For four decades, Hollywood producer Lawrence A. Spector’s Ventana Inn has been a favoured hideout for reclusive movie stars as much for its incomparable location on the Pacific coastline, as for its 160-acre property bristling with ancient redwoods, oak trees, and meadows.
And now, after a resort-wide renovation by Carmel-based architects Ray Parks & Associates and San Francisco-based interiors firm Brayton Hughes Design Studio, it has reopened under the banner of the Alila Hotels and Resort group. The 59-room property, which also includes a new glamping programme with 15 safari-style canvas tents, marks the Asian hotelier’s long-anticipated debut in North America.
Happily, Kip Stewart’s original design of weathered cedar has been retained, with San Francisco-based interiors firm Brayton Hughes Design Studio adding Asia-lite fabrics and patterns, and Japanese hot baths.
Meanwhile, in the Sur House kitchen, chef Paul Corsentino pairs lofty views of the Pacific with locally sourced seafood, free-range meats, herbs and vegetables harvested from an onsite organic garden, and a 10,000-bottle cellar.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
48123 Highway 1
Big Sur
-
Jaç Hi-Fi Café brings Japanese listening-bar culture to BarcelonaIsern Serra Studio unveils a sound-sculpted interior that brings Japanese listening traditions into Catalonia’s contemporary design landscape
-
Modernist and contemporary Brazilian furniture face off in this LA exhibition‘Lightness & Tension’ (5-19 September 2025) features the work of Joaquim Tenreiro and Lucas Simões, as curator and dealer Ulysses de Santi explores the trajectory of Brazilian furniture design
-
A refreshed Victorian home in London is soft, elegant and primed for hostingSobremesa house by architects Studio McW shows off its renovation and extension, designed for entertaining
-
Javier's, a new cathedral-inspired restaurant in downtown LA, offers a divine take on Mexican cuisineAt the restaurant's newest location, discovery lies around every corner – and on every plate
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café TondoHelmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Size doesn’t matter at Now Now, a micro-hotel for solo travellers in New YorkCan you pack style into 32 square feet? We find out
-
At this LA dining hotspot, go Spanish or Japanese as you pleaseA dual-concept dining destination designed by the Rockwell Group brings Mediterranean warmth and Japanese precision to Century City
-
The Benjamin’s chic new upstairs bar is Hollywood’s hottest hideawayAt Bar Benjamin, speakeasy mystique meets elevated snacks, cocktails and views
-
More is more at Bar Issi, a maximalist new dining destination in Palm SpringsFettle studio fuses eco-conscious materials with bold design gestures in this playful space inside the new Thompson Hotel
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
A local’s guide to AtlantaDrawn by the city’s diversity and queer community, life coach and writer Cator Sparks returned to Atlanta after 25 years away. He shares his favourite haunts
