Luxe explores four new Southern California hotels with stunning settings and swoon-worthy interiors to match.
ROWAN PALM SPRINGS
PHOTO: LAURE JOLIET
The seven-story Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs marks the city’s first ground-up hotel in decades and anchors downtown’s ongoing revitalization. The property features 153 guest rooms and the only rooftop pool in town. A joint effort by ACRM Architects + Interiors and DesignARC, the architecture celebrates the landscape with expansive windows and balconies but keeps the sun at bay with filigree screens. The interiors are a collaboration between Powerstrip Studio and the Kimpton design team who put a fresh spin on the region’s midcentury heritage with clean-lined furnishings, geometric patterns and a cool palette of natural woods, blues and greens.
NOMAD LOS ANGELES
PHOTO: BENOIT LINERO
The Sydell Group brings its New York touch to the West Coast with its latest outpost, NoMad Los Angeles, located in the historic Giannini Place, the 1920s U.S. headquarters of the Bank of Italy. Designed by Studio Jacques Garcia, the property features 241 guest rooms, a restaurant, bar and all-day cafe, a library, and a rooftop pool. The project is Garcia’s first in L.A., and takes its design cues from the building’s heritage. The painted Italianate ceilings, columns and marble floors have been restored, and the 50-ton vault door now leads to the lobby restroom. The design exudes a period feel with antique-style writing desks, pedestal tubs with brass hardware and velvet textiles. The rooms feature contemporary photographs, drawings and framed album covers by icons like Leonard Cohen for a bohemian edge.
HOTEL FIGUEROA
PHOTO: COURTESY HOTEL FIGUEROA
After a long-awaited renovation, Hotel Figueroa has reopened in downtown Los Angeles. The Spanish Colonial-style landmark, built as a women’s hostelry in 1926, sits at the heart of the newly redeveloped South Park district and is now a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Santa Monica firm Studio Collective oversaw the redesign, updating the storied hotel’s offerings (268 redesigned guest accommodations, and some 10,000 square feet of event space) while maintaining its original spirit. Historic elements like wood beams and plasterwork now meld with custom furnishings and contemporary artworks. Certain suites offer such surprises as a secret doorway to a private terrace and Juliet balconies overlooking Figueroa Street.
LA PEER HOTEL
PHOTO: LAURE JOLIET
La Peer Hotel brings boutique luxury and an intimate vibe to West Hollywood. The 105-room property honors its location at the heart of the city’s design district with interiors by architect and designer Gulla Jonsdottir, who handcrafted elements for each space. Leather-upholstered walls, white-oak herringbone flooring and bronze touches create an understated palette. The penthouse suite features Jonsdottir’s one-off designs and a private terrace with a fire pit. Unique to the hotel are programs such as eco-friendly yoga mats, a bath menu with butler service, city tours with Bikes and Hikes LA and a pocket-sized neighborhood walking guide by local artist Katie Bright.
