By Jasmin Rosemberg By Jasmin Rosemberg | January 27, 2022 | Home & Real Estate, Food & Drink, Lifestyle,
An open-air restaurant is connected to a floating lanai. PHOTO COURTESY OF VEA NEWPORT BEACH
Following a redesign driven by the resort’s prime position on the California coast, Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa will debut this spring as VEA Newport Beach.
“VEA means ‘to see’ in Spanish,” explains Kory Kramer, partner at Eagle Four Partners (eaglefourpartners.com), a real estate investment group whose properties include Newport Beach’s Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach Country Club and Huntington Beach’s Paséa Hotel & Spa. After undergoing an extensive renovation and reimagining, Eagle Four’s latest acquisition—the over 45-year-old Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa (marriott.com)—will launch this spring with a brand-new building design, guest rooms, food and beverage concepts, amenities and name: VEA Newport Beach, a Marriott Resort & Spa.
Four-bedroom suites accommodate groups. PHOTO COURTESY OF VEA NEWPORT BEACH
“The brand and name VEA celebrate the amazing sightlines from the resort overlooking the California coast—not to mention [that it] offers guests and visitors many things to ‘see’ throughout the property, everything from curated art and unique design elements to incredible ocean views,” Kramer says. “VEA was redesigned to focus on the most important aspect of the hotel: the view.”
Inspired by their global travels, Kramer’s team worked with development company Lyon Living (lyonliving.com) to create a unique, cosmopolitan retreat in Newport Beach. “We want VEA to be a social sanctuary—a destination that, while not far from main metro hubs in SoCal, L.A. and San Diego, still feels miles away from the busy city buzz,” says Kramer. He believes the hotel’s regular live music, vibrant pool scene, proximity to Fashion Island shopping, and new culinary and suite experiences will offer guests opportunities to both socialize and relax. “Think of VEA as a getaway urban resort destination in the heart of the iconic coastal beach town, ideal for entertaining or retreating.”
Guest rooms channel the beach with tans and blues. PHOTO COURTESY OF VEA NEWPORT BEACH
Architecture and design firms Gensler, Houston Tyner Architects, Burton Studio and Hirsch Bedner Associates teamed up on the hotel’s dramatic transformation. Welcoming guests and serving as a beacon for the community, LED light displays will simulate blue ocean waves across the new tower of all premium rooms at night. Guests will enter a lobby that “brings the outside in” with folding glass NanaWalls and a sea-inspired front desk formation. A European-style coffee shop and patisserie will transition into a wine bar come evening, and a pier-inspired structural element that runs from the entryway out to the exterior pool area will create a floating lanai. “There will be a spacious restaurant and lounge connected to the lanai by collapsible glass doors that seamlessly blends indoors and out, featuring fire pits, cozy seating, live music, abundant greenery, [and] ocean and golf course views,” says Kramer of the Mediterranean restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night offerings.
The outdoor area boasts an 85-foot-long pool. PHOTO COURTESY OF VEA NEWPORT BEACH
Outside, a showstopping 85-foot-long pool will be accompanied by cabanas, a poolside LED screen for swim-in movies, VEA Beach with fire pits and Edge pool bar, serving fresh seafood and a signature frozen paloma with an Aperol finish. A 14,000-square-foot spa features a saltwater pool and fitness center complete with yoga studio, and outdoor areas, like the new 4,200-square-foot lawn, are perfect for weddings and events.
Redesigned luxury guest rooms and 33 new suites summon the beach with soft shades of tan, gray and blue. Over 90% of rooms boast water views, and amenities include Frette robes, Molton Brown products, Nespresso machines and, in select rooms, fire pits. Suite options include a four-bedroom group suite with a kitchen and living room, ideal for group travel; and a wellness-focused suite with natural decor elements, a spacious bathroom with spa products and a deep tub. Both afford guests a more curated, luxurious experience. Kramer says it best: “As Newport Beach locals ourselves, we are proud to present something created by the community, for the community.”
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