“The property’s design is inspired by El Palo Alto, the iconic ‘tall tree’ that the City of Palo Alto is named for, as well as the indoor-outdoor lifestyle and relaxed luxury of Northern California,” said Clement Chen III, president, Pacific Hotel Management. “These inspirations align perfectly with the character of the Westin brand, which emphasizes biophilic principles and bringing in natural elements.”
The redesigned hotel signals the momentum and evolution of Pacific Hotel Management as it continues to elevate experiences throughout its California properties, enhancing every aspect of the guest’s stay. This reinvented hotel showcases attributes of the future of the brand, including contemporary guestroom design, local influences, stylish public areas and intuitive technology.
“When The Westin Palo Alto opened in 2000 it had a cool, boutique feel which was new and fresh then. However, even though the hotel had aggressively replaced and renewed soft goods and furniture, times and tastes change, and the hotel ownership felt that it was time for a thorough ‘refresh’ and renovation, as opposed to incremental upgrades,” Chen said.
Set between Stanford University and Downtown Palo Alto, the 184-room hotel makes the most of its heritage and premier location in the heart of Palo Alto. Guests will be greeted with a beautifully renovated lobby, front entrance and front desk. The hotel offers guests spacious rooms and suites with views of Stanford University Campus and five Mediterranean-Style Courtyards. Locally-inspired accents offer an elevated aesthetic, while smart technology enables guests to use the room flexibly.
“Hotel ownership sought to modernize the design of the hotel to reflect its location and history in a manner that matches the sophistication of its guests,” Chen said. “The public areas have been extensively reconfigured and they now capture the idea of comfort, luxury and technology working hand-in-hand. The restaurant has been relocated from the second floor to the first floor, which was opened up to internally to reactivate the spaces. The bar was relocated and flows into the restaurant; both areas have also been opened up to the adjacent pool area to bring the outdoors inside. The new layout provides multiple options for guests to relax, dine and work. The guestrooms were refreshed to reflect the biophilic design direction, while the guest baths received a complete renovation, resulting in a modern, clean, spa-like environment.”
Executive Chef Mark Ayers will unveil a new vegetable and herb garden in one of the Courtyards to complement the California-inspired dining at Soleil Restaurant and Bar which will be opening this fall. A refreshed seasonal room service menu is also available.
“Design cues were taken from the physical, social and historical context of the location itself,” Chen said. “The main design inspiration is based on nature, especially the iconic Palo Alto ‘tall tree’ and northern California redwoods. Additionally, Palo Alto is the birthplace of our high-tech world, from Hewlett-Packard to Facebook, with both Silicon Valley and Stanford University nearby. The color palette used throughout the hotel speaks to the local natural environment, with touches of color inspired by California’s ‘super bloom’ throughout. The result is a feel of relaxed luxury, which reflects the local culture.”
The Westin Palo Alto provides an ideal location & setting for business conferences, corporate events, reunions, bar/bat mitzvahs or any special event and now proudly features beautifully renovated event meeting spaces and remodeled pre-function space. Three banquet rooms offer a total of 1,810 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet space. Guests may also take advantage of the California sunshine by holding an event in one of the lushly landscaped courtyards. Appropriate for seated or reception-style events, The Westin culinary and banquet team will cater to your every request in these unique venues.
“The narrative behind the design is ‘design rooted in nature’ and ‘natural networking,’ both of which bring in the biophilic elements of the Westin brand and the local context of the ‘tall tree’ and the California redwoods. These elements are emphasized throughout the property in the colors, textures and details of the design,” Chen said.
The newly transformed WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio is available 24 hours a day, now featuring additional square footage along with a wide variety of exercise equipment. The wonderful concierge is also available to recommend local hiking, jogging and biking for outdoor workout options.
“Efforts were made to use local materials as part of the design—for example, the eucalyptus wood that appears throughout the hotel,” Chen said. “References were also made to the aesthetics and lifestyle of northern California, found in subtle details of the design, furniture, lighting, finishes and art. Creative use of light is another Westin brand feature, and custom fixtures were created for both the hotel entrance and guestroom entries. The fixtures create a dappled effect of light and shadow that is both a uniquely Westin element and a nod to the local feel of light coming through the trees in a redwood forest.”
www.myinspiredesign.com
