Ventana — Big Sur, USA

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
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
48123 Highway 1
Big Sur
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Naoto Fukasawa sparks children’s imaginations with play sculptures
The Japanese designer creates an intuitive series of bold play sculptures, designed to spark children’s desire to play without thinking
By Danielle Demetriou
-
Japan in Milan! See the highlights of Japanese design at Milan Design Week 2025
At Milan Design Week 2025 Japanese craftsmanship was a front runner with an array of projects in the spotlight. Here are some of our highlights
By Danielle Demetriou
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
By Léa Teuscher
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
By Léa Teuscher
-
Seven things not to miss on your sunny escape to Palm Springs
It’s a prime time for Angelenos, and others, to head out to Palm Springs; here’s where to have fun on your getaway
By Carole Dixon
-
At Linden Los Angeles, classic New York comfort food gets its due
The restaurant, inspired by a stretch of boulevard bridging Brooklyn and Queens, honors legacy, community and pleasure
By Carole Dixon
-
This atmospheric New York restaurant was designed to be a ‘beautiful ruin’
At Leon’s, classic Italian fare comes with a North African accent and with a side of family history
By Anna Fixsen
-
Is a tiny tattoo the best holiday souvenir? Kimpton Hotels think so
In partnership with Tiny Zaps, Kimpton Hotels is bringing city-inspired tattoo pop-ups to five U.S. locations
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
Alba Los Angeles is an Italian vacation disguised as a restaurant
This buzzy NYC import brings a slice of la dolce vita to West Hollywood
By Carole Dixon
-
At Bar Etoile, Scandi-chic meets leisurely Los Angeles
This new Melrose Park joint mixes art-world references, French bistro vibes and an out-of-this-world martini
By Carole Dixon
-
The world's most heavenly destinations for astrotourism in 2025
We're in for a big year for celestial events. These are the world's best hotels to see the cosmos as you've never seen it before
By Anna Solomon