California

The commission for the new bar was initiated by Hoteles Benidorm, owner of several hotels and hospitality venues in Benidorm, all located on Levante Beach in the so-called “English zone.” This new venue was intended to complement the group’s broader strategy, strongly focused on a playful, themed leisure offering aimed primarily at a British clientele. The goal was to create a cheerful atmosphere that would function both day and night—warm, welcoming, and supported by a theme capable of sustaining a clear narrative and giving the space meaningful content.

Early on, inspiration emerged from the surfer bars of the California coast—iconic locations such as Huntington Beach, La Jolla, and Malibu, widely portrayed through cinema, fashion, and popular culture.

The design pursues an eclectic aesthetic that blends multiple styles to credibly evoke a beachside environment from the southern United States with tropical influences. Key references include: whitewashed wooden beach cabins with metal sheet roofs; the piers of “Fisherman’s Wharf” harbors, with their railings, decks, and striking signage; and Southern Victorian-style houses, characterized by shutters, moldings, openwork wooden details, mosaic floors, and tiled surfaces—all accented with a Mexican touch expressed through the colorful upholstery of the seating.

The main visual draw is the striking façade, conceived to resemble a wooden structure clad in staggered timber boards in white and turquoise tones, with distinctly Southern-style shutters. Located in a highly competitive nightlife area of Benidorm, strong visibility was essential. To achieve this, a large-scale sign was installed as a powerful visual hook, dominating the exterior and lending the venue a bold, playful character reminiscent of fishing piers transformed into commercial areas, such as Fisherman’s Wharf and Monterey. The terrace reinforces this reference with wooden decking, a railing system combining balusters and rope, and metal sheet lamps.

Inside, the bar stands out as the core of the space. It is conceived as a beach chiringuito, with a wooden structure and an aged galvanized metal sheet roof. The most striking feature is the bar counter, crafted in the manner of traditional wooden surfboards. It combines two types of wood—dark red hardwood and light poplar—finished with a high-gloss varnish that enhances its artisanal and iconic character.