Viceroy Santa Monica–the iconic beachside hotel located steps away from the water on Ocean Avenue in the heart of Santa Monica-announced the completion of its all-encompassing renovation at the hands of award-winning design studio EDG.

The hotel, owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, one of the country's leading owners of lifestyle hotels, originally opened in 2000 as the first Viceroy Hotels & Resorts property. The reimagination gives the Santa Monica legend a fresh, new edge, featuring all-new guestrooms and suites, newly designed common areas, an expansive outdoor space, and a signature restaurant and bar, Sugar Palm. The enhancement also added a new art collection inclusive of commissioned works and interactive augmented reality pieces from various local artists.

"We are thrilled to unveil this stunning transformation of Viceroy Santa Monica, where our brand originally debuted," says Bill Walshe, CEO of Viceroy Hotels & Resorts. "The renovation has reinvigorated this iconic property, infusing it with a fresh, contemporary aesthetic that celebrates our West Coast roots and pays homage to the property's rich history. We look forward to welcoming guests to experience the elevated level of luxury, personalized service, and immersive experiences that define the Viceroy brand."

Design

The new guestroom and suite design is inspired by Southern California's crowning feature, the beach, bringing the shore closer than ever. The design brings the outdoors in through abundant natural textures in a sun-washed color palette of aquamarines, sunny yellows, and neutral sand tones. Mid-century-style furnishings and graphic carpet complement sea-grass inspired wall coverings. Patterned curtains evoke the reflection of the sun on the water. All rooms have a Juliet balcony to let in the ocean breeze, with western-facing rooms offering guests views of the Pacific Ocean and west coast sunsets.

The hotel's public spaces, including the lobby, indoor lounge, outdoor patio, and pool area with private cabanas, feature a vibrant color palette and eclectic, vintage furnishings. Upon entry, guests are immediately greeted by a two-ton driftwood bench and wood-planked ceilings that mimic walking beneath the Santa Monica Pier, inviting guests to drift in and linger for a while, whether for a business meeting, a celebration with friends, or an after-work cocktail.

The entire hotel was designed with sustainability at the forefront. EDG brought existing pieces new life, repurposing original materials and furnishings wherever possible to minimize waste. Decorative woodwork in the guestrooms was painted rather than replaced, original furnishings were reupholstered, and in hallways, existing wall coverings were stenciled over to add interest and conserve resources. Many of the commissioned art pieces throughout the property were also created with repurposed objects, including skateboard wheels and vintage cameras.

The renovation brings an all-new indoor-outdoor experience in which cocktails and conversations flow throughout. Perfect for year-round relaxation, luxurious, open-air cabanas inspired by the lifeguard towers on Santa Monica beach surround two sparkling, palm-tree lined pools. The intermingled, open-air dining patio and bar, comfortable lounge seating throughout the lobby, and inspired new meeting spaces encourage guests to mix business with pleasure. New programming, including New Moon Meditations led by Calming Spot Santa Monica brings opportunities for guests and locals to enjoy the reinvented outdoor experience.

"Our design goal was for guests to feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and alive, with a clear sense of being in Santa Monica," said EDG Principal Jennifer Johanson. "Every aspect of this sunny sanctuary reflects Santa Monica's vibrant energy."

Sugar Palm

Sugar Palm, Viceroy Santa Monica's signature indoor-outdoor dining concept helmed by Executive Chef Jason Francisco, is the hotel's social hub. The indoor lounge, wraparound bar, breezy, outdoor patio featuring a large firepit, and private dining cabanas offer plenty of ways to gather and connect over brunch or dinner.

The restaurant offers a journey through California's diverse coastline, showcasing line-caught seafood and market fresh produce sourced from local farmers and purveyors. Chef Jason's seasonally rotating brunch ("Sunrise") and dinner ("Sunset") menus honor and celebrate the melting pot of cultures in Los Angeles through the use of globally inspired flavors and techniques. A curated cocktail menu reminiscent of the colors and flavors of Santa Monica calls for celebratory toasts any time of day. 

An advocate for sustainability, Chef Jason is leading the charge among the Viceroy Hotel Group with unique plant-based menu items featuring out-of-the-box ingredients like watermelon, lychee, mushrooms, and more to mimic the umami flavors found in meat and seafood. He encourages his kitchen to find ways to upcycle all parts of produce and meat, whether it's for stocks, juices, syrups, and garnishes used across a variety of dishes and beverages, thus reducing food waste.

Art

Art is a key tenet of the Viceroy Hotels & Resorts brand. Every guestroom at Viceroy Santa Monica includes new original works from local artisans Erin Miller Wray, Kelcey Fisher, and Priscilla Witte curated by Art x Co. Continuing the theme of blurring the lines between indoors and out, each piece is inspired by coastal elements, like Miller Wray's colorful surf fins, Fisher's abstract sky and water scenes, and Witte's augmented reality illustration showcasing a bird's eye view of the hotel's pools.

The in-room art is an extension of the local collection scattered throughout the common areas, including three marquee murals: "Endless," also by Miller Wray, is inspired by ocean horizons and adorns the hotel's facade, "Ijeoma" by Evelyn Leigh, located on the exterior wall of Sugar Palm, evokes a palm tree swaying and the calming effect of the ocean water, and finally, "Deep Roots," by Spencer Mar Guilburt, located on the Pico side of the property, represents the unseen roots that connect us as we look collectively to an unseen future. Sugar Palm's indoor lounge contains paintings by Monica Perez that celebrate the ability to coexist after separation.

In the lobby, Karen Bystedt's art, created especially for Viceroy Santa Monica, called "The Lost Warhols, " showcases once lost photographs taken by Bystedt of famed artist Andy Warhol that fellow artists have painted atop of. The digitally augmented pieces slowly transform on screens from raw photos to finished, multi-layered artwork featuring scenes of Santa Monica surf and skate culture and colors from "Ijeoma."

Viceroy Santa Monica, is located a block from the beach at 1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, 90401. Whether it's through a Priority bike ride down the boardwalk, a picnic on the beach, or cocktails under the palms, locals and guests from around the world can relax, unwind, and enjoy the best Santa Monica has to offer, just steps away from a variety of upscale and casual restaurants, world class shopping, and the famed Santa Monica Pier. Follow along on Instagram and visit the hotel's website for more information.