Point Loma San Diego, California
Renovated
2020
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage SocialOutside the door
Midcentury motel jewel-box
A 1959 roadside motor lodge reimagined as an intimate boutique stay, centering life around a courtyard pool and cocktail lounge.
“The petite 23-room property feels like Palm Springs style with a low-key, tucked-away vibe.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Cut-stone walls and vintage furnishings pair with custom ceramics and handmade poolside tiles.
Notable
Local architect Robert Platt's 1959 midcentury motor lodge preserves its original oyster-shaped pool.
Listed
Wednesday dive-in film screenings gather guests around the courtyard pool and Ponyboy bar.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
The central point is that this is one those vibrant young people can actually afford to stay at.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Set along Rosecrans Street in Point Loma, the motel sits two blocks from the bay and moments from Shelter Island marinas.
The rooms
Compact rooms feature terrazzo bathrooms, custom ceramics, and artwork honoring Japanese Ama pearl divers against a backdrop of coastal wood and linen.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The heated saltwater pool sits at the center of the courtyard, bordered by handmade Clé tiles and lounge seating.
Restaurant
Ponyboy
The cocktail lounge and dining room opens onto the pool deck, serving comfort dishes sourced from local fishermen and farmers.
At the table
Outdoor tables sit beneath glowing globe lanterns and bamboo foliage for open-air dining beside the courtyard pool.
How it began
Charles and Dinorah ran the property in its early days as the Sportsman’s Lodge, a vintage motor lodge catering to coastal travelers.
Good to know
Stay here
The Pearl 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.