SANTA MONICA, CA— The Ambrose Hotel, a new 77-room boutique property set to open here this month, is looking for a way to promote wellness through a unique balance of comfort and functionality. Guestrooms offer an Asian-influenced California Craftsman style, throughout which is an obvious call to quality aimed at promoting tranquility. Particular attention was paid to the bedroom and its linens in an effort to provide a sense of retreat. “We paid close attention to all of the linens selected for the hotel,” said Dan Howery, manager. “The owner of the property was intimately involved in selecting just the right pieces, so as to reflect the type of property we are.” The Ambrose Hotel spent approximately $68,500 on linens alone, while the total cost of the project was $16.5 million. Deidre Wallace, president of Ambrose Group LLC, owns the property. Ambrose Group is a subsidiary of Chicago-based MOA Hospitality, an ownership group with 114 limited service hotels. Wallace, a 31-year-old entrepreneur, tapped into the growing trend of simple elegance when designing the newly constructed hotel, fusing Feng Shui elements with a Craftsman-style base. For the bed linens, Wallace exceeded industry standards by commissioning Matteo, a well-known, high-end residential supplier. Custom pillow covers were also developed with the Ambrose logo and a unique approach to bed coverings was taken with chenille duvet covers. More specifically, each guest-room offers a queen or king bed outfitted with more than its fair share of imported linens, including 200-thread count white Egyptian cotton sheets, all-feather goose down comforters with custom chenille duvet covers in olive green, white pillow covers with fringed edges (and the green Ambrose logo in the corner), deep wine raw silk, quilted, patterned decorative pillow shams and a bolster pillow patterned in gold, green and deep crimson. Baths offer superior frette white linens and robes; a fabric shower curtain matches the bolster pillow. Walnut custom furnishings, including a custom armoire and work desk in California Craftsman style finish the look. In-room amenities include three telephones (one cordless), high-speed Internet access, a television and DVD player with CD surround sound. Located across the street from St. John’s Medical Center and near the former Santa Monica hospital, the Ambrose Hotel expects to host not only guests from medical and pharmaceutical companies, but families visiting relatives in the hospital, and post hospital-care guests. Also nearby is a large group of entertainment businesses such as VH1, MTV, and Sony Records, from which the hotel anticipates it will receive some high-level executives. A $145 introductory rate will be offered for the first several months of the hotel’s operation, noted Howery. Shortly thereafter, rack rates at the Ambrose will begin at $155 and will include free buffet continental breakfast, DSL Internet connectivity, and valet parking.
