The Right Stuff: Santa Monica Proper Hotel

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Santa Monica Proper Hotel, the first luxury lifestyle destination in Santa Monica is over a decade, is a glossy waystation for top-notch rejuvenation of mind, body and soul.

Photos here and throughout by The Ingalls.

When San Francisco Proper Hotel, with its unique blend of hospitality — courtesy of Viceroy Hotel Group founders Brad Korzen, Brian De Lowe and Alex Samek — and high design — courtesy of Kelly Wearstler — debuted in 2017, it heralded a new direction for the boutique hotel industry, shifting the focus to the nomadic traveler rather than the businessman. Now the Kor Group has opened their second location in Santa Monica, with Austin and Downtown Los Angeles gearing up to launch this fall.

Located within walking distance of the beach, every room of the hotel celebrates Santa Monica’s legendary ocean breezes and diffused natural light with large floor-to-ceiling windows. Two structures — the 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival-style Santa Monica Professional Building and a sleek curvaceous new building designed to embrace the flamboyant older space — are linked together by a suspended bridge. Retail shops along the bottom encourage street life.

For the hotel’s interior design, Wearstler found inspiration in the city’s landscape. The organic tones and textures, from the neutral color palette to the subtle textures and sensual, curved shapes, are pulled directly from coastline. The artwork is from local collaborators, including Ben Medansky, Morgan Peck, Tanya Aguiniga, Len Klikunas, and Bradley Duncan.

Even the hotel’s amenities take their cue from the city. Balance, wellness and fitness — of mind, body and soul — is the focus. There’s the rooftop pool and restaurant, the ideal spot from which to swim, soak up the sun or, as day turns into night, unwind with a cocktail while watching the sunset; the 3,000 square foot spa from the founders of Surya Ayurvedic Spa that, along with body treatments, offers yoga, meditation and nutrition programs; a 24 hour fitness center and surf and ride-ready boards and bikes; and, three restaurants including the rooftop Calabra, a romp through the tastes of the Mediterranean and the ground-floor Onda, a Mexican-California fusion spot from Jessica Koslow of Sqirl and Gabriela Camara of Contramar.

“We are obsessed with delivering top-notch service, memorable design and world-class culinary and entertainment experiences to creative and culturally vibrant cities,” says de Lowe of the group’s intentions. Mission accomplished.

Santa Monica Proper Hotel, 700 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310.620.9990