Esalen Institute — Big Sur, USA

Part school, church, spa, inn and monastery, Big Sur's famed Esalen Institute was set up in the 1960s, built by hand by the people who lived, worked and studied there. Since its inception over 50 years ago, those in search of spiritual healing have been making the pilgrimage to this Pacific coastline spot where they can benefit from Esalen’s rich programme of lectures, workshops and healing arts.
Set against a backdrop of ocean panorama and rugged cliffs, Esalen’s courses teach everything from painting to gestalt therapy (introduced to Esalen in 1964 by Fritz Perls), while its twenty-seven acres house a bookshop, farm, art centre, kitchen, cafe, outdoor massage deck and of course the legendary cliff-side ‘clothing optional’ hot springs.
Now, the first part of a much-needed three-year renovation project has been unveiled, that includes refreshed accommodation options designed by Carissa Duncan of Carmel-based interiors firm Salt+Bones. ‘There is a real handmade, artisan quality to the structure, and it was very important to maintain that quality and feel in our new design for the space,’ says Duncan. ‘We focused on an earth toned color palette and an array of textures to engage the senses.’
As well as updating ten standard rooms in the Maslow & Watts buildings with modern comforts, Duncan was also tasked with breathing new life back into the spectacular semi-circular Fritz House. Built into the cliff edge overlooking the baths, the Fritz House was constructed in the 1960s from locally harvested old growth redwood and beautiful hand hewn stone, all of which needed to be sanded and refinished. In the bedrooms, redwood salvaged from the property has been used to build out headboards with integrated LED lights to provide a warm candlelight-like glow on the walls in the evenings.
‘Souls seek out Esalen to learn and to grow; the idea being not that they leave "complete" or "fixed", but more importantly that they have transformed in their ability to appreciate and embrace their imperfection, see the beauty in it, and continue to learn and grow,’ explains Duncan. ‘The spaces that we refurbished and restored are a physical reflection of this philosophy.’
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur
CA 93920
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ali Morris is a UK-based editor, writer and creative consultant specialising in design, interiors and architecture. In her 16 years as a design writer, Ali has travelled the world, crafting articles about creative projects, products, places and people for titles such as Dezeen, Wallpaper* and Kinfolk.
-
The great American museum boom
Nine of the world’s top ten most expensive, recently announced cultural projects are in the US. What is driving this investment, and is this statistic sustainable?
-
Here’s how Heathrow is reimagining airport chaos as ambient music
Grammy-nominated Jordan Rakei turns travel noise into a meditative soundtrack by sampling everything from baggage belts to jet engines
-
Wallpaper* checks into Gansevoort Meatpacking, an art-filled hotel that mirrors the district’s glow-up
This sharp, stylish New York hotel is a fixture in its neighbourhood, where boutiques, restaurants and clubs have long since taken over spaces once occupied by slaughterhouses
-
Los Angeles’ best bars for craft cocktails and A-list design
From glamorous old Hollywood haunts to trend-setting neighbourhood hangouts, these hotspots serve excellent drinks in an atmosphere unlike anywhere else
-
A local architect’s guide to Joshua Tree
Mirtilla Alliata di Montereale shares her favourite things to do to slow down, look closely, and discover Joshua Tree through a more intentional lens
-
Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvas
Michael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
-
Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar Vista
In Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
-
Aman New York unveils exclusive US Open-themed experience
Aman’s ‘Season of Champions’ pairs Grand Slam action with personalised recovery and performance treatments designed by Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova
-
Caribbean cool meets mid-century glamour at this new LA hotspot
From golden mirrored chambers to jerk-spiced tomahawk steaks, Lucia reimagines Afro-Caribbean dining and design
-
Classic New York restaurants for delicious food and inspired design
From Michelin-starred fine dining to reimagined retro diners, these are the most emblematic (and easy-on-the-eye) places to eat in the Big Apple
-
Inside Hotel Chelsea’s secret basement sushi restaurant
Teruko, a new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Hotel Chelsea, marks the final jewel in the hotel’s years-long transformation