In 1959 local architect Robert Platt conceived a distinctive motel built around an eye-catching, art moderne oyster-shaped pool. Throughout the sixties, the property flourished as the Sportsman's Lodge under the warm hospitality of Charles and Dinorah, a husband-and-wife team who made the lodge their home and welcomed visitors into their slice of California paradise. As a nod to the hotel’s name, the in-room artwork pays homage to the remarkable female Japanese pearl divers, called Ama, known to hold their breath underwater for extended periods of time while harvesting oysters.