Luxe previews three contemporary Bay area hotels with fresh interiors and impressive bar and restaurant designs to match.
HOTEL NIA
RENDERING: COURTESY MCCARTAN
Why we love it: A reflection of its Silicon Valley surroundings, Hotel Nia embodies the spirit of the area through a balance of art, science and technology. “We were inspired by the entrepreneurial innovation that is the essence of Silicon Valley and how it is influencing the world,” says designer Colum McCartan of McCartan design firm. The interiors of the 11-story glass building blend high-tech and high-touch with innovative elements like a digital “do not disturb” system and fabric panel headboards with bedside lighting in each room. The hotel’s glass facade fills the interior with natural light to complement Calacatta marble floors, Venetian-style plaster walls and brushed-metal details throughout. Wine and dine: A symbol of Mediterranean culture and hospitality, Porta Blu (meaning “blue door”) is named after its namesake design feature. As an extension of this greeting, blue doors hang from the ceiling throughout the restaurant. The menu celebrates Northern California’s ties to the Mediterranean.
THE SANDMAN
PHOTO: COURTESY THE SANDMAN
Why we love it: A trendy hot spot for a weekend getaway, The Sandman is a throwback to roadside inns popular in the 1960s. Throughout the hotel, warm earth tones are punched up with pops of peach, palm green and navy. “At the Sandman, we really wanted to create a property that carried the spirit of carefree summer days,” says designer Brian Smith of Studio Tack. Coffered ceilings inlaid with mirrored squares and solid brass sconces lend a modernist feel to interior spaces. One-of-a-kind elements–including a rose-tinted mirror with hand-painted silk fibers and mohair by Ben and Aja Blanc from The Future Perfect–mix custom with antique. “When we found this Eames-inspired tubular chrome-and-leather chair, we knew The Sandman’s lobby had to have it,” Smith says. Wine and dine: Perfect for summer lounging, the Pool House & Bar beckons with a cozy indoor-outdoor space of rattan sofas and ottomans just off the property’s heated pool and hot tub.
HOTEL KABUKI
PHOTO: AUBRIE PICK
Why we love it: Anyone who remembers Hotel Kabuki pre-renovation will notice one key difference upon entering the lobby: sun streaming in through expansive factory-paned windows. The once-dark, moody interior is now filled with natural light. It’s all part of Brooklyn-based Mark Zeff Design’s reimagining of this iconic Japantown property. Blending a bohemian aesthetic with contemporary Japanese design, the interior offers a nod to the hotel’s heritage with elements like shou sugi ban wood and shibori-dyed fabrics, plus guest rooms with gallery walls featuring traditional and modern Japanese art and calligraphy. The lobby feels like a stylish friend’s living room, complete with a library and vintage European tripod lamps. “Using a simple restrained palette of black and blonde wood allowed us to layer in more eclectic details in the furnishings and rugs,” says lead project designer Stacie Meador. Wine and dine: A trellised ceiling of rough-hewn Douglas-fir beams and reclaimed Czech factory pendant lamps make a bold statement in the Bar at Hotel Kabuki.