The Lafayette Hotel, San Diego: A Decadent 5-STAR STAY
A 5-Star Hotel in San Diego, with Hollywood Heritage
San Diego’s Lafayette Hotel has been reborn as one of America’s most dazzling 5-star lifestyle destinations. With interiors that flirt between maximalism, modern decadence, and rock & roll glamour, CH Projects has reimagined this 1940s landmark into a cultural playground where design lovers and luxury travellers can immerse themselves in a world of indulgence.
When The Lafayette Hotel first opened in 1946, it was a retreat for Hollywood’s elite. Bob Hope, Lana Turner, and Lucille Ball all vacationed here, sipping martinis poolside and soaking up the Californian sun in true Golden Age style. The building’s Colonial architecture made it a grand stage for a glamorous new chapter in San Diego’s hospitality story.
In 2023, the icon was reborn. Visionary hospitality group CH Projects, in collaboration with Brooklyn-based Post Company, completed a meticulous reimagining that turned the 2.5-acre property into a luxury city-within-a-city. The Lafayette is no longer just a hotel, it’s a fully-fledged cultural destination. With its Esquire 2024 Hotel of the Year title, it’s already being recognised as one of the most exciting lifestyle hotels in America.
This is a hotel that embraces luxury as theatre. From the moment you step into the lobby, the design immerses you in a narrative, you are no longer just a guest, but part of a story unfolding in a dreamlike, maximalist world.
“The Lobby Bar iscircular in design under the soaring glass atrium flooding the space with light and is anchored by the Atlas statue and surrounded by a hand-painted ceiling by Brazilian-based artist Joāo Incerti. The bar is constructed with detailed wood surrounded by delicate banquettes with wrought iron lamps and is a convenient meeting space and starting point to the many dining and entertainment rooms held within the hotel” designers, Post Company
Decadent Design and Interiors at The Lafayette Hotel
The interiors of The Lafayette are unapologetically lavish. Each of the 139 rooms blends Victorian, Tudor, and Gothic influences with bold contemporary flourishes. Velvet banquettes, oil paintings, carved woodwork, and jewel-toned fabrics collide with irreverent details, creating a feeling that’s at once decadent and mischievous.
Photography, Matt Kisiday
The pool, originally designed by Olympian-turned-actor Johnny Weissmuller, remains the glittering centrepiece. Its retro glamour has been updated with zebra-print chaise lounges, poolside spritz service, and cabanas that let you live out your own Hollywood fantasy.
Photography: Matt Kisiday
Culinary Indulgence Without Limits
For food and drink, The Lafayette goes beyond luxury dining, it creates entire worlds of flavour and atmosphere. The effect is more than dining; it’s immersive gastronomy. Guests can move from smoky mezcal tastings to a midnight cabaret, from playful diner nostalgia to a Parisian-inspired poolside escape, all within the property.
Beginners Diner
Playful, neon-bright, and open 24/7. Order a boozy milkshake or a towering stack of house-made pastrami sandwiches at 3am — because here, indulgence never clocks out.
Quixote
A sultry Oaxacan mezcal bar with smoked wood interiors, where rare spirits meet bold regional dishes.Designed with monastic qualities that envelop guests with an agnostic sense of worship. The entire space was created from a decommissioned Catholic church in Mexico and reconstructed to showcase dark wood paneling, rough cobblestones that dot the entryway, flickering Santa Maria candles, rich stained-glass windows and baroque pews and banquettes surrounding the pulpit-inspired bar.
Photography, Matt Kisiday
The Gutter
An underground speakeasy-meets-game-room with a two-lane bowling alley, skeeball, and billiards, perfect for nocturnal escapades.
Photography, Matt Kisiday
Lou Lou’s Jungle Room
A supper club revival straight from 1920s Manhattan: velvet banquettes, candlelight, live jazz, and a menu built for decadent nights that blur into morning. Reviving the historic Mississippi Room, the interior features a restored 1940s clamshell stage and sunken hardwood dance floor, with performances curated by the Casbah’s Tim Mays. The 580-person venue offers a chophouse-style prix-fixe menu by chef José Cepeda for select shows, including jazz residencies, paired with an elevated beverage program led by Alicia Perry. The iconic circular bar, featured in Top Gun, serves classic and creative cocktails, welcoming guests with or without tickets.
Bungalows for a Luxe Group Getaway
For a little more room, The Lafayette offers guests luxury bungalow suites that merge the intimacy of a private residence with the glamour of hotel life. With kitchenettes, dining rooms, patios, and playful bedroom configurations (including bunk beds), these spaces are designed for guests who want to live together in design-led style, while dipping into the hotel’s many worlds.
It’s this combination of exclusive seclusion and maximalist spectacle that positions The Lafayette as one of California’s most versatile luxury destinations.
Photography,Kimberly Motos
Luxury Wellness & Lifestyle
Luxury here is about pleasure in balance. The newly opened fitness centre and spa are a counterpoint to the nightlife, designed with Roman, Turkish, and Russian baths that create a wellness ritual rooted in beauty and indulgence.
Whether you’re sweating it out in the gym or drifting through a hammam-style bathing experience, this spa embodies the modern interpretation of luxury: restorative, design-led, and rich in cultural reference.
Beyond the Hotel: Luxe San Diego Hotspots
While The Lafayette could easily keep you entertained for days, the hotel’s location in North Park places you at the heart of San Diego’s creative, design-forward scene. This mix of art, food, design, and nightlife makes San Diego a serious contender on the luxury travel map, with The Lafayette as its anchor.
Fluxx Recommends: For those seeking a contemporary luxe itinerary, here are some nearby must-visits:
Mingei International Museum (Balboa Park) – A beautifully renovated space showcasing global folk art, craft, and design. The museum’s architecture and curation make it a luxury destination for design lovers.
San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art (La Jolla) – Overlooking the Pacific, this museum recently expanded with a sleek new design by Selldorf Architects. Expect cutting-edge exhibitions and an unbeatable coastal setting.
James Coffee Co. (North Park) – An industrial-cool coffee roastery with an elevated approach to craft coffee. The perfect morning ritual before a day of exploring.
Born & Raised (Little Italy) – A lavish steakhouse with interiors by Paul Basile, dripping in retro glamour — think mirrored ceilings and marble galore. It’s San Diego dining at its most opulent.
Artelexia (North Park) – A vibrant design shop celebrating Mexican craft and contemporary artistry, ideal for luxe souvenirs with a cultural twist.
False Idol (Little Italy) – A hidden tiki bar tucked behind a freezer door, designed by the legendary Martin Cate. It’s playful escapism with an immersive, high-design edge.
The Lafayette Hotel Defines Contemporary Luxe Travel in San Diego
The Lafayette is more than a renovation. It’s a maximalist masterpiece that sets a new standard for luxury travel in California. It fuses the decadence of old Hollywood with the energy of contemporary design, while surrounding guests with endless opportunities for indulgence, from mezcal tastings and cabaret shows to spa rituals and boutique shopping.
For those who believe luxury should be bold, fun, and theatrical, The Lafayette Hotel is not just a stay, but an experience, one that lingers long after checkout.