After more than three decades restoring and operating The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, Kelly Roberts says the chapter is closing after the property’s sale—while insisting inaccurate claims about family artwork and personal property have overshadowed what she descr
Kelly Roberts has spent more than three decades restoring and operating The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa—so when the landmark finally changes hands, it’s not the closing that seems to sting most. It’s the story around the closing.
Roberts says she is now focused on her family. philanthropic endeavors. and preserving the legacy she built alongside her late husband. Duane Roberts. after the sale of the historic property. She leaves Riverside after helping oversee the hotel’s revival—an effort that. according to Roberts and supporters of the project. was far from guaranteed once the Mission Inn closed in 1985.
The uncertainty didn’t end until Christmas Eve in 1992, when Duane Roberts—a Riverside native—purchased the hotel. From there, Kelly and Duane Roberts led what they describe as a long-term restoration effort. Supporters say the work transformed the Mission Inn into a major tourism destination without stripping away its historic character.
Under the Roberts family’s ownership, the Mission Inn became a focal point of Riverside tourism. The family is credited with expanding traditions such as the Festival of Lights. which organizers say now attracts millions of visitors and generates significant economic activity for the region. Kelly Roberts also launched Kelly’s Spa & Boutique. which received industry recognition and added to the property’s reputation as a luxury historic hotel.
Supporters point to the ripple effects beyond the hotel itself—jobs, tourism revenue, and support for local businesses. They also emphasize the Mission Inn’s role as a major source of Transient Occupancy Tax revenue for the city. Proponents of the project say decades of investment contributed millions of dollars in economic activity throughout Riverside.
For their preservation efforts, Kelly and Duane Roberts received numerous honors over the years, including the 2024 Steward of History and Historic Preservation Award.
But as Roberts begins her next chapter, she says what should have been a celebration of the family’s legacy has instead been overshadowed by what she calls inaccurate claims about two pieces of artwork and other personal property belonging to the Roberts family.
Roberts says the buyers of the Mission Inn did not seek to purchase certain family-owned artwork and personal items. and that those assets were expressly excluded from the sale agreement. She further states that. before the transaction closed. two paintings and a statue depicting Kelly and Duane Roberts were removed from the property in accordance with the terms of the sale.
In a statement provided by a representative for Kelly Roberts. she says the two specific artworks—California Alps (1874) by William Keith and The Charge up San Juan Hill (1900) by Vasily Vereshchagin—remain in Kelly Roberts’ possession. The statement adds that the works are being preserved in accordance with the wishes of her late husband. Duane Roberts. who specifically selected them to remain with the family.
The representative also argues that “the vast majority of the Mission Inn’s historic furnishings. artifacts. artwork. and collectibles remained with the property. ” and says that. unlike many owners who might have auctioned valuable pieces when selling a historic hotel. Kelly Roberts left virtually the entire collection intact. The statement says the sale agreement clearly identified which assets were being transferred and which assets were excluded. and that the items currently being discussed publicly were excluded from the sale and remain the lawful property of Kelly Roberts.
The statement continues that the Roberts family has taken action to protect its rights and reputation regarding defamatory statements and false implications concerning privately owned assets. It concludes with the representative’s view that “the Roberts family saved the Mission Inn when no one else could. ” investing decades of their lives and substantial personal financial resources to preserve what the statement calls an irreplaceable landmark without compensation.
Taken together. Roberts’ remarks trace a single arc: restoration and public success—Festival of Lights expansion. tourism growth. industry recognition for Kelly’s Spa & Boutique. and the Mission Inn’s role in Riverside’s Transient Occupancy Tax revenue—followed by a final. bitter turn in the conversation at the moment the sale is complete.
Kelly Roberts Duane Roberts Mission Inn Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Riverside Festival of Lights Kelly’s Spa & Boutique Transient Occupancy Tax stewardship of history historic preservation award California Alps The Charge up San Juan Hill