Described as a ‘sustainable city sanctuary’, the new flagship 1 Hotel West Hollywood is decked out in salvaged pine, has beehives, an organic vegetable garden, living walls of plants, carpets made from ocean waste plastic, an electric Tesla courtesy car and zero-waste dishes on the restaurant menu. Anthony Pearce reports
Formerly the Jeremy hotel on Sunset Boulevard, the 1 Hotel West Hollywood opened in the summer and is a full-blown transformation of its predecessor (in fact it is the first new build in the area for 30 years), taking inspiration from “the raw natural beauty of the Southern California landscape,” the company says.
There are living walls of foliage (a 1 Hotels signature) and planting both inside and out that includes both tropical and native varieties such as yucca, fiddle leaf fig, Asplenium ferns and Senecio succulents.
Smart irrigation systems determine when soil actually needs water, there’s a 100 per cent organic and sustainably grown vegetable garden, and beehives. Inside, design firm AvroKo has installed carpets made from recycled ocean waste plastic.
Meanwhile, the reception desk is crafted from wood sourced from naturally fallen Aleppo pines, the courtesy car is a cutting-edge electric Tesla, all single-use plastics are banned and the property’s mantra (stamped on biodegradeable room keys) is “recycle everything”.
There is also a restaurant, 1 Kitchen, where executive chef Chris Crary has created a selection of zero-waste dishes such as Heirloom tomatoe panzanella salad, turmeric ricotta and beetroot, and “bycatch” of the day fish.
Juniper Tree, 1 Hotel West Hollywood’s bar and lounge, serves cocktails made with cold-pressed juices, biodynamic and organic Mediterranean wines, local craft beers and Bluestone Lane coffee.
1 Hotels Founder and CEO, Barry Sternlicht, says: “1 Hotel West Hollywood will undoubtedly set a new standard for luxury hotel experiences in Los Angeles while staying true to our mission of inspiring conscious consumption. Now, more than ever, the idea of living well includes protecting the natural beauty around us.”
President of parent company SH Hotels & Resorts, Arash Azarbarzin, says: “The local community is integral to our growing footprint on the West Coast. From design and culinary to retail partnerships and beyond, 1 Hotel West Hollywood will be a sanctuary for guests and visitors alike to reconnect with nature.”
1 Hotels will also be opening Sanya in China, Cabo San Lucas in Mexico, Toronto, Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, Kauai in Hawaii, and London.
Meanwhile, sister brand Treehouse opened in London this month. Here, there are “resident horticulturalists” who give tours of local gardens, a “robust” composting and recycling programme, and a commitment to keeping single-use plastics to a minimum.