Twin Palms quietly calls it quits

Noaki Schwartz

FASHION ISLAND -- Twin Palms Restaurant will close its doors at the end

of this month because of persistent complaints of noise from guests of

the Four Seasons hotel that have haunted the restaurant since it opened

less than four years ago.

And, in a strange twist of fate, the Four Seasons will convert the site

into a banquet facility.

The restaurant opened in November 1995 and noise problems began almost

immediately. Complaints from nearby Four Seasons guests -- who couldn’t

sleep because of the late-night partying -- bounced from the front desk

to the police and eventually the city.

“Who knew that it would be such a conflict?” said Four Seasons

spokeswoman Carrie Olson. “Guests would call down and we would have to

find alternative accommodations for them.”

Eventually, the hotel started losing noise-sensitive guests and at times

had to offer complimentary rooms, said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Mike

McDermott.

“It is a very quiet community,” admitted Victor Ciulla, spokesman for

Twin Palms. “So, if there’s noise, it travels a lot.”

Despite the city’s efforts to control the problem over the years by

placing restrictions on the restaurant’s late-night activities, it closed

anyway.

“It improved for quite a while and then about a year ago, it started up

again,” said Assistant City Manager Sharon Wood.

The Four Seasons will take over the 10,000 square feet of space on Feb. 1

and turn it into a banquet facility for its guests.

“It’s a great concept and great idea. We’re thrilled,” Olson said.

Four Seasons will change the interior of the tented facility to suit the

weddings, anniversaries, engagement parties and holiday events that will

be held there.

Management of the Pasadena-based Twin Palms chain, however, finds the

arrangement somewhat ironic -- although the restaurant had to close

because of noise, the Four Seasons will be taking it over for large

banquet events.

“It is very sad to us,” Ciulla said, adding that after seeing a rash of

restaurant closures in the community, they “saw the handwriting on the

wall.”