Ventura, CA - Gingerbread houses became popular way back in 19th century Germany. The tradition, which German immigrants brought to America, lives on in a big way at three Ventura County West hotels. Gingerbread houses as high as six feet tall are in the lobbies of the Pierpont Inn, Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort and at the Residence Inn by Marriott at River Ridge in Oxnard.

“We bake everything on site that goes into building the gingerbread houses,” says Ignacio Cortez, director of food and beverage for both the Pierpont Inn and Four Points. “Each house takes one week to bake and one week to put together.” Cortez has been creating gingerbread houses for the hotels for 16 years.

To build the Four Points 5' by 5' by 6' foot gingerbread house, Cortez and his staff used an impressive amount of ingredients: 600 pounds of flour, 200 pounds of sugar, 135 dozen eggs, 120 pounds of icing, eight pounds of ginger, five pounds of cinnamon, four pounds of nutmeg, 10 gallons of molasses and 20 pounds of candy.

"The smell of the ginger hits hotel visitors the minute they walk into the hotel and some cannot resist sneaking a taste when they think we aren’t watching,” continues Cortez. “Even though I have been doing this for 16 years, I never get tired of it. I even bake and build gingerbread houses at home, which are a huge hit with my grandchildren."

"There is something about these gingerbread houses that brings a smile and a sense of wonder to everyone who sees them. They certainly put you in the holiday spirit," says Victor Dollar, regional manager, Brighton Management and chair of the Ventura County Lodging Association. (VCLA). The VCLA is a marketing organization promoting VenturaCountyWest, highlighting the travel options, special events and things to do in the cities of Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura.

Visitors can enjoy the gingerbread houses until just after the New Year. For addresses of the three hotels, go to the VenturaCountyWest website, www.VenturaCountyWest.com .

Ventura County Lodging Association (VCLA)
The Ventura County Lodging Association (VCLA) is comprised of lodging facilities and destination marketing organizations in the California cities of Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura. VCLA represents 61 members including hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, RV Resorts, resort rentals, the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce, Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau and Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau. Its marketing campaign, "VenturaCountyWest, Inspiring Choices," is designed to attract overnight leisure and business visitors to the region. www.venturacountywest.com www.facebook.com/venturacountywest