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Service & Design Theory

Everyone involved with ETC Hotels is committed to making memorable experiences for guests and taking care of the staff. To create a luxury hotel at the beach in Los Angeles requires people with a special set of skills we call 'Sense and Sensibility'. It starts with a well-developed sense of thoughtful design and continues with an inherent sensibility to deliver friendly, unobtrusive service.

"We are in the heart of LA but our employees are not actors on a beautifully designed set; they are authentic, approachable and they genuinely care about our guests and want to exceed their expectations. We look for people who like to initiate hospitality, people who like to make things happen."

- KLAUS MENNEKES, VP/MANAGING DIRECTOR

The interior design thoroughly embraces our Southern California roots and the majestic coastline at our door, bringing it inside in a casual yet sophisticated way. Recently renowned interior designer Michael S. Smith, recreated both Hotel Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach.

"We had a glimmer these properties were going to be very special. Hiring designers like Michael Smith and our thoughtful staff have been the keys to each hotel's success. We are grateful for everyone who has helped to create the souls of Shutters and Casa del Mar."

- EDWARD SLATKIN

Smith's style is a seamless blend of European classicism and American modernism - always fresh, always evolving, always underscored by the belief that everyone should live with things they love.

He possesses a curator's knowledge of and appreciation for the past, nurtured by studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum and extensive work in the antiques business. Whether in designing his own collection or in the interiors he creates for his clients, a deep respect for tradition - viewed through a modern eye - is ever-present.

"Everywhere you go in Shutters or Casa, there is a 'coolness', in both design and service, that is intoxicating."

- THOMAS SLATKIN