We suppose it was only a matter of time before savvy hoteliers like Alvin and Kevin Mansour realized the potential of landmark Army-Navy YMCA building in downtown San Diego.
Built in 1924 as an R&R base, the handsome bones of the seven-floor Italianate Renaissance building on Broadway have been deftly realigned by interior designer Sormeh Rienne into a 162-room Tribute Portfolio Hotel. The period flourishes of the exterior have been faithfully restored, but it’s the interiors that have been thoroughly spruced up and reimagined – not least the original basketball court and elevated running track, and the underground pool, both now ballrooms.
The bedrooms, meanwhile, pair high ceilings, and city and harbour views with leather headboards, customised artwork by local artists, and Garnier-Thiebaut linen, with the best room in the house – the 2-bedroom penthouse – staking the rooftop terrace.
The conversion of the pool into a ballroom leaves the hotel with neither wet facility nor spa; though that probably leaves you with more time at the outdoor courtyard restaurant Luca – a black and white themed cocoon anchored by an outdoor fireplace – where head chef Justin Vaiciunas mollifies spirits with lobster salad rolls, red quinoa fritters, and tenderloin club sandwiches.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
500 West Broadway
-
Hanker after a 1970s supercar? The Encor Series 1 elevates the Lotus Esprit to a new levelThis limited-edition remastering of the dramatic wedge-shaped Lotus Esprit stops at nothing to improve and enhance the original without losing sight of its analogue excellence
-
A new photo book takes you behind the scenes of some of cinema's most beloved films, from 'Fargo' to 'Charlie's Angels'Set decorator Lauri Gaffin captures Hollywood's quieter moments in an arresting new book
-
This sculptural London seafood restaurant was shaped by ‘the emotions of the sea’In Hanover Square, Mazarine pairs a bold, pearlescent interior with modern coastal cuisine led by ‘bistronomy’ pioneer chef Thierry Laborde
-
A local’s guide to Miami by gallerist Nina JohnsonAs Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 kicks off, gallerist Nina Johnson shares her hometown essentials – from art museums to where to eat, drink and shop
-
Dior’s new Beverly Hills dining salon raises the bar for couture cuisineFrom Peter Marino’s onyx bar and faceted mirrored walls to Nicole Wittenberg’s vast, immersive botanical canvas, Dior’s first restaurant outside Paris is here
-
This new Los Angeles restaurant is a mischievous blend of dive bar and 'psychedelic honky tonk'At Marvito, small-batch tequila and a classic rock soundtrack create a delightfully nostalgic night out
-
Fantasy – and incredible seafood – await at Carbone Riviera, now open at the Bellagio in Las VegasInterior design powerhouse Martin Brudnizki drew on the Côte d'Azur and Picasso’s ceramics for Major Food Group’s latest Sin City outpost
-
Welcome to Polymath Park, where you can spend the night in a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieceA pair of determined Wright devotees have turned four endangered modernist houses into an overnight design retreat
-
Faena New York just landed in the Big Apple – and it's an excuse for a good timeArgentine hotelier Alan Faena’s first New York address serves up high-octane hospitality with a dash of leopard print
-
These vintage American motels will have you longing for the open road‘Vintage Motels’ documents how the humble roadside stopover has evolved into a design-led destination for a new generation of travellers
-
At Duryea’s Sunset Cottages in The Hamptons, it’s all about stillness and open horizonsA beloved Hampton restaurant becomes a tucked-away retreat set on a windswept bluff above Fort Pond Bay in Montauk
