The new Ocean House is positioned precisely on its former footprint overlooking a private, ocean front beach. It presents, however, a far more diminutive profile to the neighborhood than before, even though it is, by measure, significantly larger than the original. Inside and out, many historical architectural elements, harvested from the original building, were restored and reinserted into the new building, including the reception desk, main lobby fireplace made of beach stones, the ornamented oak elevator cab, a phone booth, the iconic Ocean House sign, fan-light doors, an ornate mantel piece, mahogany balustrades, Victorian light fixtures, and an exterior balcony ensemble with Palladian window over the front door. The hotel now offers fine dining in the replicated dining room, new decks with broad ocean views, a bar with casual dining, an indoor lap pool that “flows” to an outdoor water feature, banquet halls, a private club room, a corporate board room, a spa and fitness center, 49 hotel rooms, 23 residences, underground parking, and an international croquet court.
The new north wing houses hotel rooms, but mainly several residences sporting roof-top decks and gazebos. Its gently curved shaped bends away from the street to open up views of the ocean previously hidden from passersby on the street. The new east wing, which runs parallel to the beach and is concealed into the bluff, also contains residences with second floor decks and ground-level gardens, all capturing panoramic ocean views. Both new wings share the genetic code of the “historic kernel” yet offer a contemporary life-style. Like a ballerina’s port de bras, the new north wing joins the historic kernel’s east wing to enclose two large decks serving the restaurant, pool and events rooms. Together, they effectively form a protective enclave that at once opens to the breezy, ocean views and shields neighbors to either side from the commotion of hotel activities within.
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