Home Goods Brand Opens New Venice Beach Hotel

Photo: Nicole LaMotte.

“Venice safari.” That’s the aesthetic Ariel Kaye was shooting for when designing The Parachute Hotel, a new 2,200 square foot, one-bedroom penthouse that is now the newest Venice Beach hotel.

For Kaye, the founder of the Parachute home essentials brand, expanding into the hospitality industry was a natural extension of the California-based company that has built a name with its lines of natural bedding and bath textiles. Parachute launched in 2014 as an online retailer; its Venice Beach showroom, designed by Scott Horne and Peter Dolkas, opened earlier this year. That same pair of designers collaborated with Kaye on the Venice Beach hotel.

“It’s a different type of concept than what most people are familiar with,” Kaye says. “It’s really just a beautiful space and we designed it to make it comfortable for a couple that’s on vacation or a group of 30 that want to have a party.” Kaye envisions the hotel as a “creative community hub,” a destination for weekend getaways, a gathering, a speaker series, or a photo shoot. Rates vary depending on day or night occupancy as well as the type of event. Hotel rates start at $600 per night.

Photo: Nicole LaMotte.

The Parachute Hotel’s floor plan is open, bright, and airy. Gray tones, with a mixture of light and warmer woods, make the space feel more lived-in than the typical boutique hotel. Textile-based wall hangings and prints by Cindy Zell and Lauren Williams infuse the rooms with an artistic touch.

A multi-sectional leather couch, dotted with pillows from The Citizenry, dominates the living room. Marble and copper tables spice up the space while rattan furnishings exude that beach-house feeling. The modern, full kitchen is stocked with ceramic bowls and cups, outfitted with stainless steel appliances, and features plenty of counter space for dinner party prep. The dining room table seats ten; the breakfast nook seats four. Up to 75 guests can mingle in the space.

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The bedroom boasts a queen-sized bed with a custom frame by Chris Earl and an abundance of Parachute bedding and blankets. (Two twin-sized foldaway beds are also available.) You’ll find stacks of Parachute’s fluffy towels in the bathroom alongside the soaking tub. For those on a working vacation, a desk is provided, as are free Wi-Fi and a projector.

Photo: Nicole LaMotte.

Perhaps the biggest draw of The Parachute Hotel is its versatility; the penthouse has retractable doors that eliminate the division between indoor and outdoor space. On the patio, guests can relax by the fireplace, chat in the plush seating area, or sunbathe on chaise lounge chairs.

“We really wanted it to feel like a home,” Kaye says. “We wanted each room to be super functional and be a place people could really use, whether as a guest or for an event.”

Just because it’s a penthouse doesn’t mean you’re on your own; concierge services are available, including meal delivery from local restaurants as well as special discounts at nearby gyms, spas, and cafés. A washer and dryer are located on-site. On the hotel’s website, Kaye has listed her favorite neighborhood haunts. A longtime resident of Venice Beach, Kaye says the neighborhood “speaks to what we care about, which is wellness, quality. The essence of this community really lends itself to a sort of lifestyle and a vibe that we really hone in on in the space.” If you happen to fall in love with the hotel’s decor during your stay, you can shop the look for your own home.

Photo: Nicole LaMotte.

It’s likely the Parachute brand will continue to expand its hotel concept to other cities, perhaps manifesting on a larger scale. No matter how big the company gets, the commitment to that homey, intimate feeling will endure. As Kaye says, “It all comes back to being able to connect with our community, connect with our customers, add value, allow people to not just experience our products firsthand but also get to know the lifestyle that we’re creating and that we believe in and that is the real thread of this business.”