Meet the Woman Transforming Rundown California Estates into Luxury Getaways

Kimberly Walker has a keen eye for California style. She grew up in Ontario, in SoCal’s Inland Empire, and has a knack for seeing potential in overlooked places. Walker has turned that vision into a career, transforming abandoned properties along California’s central coast into a series of popular boutique hotels, each with a story that nods to the region’s history and mystery. Her company, Nomada Hotel Group, includes everything from the renovated Skyview roadside motel in Los Alamos to the brand-new River Lodge in Paso Robles to a luxury catamaran cruising the British Virgin Islands.

Walker’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t start in hotels. She originally moved to San Luis Obispo for her wines. It was there that she launched her first business, Wine Wipes, to fill a need she saw in her own life: keeping your teeth white after a glass of wine. That led her into the world of beauty products with The Vanity Project, creating practical, everyday items for women.

Her first hotel project came about when Walker was looking for office space in San Luis Obispo. She leased a space in a 1920s-era building that was once the Granada Hotel. When the building went bankrupt, Walker and a group of entrepreneurs she met at Burning Man decided to buy it and transform the property into a vintage-themed venue. Thus, the Granada Hotel & Bistro was born.

Walker’s properties are the talk of the town in the Golden State. In fact, if I hear one more person rave about their incredible quality, I might scream. With two more hotels set to open soon and an e-commerce site, Nomada Deco, that reflects her signature style, Walker’s influence is growing. I recently caught up with her to find out how she manages to juggle it all with such effortless style.

David Hochman: Your properties have a unique blend of historic California charm and modern freshness. How do you find that balance in places like Skyview and the brand new River Inn?

Kimberly Walker: Our renovation and design begins with a deep dive into the history of the property and its location. Our goal is to enhance the original aesthetic and highlight one of two elements that we find exceptional. We pair this with patterns, materials, art, and objects that are appropriate for the space and are typically sourced from travel, flea markets, and working with local makers.

David Hochman: Who are your design muses? Are there any hotels you’ve visited (or books, songs, movies) that have inspired the feel of the properties??

Kimberly Walker: I love to travel and it is my biggest source of inspiration. Walking the streets, visiting galleries, stores, reading design books and staying at other hotels are all deep sources of inspiration. Each property usually has a specific fabric, piece of art or image that sets the tone. For the Ynez Hotel, it started with a painting by Hilda Palafox. The color palette of the artwork inspired the color palette of the hotel design.

David Hochman: What do you think makes a hotel stay unforgettable? And how do your designs help make those moments unforgettable?

Kimberly Walker: In addition to a safe and comfortable sleep, a memorable hotel stay is one that includes the culture of the experience: music, menu, design and amenities.

David Hochman: What are you most excited about right now? The Pozo Saloon restoration near Santa Margarita looks cool. How do you keep your ears open for new ideas and concepts?

Kimberly Walker: Pozo is definitely one of our current focuses. Pozo’s history is fascinating and has the most information available of any project we’ve tackled. The biggest task ahead of us is determining what to focus on as features. With a history that dates back to 1858, there are a lot of choices and it’s important to find thoughtful ways to preserve and present the saloon’s history.

David Hochman: People don’t realize how difficult it is to renovate and rebrand an iconic property. Give me a quick list of your favorite “wins” in this area, whether it’s saving an iconic sign over a highway or finding an incredible antique somewhere that became a design centerpiece?

Kimberly Walker: Restoring and preserving the original MOTEL signs is a huge win and makes them a symbol of the brand. At Farmhouse in Paso Robles, the guest room showers were a major hurdle in the renovation. They were tiny, dark corners of the bathroom. We added beautiful zelliges throughout, in the wall shelves, Waterworks fixtures, and custom curved glass shower doors. It completely transformed one of our biggest challenges into a statement piece for guests.

David Hochman: What is the main lesson you have learned from designing such varied environments and themes, from urban hotels to rural retreats?

Kimberly Walker: Hospitality is a very creative business for us and design is at the foundation of that. What has been most impactful for me is discovering how creative and multidisciplinary hospitality can be. Being able to design and create spaces for travelers to enjoy and be inspired by, while preserving a piece of history, is an enriching journey.

David Hochman: Any “unicorn projects” – places you’d like to open a hotel in or buildings you’d like to renovate?

Kimberly Walker: There are so many. I am so fascinated and curious about architecture, design, history and the stories we can tell through these areas. A dream project would be a small hotel on the coast, preferably in Mexico, so guests can swim in the ocean. There would be a small bar and restaurant with seating in the sand.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.