University Heights San Diego, California
Renovated
2023
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Social LocalOutside the door
Maximalist pleasure theatre
Locals sip cold brew beneath palm-leaf chandeliers in the lobby, where the front desk doubles as a lively espresso counter.
“The hotel’s transporting public spaces include a midcentury diner, a Oaxacan mezcalería, an Amalfi Coast–inspired pool deck…”
What it’s good at
Exceptional
Post Company layers theatrical maximalism with tiger-print canopy beds and an Atlas-anchored circular bar.
Remarkable
San Diego collective CH Projects roots the social scene in homegrown culinary spaces.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Also in AFAR.
The look is boudoir-inspired, with tasseled lamps, velvet sofas, and rich wood paneling, and the hotel’s public spaces are equally sultry.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Set along El Cajon Boulevard, the hotel borders North Park, placing independent taprooms, vintage boutiques, and Balboa Park within easy reach.
The rooms
Patterned walls clash boldly with cheetah prints and fringed lamps, while bathrooms feature black and white tilework and ornate fixtures.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Johnny Weissmuller designed the heated Junior Olympic pool, surrounded by checkerboard tiling and scalloped parasols.
The bathhouse
The bathhouse brings together Roman thermal baths, a Turkish hammam, and cold plunge pools in marble rooms.
Restaurant
Quixote
Salvaged woodwork from a century-old Mexican church lines this candlelit room, dedicated to mezcal cocktails and Oaxacan dishes.
At the table
Drinks flow beneath a striped poolside canopy, and Lou Lou's Jungle Room hosts live jazz before a clamshell stage.
How it began
First opened in 1946 as a Hollywood retreat, the complex once welcomed screen icons before its revival as an energetic urban playground.
Good to know
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Lafayette Hotel
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San Diego
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.