Lafayette in San Diego is more than just a hotel, it is the social heart of the city. The hotel’s reputation proceeds it, as I learned from the the man at passport control and my taxi driver, when I told them where I was staying for my first visit to San Diego.
Built in the 1940s, it has been reimagined by the owner Arsalun Tafazoli, who was born and raised in the city and is now considered a local hero. He is transforming the night life of San Diego with this hotel and many other bars and restaurants including Polite Provisions, Raised by wolves and Leila.
Staying at Tafazoli’s first hotel feels pretty special. Growing up, he knew about the hotel and its reputation but he tells me and my travel companions: “Nobody gave it the love and attention it deserved until now.”
There is a lot of heritage here for the locals to soak in. “Originally built as entertainment centre, it was intended to be a city within a city,” Tafazoli shares.
The hotel feels like a movie set that has come to life
Drawing his design influences from his obsessive love of film, the hotel feels like a movie set that has come to life. David Lynch’s influence on the interior of the hotel includes an in-house 24-hour Diner replicated from Twin Peaks. While a bowling alley in one of the many bars is a direct reference to the final scene of There Will Be Blood, and the night club, Lou Lou's, in the basement, was the location for Top Gun.
At weekends the hotel is packed with the locals who want to be part of this scene. On most nights there are live music performances at Lou Lou’s, and during the day, the cocktails are flowing as guests enjoy the swimming pool outside and the pumping soul music.
Where is it?
The hotel is positioned in North Park and has become a destination that people from all over the city will frequent to feel part of this unique experience. The hotel is the centre of the night life scene in North Park and not too far from the popular Gas Lamp quarter.
Style
Great Gatsby meets Moulin Rogue. This style can only be described as opulent and maximalist. Walking into the lobby I was met with an eclectic mix of leopard print carpets, zebra print furniture, dark patterned wallpaper and ornate lighting. The attention to detail in this hotel truly is impressive.
Facilities
There are the aforementioned swimming pool and bowling alley, and a gym. The spa was not finished when we visited. There are however many bars, a 24-hour diner and a restaurant where you can take part in cookery lessons by local chefs in the kitchen.
The pool which sits in two and a half acres of land is flanked by palm trees, green leopard print sun loungers and a zebra print seating area, which are a homage to old Hollywood. All that is missing is Faye Dunaway reading the newspapers the morning after accepting her Oscar. We are told that Frank Sinatra was known to stay and perform here.
Rooms
There are 141 rooms in the hotel, with many facing onto the pool. My room was dark and luxurious in its scheme, and in keeping with the opulent style of the lobby and bar downstairs. A canopy bed was dressed with a zebra print throw, heavy woven curtains and dark patterned wallpaper.
A bulging bar takes up a large corner of the room (holding every spirt you could imagine) which only adds to the sense of indulgence.
Extracurricular
San Diego is a bordertown. I was told by my guide that San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, consider themselves one. As the city is so close to the border there is a huge Mexican influence over San Diego. And together the two cities have been named World Design Capital for 2024.
I visited Balbao park where there is a huge number of art galleries and museums and a theatre. It is one of the oldest architectural sites in the United States. The architecture is Spanish Baroque, with colonialism having had a huge historical impact on the style.
I went for lunch at Artifact at the Mengui museum to meet the directors of The Museum of Man, the national gallery, the ICA the Mingei museum. I was excited to learn that Norman Foster, the world famous British architect has been confirmed to build an extension to the National gallery, and the design has just been revealed.
In La Jolla, overlooking the beach, is the museum of contemporary art. Recently having undergone a refresh, a new extension has been added, which was designed by Selldorf Architects who also worked on renovating the Sainsbury Wing at The National Gallery in London.
Not far from the museum in La Jolla is the Salk Instutute. This is a must-see example of Brutalist architecture and was built in 1963 as the institute for Biological studies. It still is an important research centre that stands proudly above the beach, and offers fascinating tours to the public of the architecture of its exterior, as well as a look at the important working scientific laboratories inside.
The area of Barrio Logan is home to the Latin community. This is the most southern point of the city before you hit the border. The thrift stores, markets and bars gives it a reputation for being a hipster area. Chicano Park is where huge concrete columns hold up the l-5 freeway which are covered in tall impressive colourful murals.
In Barrio Logan I visited Sew Luka where a sustainable denim sewing workshop was taking place. Bread and Salt is an impressive art gallery and a cultural centre with an exhibition including work by Hugo Crothswaite and Kimma Connell.
The San Diego Symphony’s Rady Shell at Jocobs Park is worth visiting to see live music performed in a state-of-the-art open-air concert venue. Surrounded by water, the venue stands out in the sea at San Diego bay close to Downtown. Visually representing a giant shell, the stage is an architecture achievement with unique sound engineering designed by Tucker Sadler Architects.
Where to eat?
At the Lafyette hotel, in keeping with the eclectic theme, the restaurant Quixote is a former church that has been dismantled from its original location in Mexico, and is now attached to this hotel here in San Diego — complete with the alter placed behind the bar. We ate many small dishes of delicious and authentic Mexican food.
Leila is a Middle East restaurant also owned by Arsalun Tafazoli, which like his hotel Lafayette, has an atmosphere which transports you to another world, with a bridge over a stream running through the restaurant.
Artifact at the Mengui museum is a perfect place for lunch sitting in the courtyard. The West African chicken was delicious.
Kitchen at the Museum of Contemporary Art serves delicious lunch options with a beautiful views over the sea. It serves salads and fresh fish. While White Rice in Bodega is known for its delicious Asian rice bowls. Order the crispy pork and rice and you won’t be disappointed.
Best for…
A holiday anytime of year for culture lovers. San Diego has a unique micro-climate so that the weather never goes above 25 degrees or below 16 degrees, which results in a city that is designed culturally and architecturally for outside living all-year-round. As a bordercity, you really get to experience the best of the US and Mexico in one place.
