in the future that we can come together again.”
Ruisi said it’s not yet known what will happen to the former museum space.
Tour reservations can be booked starting in August by calling 951-784-0300 or clicking here.
To apply for an ambassador position, click here.
