Santa Monica Proper Hotel
Kelly Wearstler’s 262-room Santa Monica Proper combines sculptural California design with the Westside’s only rooftop hotel pool, a serious Ayurvedic spa and unusually advanced recovery and performance-wellness facilities.
Santa Monica Proper occupies a restored 1920s landmark and a newer contemporary wing near downtown Santa Monica, roughly a ten-minute walk from the beach. Kelly Wearstler’s design uses sandy tones, curving furniture and layered textures to translate the coastline into a highly distinctive interior language.
The hotel has 262 rooms and suites, many with terraces, and each space carries Wearstler’s mix of midcentury-inspired furniture, natural materials and sculptural forms. Newer room concepts such as the Proper Sleep Room add technology specifically aimed at recovery and circadian health.
Wellness is one of the hotel’s defining strengths. The 3,000-square-foot Surya Spa specializes in Ayurveda, while dedicated Recovery Suites add sauna, cold plunge, red-light and performance technologies. Daily movement classes and a substantial fitness center broaden the program further.
Calabra surrounds the rooftop pool with Mediterranean-inspired food, cocktails, fire pits and ocean-facing views, while Palma serves as the art-filled lobby lounge. The hotel has also leaned into ingredient-focused dining and seed-oil-free cooking.
Santa Monica Proper is best for travelers who want design and wellness to matter as much as location. It feels more like a contemporary California lifestyle club than a traditional beach hotel, yet the Pacific is still only a short walk away.