The Front Desk
Angel Rubio Serrano manned the front desk of the Sunrise Hotel for nearly seven decades. His living quarters were known by all the staff and long-term guests as a confession box, therapy office, bar and doghouse, home to his many greyhounds who all shared the same name.
Today, wild Greyhounds can be found roaming the hotel grounds and only respond to ‘Hefe.’ Don’t worry, they do not bite. In honour of Angel, every guest receives our Welcome Margarita upon arrival.
Poco's Palace
Alfred ‘Poco’ Masterson was a local to the area, he owned Poco’s Butcher Shop but also took on the role of Head Chef at the Sunrise.
His love for the fire and stress of the kitchen was quickly disarmed by his good-natured and jovial spirit. This convivial demeanor was also present in his love for the sublime — especially in the form of decadently designed aquatic oasis’. With nearly 20 years of employment at the Sunrise, Poco asked for one, simple thing: a bathhouse that would challenge the borders of lucidity, so he created a bathhouse that aimed to inspire and relax. Poco’s Palace became such a popular attraction for the hotel that bar manager Herman Hessy created the famous cocktail, the ‘Don Poco’.
The Utopia Lounge
Cici Rosa was a performer at the Sunrise from 1973 - 1982. She was originally from Italy but landed on Cadillac Island after hearing the name in a dream.
She was famous for her alto voice and sharp tongue. After causing a riot in the dressing room demanding tequila be served to performers without question or cost, the Sunrise let her go. But the guests were so outraged by her firing that another riot broke out. Regulars ran to the cellar, stole a barrel of tequila and carried it to Cici’s quarters where she took her stiletto and stabbed it into the wood. With a perfect hole made, she drank straight from the barrel and performed ‘Yo Vivire’ (I Will Survive) for her righteous tequila thieves. Thus, the Sunrise bar manager of the time, Andi Stapps, created a cocktail called the ‘Cici Rosa’ in her honour.
The Writing Room
S.T. Daller came to the Sunrise Hotel at the 1-year anniversary of his divorce from the famous abstract performance artist Penny Reyes.
From the time Sully entered the front doors of the Sunrise, hotel manager Angel Rubio Serrano understood the guest’s need to pursue his creative endeavors in solitude. Sr. Serrano converted an abandoned piano lounge into a space especially for Sully to write about his inner turmoil. It would become The Writing Room - a place to suffer, write and think.
The room was fashioned after the Saloons of yesteryear, clad in psychedelic wares suited to a man suffering what can only be described as a Ketamine-laced rehearsal doctorate degree in literature. With Mr. Daller’s connection to the Sunrise significantly sealed with his inspiration for the Writing Room, beloved bartender Pepe Maclean created the ‘El Libro’ in his honour. Pepe remarked, “Daller always walked around with a book in one hand and a stiff drink in the other - and depending on his mood there was no telling which one he was going to throw at you.”
The Citrus Disco
Ethel Gantry was known to locals as many things; a kind old lady, an avid knitter, busy snowbird and... cold-blooded killer!?
Before the mysterious murder of her husband Walter, Ethel and her partner visited the Sunrise yearly to escape the bitter cold of their Northern homestead. Although she was never convicted of the crime, the Sunrise staff feared Mrs. Gantry, with many doubting her improbable alibi. Despite her claims that on the evening of June 18th, the 66-year-old spent the night dancing at the Citrus Disco, the staff knew there was more a brew. Her husband Walter, although a generous tipper and mild-mannered, had fallen feverishly in love with Utopia lounge singer, Cici Rosa. He spent his nights cooing to the captivating Italian and even approached Poco to paint a portrait of her (this portrait still hangs in the lobby of the Sunrise today).
As for Ethel, locals claim her spirit still circles the dance floor of the Citrus Disco every night, leading the bar staff to boldly rename the El Diablo as ‘La Mamba’.
THE TEQUILA COCKTAIL MIXER
An eclectic cast of characters including the Don Poco, El Libro, La Mamba & the infamous Cici Rosa.
WELCOME MARGARITA
Leave your bags at the front desk and we will gladly take them to your room. Please enjoy the Welcome Margarita.