The announcement came during a global MICHELIN Guide ceremony in Paris on October 8, where inspectors unveiled this year’s Key recipients. The honor recognizes the Lafayette as “a very special stay,” marking it as one of only 37 hotels in the United States and the sole property in San Diego to receive the designation for 2025.
The MICHELIN Key program, launched in 2023, celebrates hotels that offer exceptional design, service, and overall guest experience - properties that “make travel truly memorable.” This year’s U.S. list includes luxury icons like New York’s Warren Street Hotel and California’s Regent Santa Monica Beach, but in San Diego, the distinction belongs solely to the Lafayette.
Originally built in 1946 by developer Larry Imig, the Lafayette Hotel was conceived as a glamorous retreat for the Golden Age of Hollywood. Legends such as Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, and Bob Hope were among its early guests, and for decades the Colonial-style property served as a social hub for San Diego’s creative elite.
In 2023, the Lafayette emerged from a $31 million transformation led by San Diego’s Consortium Holdings (CH Projects) - the same group behind Morning Glory, Born & Raised, and Raised By Wolves - in collaboration with Brooklyn-based Post Company. The restoration honored the hotel’s storied past while boldly reimagining it for a new era. The result is an artful collision of vintage opulence and contemporary eccentricity: a grand lobby bar lined with emerald marble, boudoir-inspired guest rooms, and a pool deck that feels lifted from a 1960s Riviera postcard.
Since reopening, the Lafayette has become a symbol of San Diego’s creative renaissance, earning accolades including Esquire’s “Hotel of the Year” (2024), multiple “Orchid” awards from the San Diego Architectural Foundation, and recognition from the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. It was also inducted into Historic Hotels of America for its preservation efforts.
In 2023, the Lafayette emerged from a $31 million transformation led by San Diego’s Consortium Holdings (CH Projects) - the same group behind Morning Glory, Born & Raised, and Raised By Wolves - in collaboration with Brooklyn-based Post Company. The restoration honored the hotel’s storied past while boldly reimagining it for a new era. The result is an artful collision of vintage opulence and contemporary eccentricity: a grand lobby bar lined with emerald marble, boudoir-inspired guest rooms, and a pool deck that feels lifted from a 1960s Riviera postcard.
Since reopening, the Lafayette has become a symbol of San Diego’s creative renaissance, earning accolades including Esquire’s “Hotel of the Year” (2024), multiple “Orchid” awards from the San Diego Architectural Foundation, and recognition from the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. It was also inducted into Historic Hotels of America for its preservation efforts.
According to MICHELIN inspectors, Lafayette’s unique blend of heritage, design, and atmosphere stood out among hundreds of submissions. The guide describes the property as “an iconic San Diego institution decked in retro glamour - think velvet, tassels, curated cocktail kits, and a dazzling history with Golden Age Hollywood legends.”
Beyond its 139 guest rooms, the hotel’s appeal lies in its immersive environment: eight restaurants and bars, a restored Olympic-size pool, a bowling alley, and a soon-to-open European-inspired spa and fine-dining concept, Le Horse Continental Room, which will further expand the property’s allure. Each space tells a story - a hallmark of CH Projects’ approach to experiential hospitality.
The Lafayette’s success also foreshadows the group’s next major venture, The Baby Grand Hotel, now in development in Coronado and slated to open in 2026. If the Lafayette redefined what a boutique hotel could be in San Diego, The Baby Grand aims to extend that design language across the bay.
The MICHELIN Key recognition solidifies the Lafayette Hotel’s place not only in San Diego’s hospitality scene but also on the international stage. In an era when global travelers seek properties with personality and story, the Lafayette stands as both a local touchstone and a world-class destination - a vivid reminder that history, when revived with imagination, can feel brand new.
The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows is located at 2223 El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego’s North Park. For more information, visit lafayettehotelsd.com.
Beyond its 139 guest rooms, the hotel’s appeal lies in its immersive environment: eight restaurants and bars, a restored Olympic-size pool, a bowling alley, and a soon-to-open European-inspired spa and fine-dining concept, Le Horse Continental Room, which will further expand the property’s allure. Each space tells a story - a hallmark of CH Projects’ approach to experiential hospitality.
The Lafayette’s success also foreshadows the group’s next major venture, The Baby Grand Hotel, now in development in Coronado and slated to open in 2026. If the Lafayette redefined what a boutique hotel could be in San Diego, The Baby Grand aims to extend that design language across the bay.
The MICHELIN Key recognition solidifies the Lafayette Hotel’s place not only in San Diego’s hospitality scene but also on the international stage. In an era when global travelers seek properties with personality and story, the Lafayette stands as both a local touchstone and a world-class destination - a vivid reminder that history, when revived with imagination, can feel brand new.
The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows is located at 2223 El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego’s North Park. For more information, visit lafayettehotelsd.com.
Originally published on October 9, 2025.
