Soak Up Desert-sea Esprit
Three chic weekend stays that feel like immersive lessons in California’s layered vernacular, and reminders of the majestic power of place
1 / HOTEL CALIFORNIAN SANTA BARBARA
Who better than Martyn Lawrence Bullard to craft an exuberant new vision for the American Riviera? That’s the magic spun in this resort that blends the city’s famed Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with Moorish-influenced interiors (both California design crazes in the 1920s). From pops of saffron and emerald amid black and white geometries to Moroccan tiles marking winding paseos, lush courtyards, and an oasis of a rooftop pool, it’s a heady vision indeed. This year, look for new owner (and wine entrepreneur) Bill Foley to debut a new tasting bar, doubling down on the city’s celebrated wine scene; hotelcalifornian.com.
2/ CASA CODY PALM SPRINGS
Amid the midcentury darlings of this design-mad desert town, Palm Springs’ oldest operating hotel is a lovingly revitalized gem of early 20th-century California style. New management Casetta Group’s freestanding cottages, homes, and bungalows shine with adobe hacienda architecture, Spanish Colonial Revival style, and a bit of treasured Old West; casacody.com.
3 / THE SEA RANCH LODGE SEA RANCH
Birthplace of the circa-1964 coastal design style that bears its name, the
iconic cedar-and-redwood-clad property unveils the fruits of a thrilling (and multimillion-dollar) revitalization that breathes fresh air into landscapes and public space interiors while honoring the stunning aesthetic that put it on the map; thesearanchlodge.com.