Chic Hotel Inspiration: Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz, CA
I often look to public spaces for design inspiration and there's no better public space than chic hotels. I view travel as an opportunity to stay at accommodations that have beautiful decor. If the online photos grab my attention and the price is right, I'm likely to book a stay.My daughter recently had a gymnastics meet in Santa Cruz, California. Some of the other families were staying at another hotel with better pricing, but based on the reviews and the online photos, even my daughter didn't want to stay there (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree). I showed her pictures of the Hotel Paradox and she said, "I want to stay there"...so guess what, we stayed there!We were very happy with our choice. It had a contemporary rustic design aesthetic. The design style was consistent throughout...from the lobby, to the restaurant, the pool and the rooms. Unfortunately, with so little time at the hotel, we didn't get to enjoy all the amenities, but to us, it's worth it to pay a little more for nicer accommodations...wouldn't you agree?Take a look at some of these photos...This is the check-in counter in the lobby...LOVE the simplicity and sleekness of the massive tree trunk turned desk. The color palette is very earthy and the floor tile is straight set for a sleek, modern feel.
This is a view of the opposite wall in the lobby and the backside of a conference room...love the image of the woods on the glass wall which continues the contemporary rustic theme.
This is the restaurant lobby area...the reception desk is, again, made from a tree trunk and I love the organic branches used as wall art in the background. The pop of green from the live fern is perfection!
Here's a picture of the pool area which we did not get a chance to enjoy. In fact, when we woke up the next morning, it was a gloomy, rainy day, but that didn't stop us from enjoying some quality play time at the Boardwalk!
And this was our room...LOVE the reclaimed wood behind the bed...talk about a rustic chic focal point! The bedding is very simple and the wall sconces continue the theme with lamp shades hanging from thick rope. So simple and tres chic!
We got upgraded to a larger room and so we had lots of space for the two of us. I enjoyed the little sitting area with the tree trunk side table. 
The bathroom was spacious with clean lines. The shower reflected the rustic chic look with tile that had a linear texture and a river rock shower pan.
My favorite part about this bathroom was all the counter space. We had all the space we needed to spread out our products and do Alexa's hair. Here's a picture of us after we finished putting her hair up in a bun.
This is the best space saver...sliding barn doors between the bedroom and the bathroom. I first saw this used at the W Hotel in San Diego and was immediately inspired to incorporate a similar door into a recent client bathroom renovation.
Last, but not least, there was even a table lamp with a petrified tree branch base.
The contemporary rustic chic design style is actually very popular today and is so fitting for Santa Cruz...it's a hipper, cooler beach vibe. What do you think? Do you like this design style? How do you choose your hotel accommodations? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave me a comment below.Thanks for stopping by!
