With retro-inspired kitchens and generous living rooms, this North Park hotel taps into its immersive roots
Words by DAVID NASH
Following the completion of its $26 million restoration in 2023, THE LAFAYETTE HOTEL & CLUB in San Diego reopened as an “all-encompassing immersive oasis” in the city’s burgeoning North Park neighborhood. Designed by Brooklyn-based Post Company, the hotel returned to its roots as a hub for entertainment and socializing for locals and visitors alike. Originally opened by entrepreneur Larry Imig as his eponymous Imig Manor in 1946, the luxury property welcomed Bob Hope as its first celebrity guest and soon solidified itself as an escape for Hollywood’s top stars during the 1940s and ’50s — eventually taking its own star turn four decades later as a film set for Top Gun in 1986. Now the Lafayette has unveiled its spacious new two-, three-, and four-bedroom Bungalows offering residential-style accommodations that include fully equipped retro-inspired kitchens, separate dining rooms, generously sized living rooms, unique bedrooms, and dedicated private outdoor spaces. Guest amenities onsite include the 1940s-inspired Beginner’s Diner serving “American hero dishes” all day; the Lobby Bar set beneath a glass atrium and anchored by a central statue of Atlas; an Oaxacan-style restaurant and bar, Quixote, highlighting Mexican cuisine and mezcal; an outdoor pool and the Pool Bar that evoke the glamorous Amalfi Coast of the 1980s; a game room featuring The Gutter, a two-lane bowling alley; and Lou Lou’s Jungle Room, a reimagined supper club and live music venue. After checking in, you may be hard-pressed to find a reason to leave. Bungalows from $700. 2223 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, 619-296-2101; lafayettehotelsd.com.
Feature image:
This story originally published in the January 2025 Top 5 newsletter.
Discover more CULTURE news.
