Casa Rising
History in the Making
One of the goals for Hotel Casa del Mar, since opening as a luxury hotel in 1999, was to find its unique identity in the Santa Monica sun and its place in a competitive Santa Monica hotel market. It also needed to complement — yet rise out of — the iconic shadow of its famous sister, Shutters on the Beach. With a Net has been there all along the way to help the team at Casa define their identity to help it achieve the kind of room rates, average checks, and media buzz the property deserves.
Named one of the top 25 hotels in the world by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, it is safe to say…Hotel Casa del Mar’s light is shining rather brightly.
A Soul of Wellness
Originally constructed as a luxury beach club for Hollywood elite in 1926, Hotel Casa del Mar has seen many transformations. In the 1940s, it was a rehabilitation hospital for veterans in WWII. In the 70s and 80s the building was an outpost for rehab and weight loss. After ETC Hotels acquired the building, we infused its health and wellness history into a new spa. The Sea Wellness Spa’s interior was designed with eco-conscious and fair trade materials and the spa’s services included a vast fitness menu of specialized trainers who helped guests take advantage of the miles of ocean view and coastline just outside the hotel doors.
Employees That Care
The heart of any great hotel is their staff. With a Net was asked to produce an orientation video that would inform and inspire every existing employee and new hire at Hotel Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach. Filmed mostly at Hotel Casa del Mar, the final result showcased the enthusiasm and passion for service that is so deeply embedded in the culture at ETC Hotels, or as we like to refer to them as Employees That Care.
With a Net has been an integral part of our DNA for over a decade. We love the creativity and commitment Armella and her team consistently bring to all our brands.
— Klaus Mennekes, VP Managing Director, Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar - ETC Hotels
Precious Jules
Street art and luxury hotels might make strange bedfellows, but because of Hotel Casa del Mar’s rich history and classical exterior, the owners didn’t want it perceived as a stodgy Grand Dame. As Casa is located in the heart of Silicon Beach on the edge of Venice, we felt it was important for the hotel to infuse some colorful local personality into various property touch points. With a Net recruited Venice artist Jules Muck and collaborated with her on multiple projects, from ‘to go’ bags to menus and coffee mugs. Jules also held talks for local high school students on how street art can becomes fine art. Her contemporary spin on beach culture and art have added a welcome whimsy to this stately beachside jewel.
Classic Photo Op
When challenged by ETC Hotels to find a way to keep Hotel Casa del Mar from feeling too formal, the team at With a Net though it would be fun to bring some of the flavor of its famous beachside boardwalk inside but in an upscale way.
With a Net envisioned an authentic Photomaton booth as though the photo booth’s inventor, Anatol Marco Josepho himself designed it. The first Photomaton booth and the original Club Casa del Mar were both built in the mid 1920s. We paired the custom designed photo booth with the classic Zoltar as featured in the movie BIG with Tom Hanks — a hint to Hollywood in the east. Little did we know that Hollywood royalty like Ted Danson and many more would themselves stop by for a vintage selfies!
Casa Culture
‘Programming’ is a word that gets a lot of traction from businesses in customer service today. It means creating reasons for customers to come back again and again, enabling them to experience something new side-by-side with a brand’s ‘tried and true.’ Creating good programming takes a lot of creative savvy and collaboration. For Hotel Casa del Mar, With a Net has produced many immersive fine art exhibitions featuring contemporary artists like Ed Massey, Ken Solomon and Shingo Francis.
In addition, we fostered a partnership with America’s Got Talent finalist, Magician Derek Hughes (we like to think we bring a little magic wherever we go). With Derek, we produced and debuted an original show entitled INSOMNIA, which enjoyed 30 sold-out performances in two limited runs.
Loosely inspired by the short fiction of Jorge Luis Borges. INSOMNIA created by and starring Derek Hughes was a unique experience combining humor, audience participation, and magic to explore the line between waking and dreaming. As Hughes described it, “the show is titled Insomnia because when you leave, you will be too mystified to sleep, and too amused to care.” And we were.
architectural photography L.Romerein