Case Study
The Oceaneer Hotel: A Boutique Property, Transformed
Project Overview
When the new owners of the Oceaneer Hotel decided against a full teardown and rebuild, they faced a different kind of challenge: making a 26-bedroom property feel like the luxury boutique experience they envisioned. Without starting from scratch.
The pool area needed a complete overhaul. A neglected side space had become little more than a dumping ground. Even the parking lot needed attention. Every corner of the property had to earn its place before guests would feel like they'd arrived somewhere special.
Element Outdoor Living was brought in to bring cohesion, character, and a sense of place to a property that had plenty of potential but nowhere near enough presence.
Project Scope
Redesign and enhance the pool area and surrounding gardens
Reclaim a neglected side space and transform it into a usable event and gathering area
Elevate the parking area with thoughtful plantings and defined borders
Develop a cohesive plant palette suited to the coastal environment
Create a guest experience that reflects a high-end boutique hotel atmosphere throughout the property
Site Challenges & Solutions
A Pool Area That Needed to Do More
Every one of the hotel's 26 rooms opens onto a balcony overlooking the pool, making it not just an amenity but the first thing every guest sees. Element redesigned the surroundings with layered plantings that turned the space into what the owner describes as "a piece of living art."
Parking That Felt Like Parking
The roadside parking area was purely utilitarian. Element reimagined it with carefully placed plantings and shell borders that define each space with intention, the kind of detail guests notice even if they can't articulate why.
A Side Garden Treated Like a Trash Area
The property's side garden had been neglected long before the new owners arrived. Element reclaimed it entirely, transforming it into a shaded garden that now serves as both an event venue and a quiet retreat for guests.
“The transition of our landscaping was like night and day. Element did a fantastic job rescuing an area that really looked like a junkyard behind the hotel.
Now, we have a lovely garden that serves as an event space and as an area where guests can sit in the shade and relax.
The flowers, grasses, and palm trees selected by Element worked perfectly to create exactly the kind of luxury boutique hotel atmosphere that my co-investors and I were seeking. Worth every penny.
I would absolutely recommend Element to individual homeowners and commercial property owners alike, first and foremost for the top quality of their work, but also for their ability to listen for the real goals behind the project and recommend the right solutions. They helped us figure out where to invest top-dollar and where we could save money without losing the overall effect we were after."
— Owner, Oceaneer Hotel
The Element Outdoor Living Difference
The Oceaneer Hotel project is a reminder that great landscaping isn't just about aesthetics. It's about what a space communicates to the people in it. Every planting decision, every defined border, every shaded corner was made with the guest experience in mind.
Element approaches commercial projects with the same intentionality as a private residence: listening for the real goal behind the work, coordinating across vendors and contractors, and staying accountable when anything falls short. The result here wasn't just a better-looking property. It was a property that finally felt like what it was always meant to be.