Two neighboring midscale Santa Monica hotels have debuted complementary design refreshes – both with a roadtrippin’ theme and bold graphic art choices.
A snappy and modern Route 66 theme now dominates the Santa Monica Courtyard Marriott and Hilton’s Hampton Inn & Suites, both newly opened and distinguished by large graphic art and silk screened glass artworks greeting guests first thing in the lobby area.
L.A.-based Studio HBA was responsible for interiors, while exteriors for both properties came from Santa Monica-based Gwynne Pugh Urban Studio.
The 136-room Courtyard Marriott has an earthy design, with an overarching theme of the earth’s tectonic plates prevalent throughout. As guests enter the hotel, edge-lit ceiling forms line the front desk, increasing in height where they culminate at a cloud-like light fixture and media wall. Oversized digital polaroids project Route 66 travel imagery in the lobby area. A lit up three-dimensional topographic map of Santa Monica is behind the front desk with suspended wood planes floating above.
Sustainable earth-toned stain was applied to the concrete slabs on the floor and casual seating groups throughout the lobby have colorful area rugs. Elevator lobby walls are decorated with local art, silk screened onto glass featuring the iconic Santa Monica 66 “End of the Trail” sign and the Santa Monica Pier. A pool deck and terrace with furniture and fire pits on the second floor overlooks the ocean.
Guestrooms have headboard walls with graphic images of the Santa Monica Pier. Abstract art in the rooms includes a graphic depiction of 1950’s era women swimming and a full wall in the bathroom showing bubbles ascending in water printed on wall covering in a clean, white bathroom palette.
Located directly across the street from the Courtyard Marriott and designed to reflect the fluidity of water, the 146-room Hampton Inn and Suites mirrors its counterpart. Similar to the Courtyard Marriott, the elevator lobby walls are filled with graphic art, silk screened onto glass featuring colorful geometric patterns that culminate in an oversized image of a swimmer donning a bathing cap with three dimensional water drop patterns surrounding lights in the ceiling above.
A dramatic deck on the second floor has a large 20-foot fire pit, communal sofa and pool-length neon art depicting a series of swimmers moving across the space. Hammock chairs are suspended from the ceiling next to rope light fixtures, alongside a woven wall of ship rope to add visual texture to the lobby.
Guestrooms have an accent wall of wood wall coverings at the desk area that add warmth and texture to the room along with contemporary art pieces placed on a shelf above the upholstered headboard. The bath area has wood and glass sliding doors and bathrooms have a white palette accented by a subtle mosaic tile wall.