Viceroy Santa Monica, the original Viceroy Hotel property, has been a beloved icon of the Los Angeles beach scene since it opened in 2000. This spring, the hotel completed a $21-million, beach-forward transformation led by EDG’s branding and interior design team. Working closely with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, EDG repositioned every aspect of this lifestyle property—restaurant, public spaces and guestrooms—with a nod to the past and an eye to the future.
A new muse: Edgar
The goal for the renovation was to reclaim Viceroy Santa Monica’s position as a local scene setter—a place to gather, brainstorm, celebrate and retreat. The original design by Kelly Wearstler embodied Hollywood Regency style and embraced the notion of being “hidden.” EDG shifted the perspective by creating a generational ownership change. EDG’s muse was “Edgar,” the fictitious grandson of the original hotel maven—a rebellious, modern millennial who inherited the hotel and brought his unapologetic style to every touchpoint. Edgar is enamored with the mid-century lines of the hotel but craves more connection to the life of the street and an indoor-outdoor layout. He is a passionate collector with an astute sense of style and a desire to entertain his tribe.
Indoor-outdoor experience
The renovation opens the Viceroy to Santa Monica’s coastal energy while integrating a new focus on operational efficiency. EDG took an innovative approach to the hotel’s F&B spaces, creating a lively indoor-outdoor experience that maximizes the union labor model for more profitable hotel operations. A new, folding glass wall doubles the size of the dining room when open and allows for the interior bar to connect seamlessly to the outside. The dining room is smaller than the former restaurant’s but now connects to other spaces that can flex into F&B service when needed.
The pool deck, with stylish new cabanas inspired by the lifeguard stands on Santa Monica beach, is part of the experience. EDG relocated the reception area to create a clear sight line from the front door out to the poolside courtyard. A new wood-plank ceiling reaches toward the pool deck, replacing the heavy coffered panels from the former design.
Digital “Lost Warhols” installations frame the opening to the luxurious, modern library—a flexible meeting space layered with mid-century furnishings and art objects collected by the designers. The focal point is an oil portrait that served as the muse for Kelly Wearstler’s design: a woman in a Peacock Green top (whom we imagined as Edgar’s grandmother). This vibrant green is a key accent color in the new space, forming a contrast to the otherwise soft and natural palette.
New guestrooms minimize waste
The guestrooms, completed this spring, were the last piece of the Viceroy’s transformation. EDG’s design brings the outdoors in, replacing the saturated colors and mirrored surfaces of the original design with soft, natural textures in a sun-washed color palette. Patterned curtains and rugs evoke the reflection of sun on the water, adding to the relaxing, luxurious beach vibe. EDG reused original materials and furnishings wherever possible. The existing wood trim was painted, and some previous furnishings were reupholstered. In the bathrooms, EDG retained the original Carrara marble details, introducing an updated look with new fixtures and fittings.
Placemaking local art
EDG worked with local art consultant group ArtxCo to put a fresh, individual stamp on the hotel. ArtxCo embraced the Edgar narrative, providing a story on how each artist was a friend of Edgar’s or why Edgar would have sought out artwork from that artist. They came up with a placemaking collection of more than 20 pieces from five local artists in a range of mediums—prints, canvas originals, neon, digital and large-scale murals.
The renovation goes above and beyond a superficial redesign, reconfiguring this important property for a new generation of travelers and locals. “Endless,” Erin Miller Wray’s large-scale exterior mural, embodies the new energy at the property.
Photography: Mike Schwartz
