Ayres' Family History

The legacy of developing high-quality properties dates to Douglas Ayres’ great-grandfather, Frank H. Ayres, who traveled to Southern California from Ohio and in 1905 established Frank H. Ayres & Son, a land development company in Los Angeles County. Frank’s son, Don Ayres, Sr., joined the family business during the roaring ‘20s, and together they laid the foundation for entire communities in the Los Angeles area. Third-generation Don Ayres, Jr., joined the family business after WWII just as the housing boom began, and within the decade became recognized for creating distinctive homes throughout Southern California. It is Doug’s father, Don Ayres, Jr., who developed the concept of European boutique hotels after his travels abroad, which were rebranded as the Ayres Hotels in 2001.