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
-
Vestre’s neo-brutalist furniture will bring ‘a little madness’ to Paris Fashion WeekBound for Paris Men’s Fashion Week this month, Norwegian furniture brand Vestre reveals a sculptural bench and mirror created with designer Vincent Laine and fashion creative Willy Cartier – the latest outcome of its risk-taking ‘a little madness’ initiative
-
For its latest runway show, Zegna creates a serene oasis in DubaiThe Italian fashion house took over the Dubai Opera for a S/S 2026 show that proposed a lived-in elegance, drawing inspiration from Dubai’s sunbaked landscapes and Zegna’s birthplace of Trivero
-
Time-travel to the golden age of the cruise ship at Sea Containers LondonThe South Bank hotel celebrates its tenth anniversary with four new suites inspired by period cabin design, from Edwardian elegance to 1980s glamour
-
At The Ned Nomad in New York, home comforts meet a lively atmosphereThis hotel and social club is a vibrant hub of hospitality that evokes 1920s glamour for members and visitors alike
-
For the breakfast lover that is not a morning person, this Hollywood café is for youStart your day with a ceremonial strawberry matcha latte and freshly baked viennoiseries amid the glamour of Café Goldie at the W Hollywood
-
The best bars in New York for stiff drinks and stunning designFrom five-star hotel lobby bars on the Upper East Side to discreet downtown drinking dens, these are the best spots to sip and soak in the ambiance
-
Beverly Hills’ latest hot ticket is a Chinese restaurant with a hidden speakeasy feelChef Mei Lin’s 88 Club pays tribute to the prosperity, success, and good fortune symbolised by the number 8 in Chinese culture
-
You can now stay at this iconic modernist house in Palm DesertThe Desert Wave, a modernist revival project by Stayner Architects, with interiors by Design Within Reach and Paul Smith, is available to book
-
Find bubbly, chewy, perfectly crusted pizza at Cosetta, LA’s new Westside Italian gemLocated in a slightly industrial area by the Santa Monica airport, Cosetta, from pizza maestro Zach Pollack, champions the local Italian dining scene with tradition and innovation
-
Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant ElminaThe new restaurant is chef Eric Adjepong’s colourful ode to the recipes he grew up loving
-
Fancy a matcha-beer cocktail? Visit this dashing new LA restaurantCafé 2001 channels the spirit of an American diner with the flow of a European bistro and the artistry of Japanese cuisine
