The Lafayette Hotel and Club
San Diego, California
2223 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, California 92104
Original Property Opened in 1946
Historic Hotels of America member since 2023
Built in the wake of the city’s World War II boom, local entrepreneur Larry Imig’s motel – now the Lafayette Hotel and Club – stood out as an example of Colonial Revival and Neoclassical architecture that was rare in San Diego. The hotel, with its celebrated designer pool, quickly grew in status as a local and regional fixture. Star comedian Bob Hope owned one of the hotel’s penthouses, and many other famous entertainers and athletes came to the hotel to unwind. The hotel was even personally owned by Conrad Hilton and served as his headquarters for the San Diego Chargers.
Now, following a renewal in 2023 that was the most extensive since Hilton’s ownership, guests can enjoy the same facilities that were so celebrated decades ago, with engaging new additions. The hotel’s lush rooms and suites, along with many common areas, maintain their traditional ambiance with the added benefit of modernized amenities. These original offerings have been further augmented with new options for dining and sharing with friends and family. And of course, there’s always relaxing by the pool.
Discover
- Swim in the Lafayette’s famed pool, designed by Olympian – and Tarzan actor – Johnny Weissmuller.
- Consider hosting the next special event in the grand, ornate Mississippi Room ballroom. Tony Scott had the same idea while shooting a crucial scene with Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun.
- Enjoy the mix of Colonial Revival and Neoclassical motifs that helped the hotel become listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Explore
- Visit with local and exotic wildlife at the nearby San Diego Zoo or the local tide pools on Ocean Beach.
- Tour through historic Old Town San Diego State Park, enjoying celebrated architecture, shopping, dining and other attractions.
- Catch a foul ball at a Padres game at Petco Park, less than fifteen minutes away.
Experience
- Go for a swim or just relax by the water at the hotel’s famous pool and garden pool deck.
- Bowl a perfect game at The Gutter, the Lafayette Hotel and Club’s resident lanes.
- Walk through nearby Balboa Park and tour its landmarks and arts centers.
Taste
- Return to the original hotel’s 1940s ambiance with diner favorites around the clock at Beginners Diner.
- Enjoy light bites and drinks under the garden trellises of the pool deck at the Pool Bar.
- Savor authentic Oaxacan cuisine and mezcal at Quixote, a decommissioned, reconstructed Catholic church.
