A Sophisticated Mix of Cool and Calming We're calling it 'post-hip,'" says interior designer Colum McCartan while narrating a tour of Hotel Vitale. The latest property from Joie de Vivre Hospitality - Bay Area hotelier Chip Conley's company that has cornered the market on high-profile boutique hotels priced to let anyone feel like a rock star - Hotel Vitale is a more sybaritic version of Conley's tried-and-true recipe. Located just across from the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero, the eight-story hotel, which opened in March, is Conley's first top-tier luxury property. With "luxury" and "nature" designated as the key words, architect Clark Manus and McCartan set out to design a new kind of boutique-hotel environment that feels more nurturing and familiar than many of the gallery-like hotels of a few years ago. "Everyone's seen the ultracool, minimalist hotel lobby," says McCartan. "I've been commissioned by high-rise condos in New York to re-create that kind of hip hotel vibe in the public spaces. Here we wanted something a little more layered and luxurious." Guests entering the lobby are welcomed by an oversize painting of sunlit pears framing the front desk. Old-growth white oak, in a random pattern of varying widths, clads the walls, complementing the limestone on the floors and in jagged stacked columns. With McCartan's signature warm-yet-witty lighting and intimate seating zones, the space feels serene yet cozy. Guest rooms - including the circular suites with sweeping views of the bay - continue the soothing theme with 440-thread-count sheets, central soaking tubs and a light and naturally textured palette. Added luxuries include a rooftop spa offering free yoga classes, stepped terraces overlooking the Embarcadero and a clever lighting plan in the corridors that casts botanical shadows on the floor. |
|
Please contact our publicist |