We’re spending this weekend in San Deigo, meeting up with some family and exploring more of our neighboring city we love so much! Last time we visited with the pups and spent most of our time near Coronado. This time, our home base is at the Lafayette Hotel in downtown San Diego.

This historic hotel is full of interesting stories. It was originally built in 1946, catering to Hollywood stars and notable figures like Bob Hope and Ava Gardner.

Plus, this cute little place double as a swim club! Johnny Weissmuller (the actor who played Tarzan in the original movie) actually designed the pool for the original owner of the hotel. Pretty neat! Our room had its own private entryway and a second exit that opens up right to the pool area.

We arrived around sunset so took the opportunity to explore every corner of the hotel. The rooms are clean and spacious, and knowing the interesting background for the hotel, you can almost imagine all the shenanigans that went down in this historic building.

My absolute favorite thing about staying at The Lafayette was eating at their restaurant, Hope 46. Normally, hotel restaurants aren’t notable and are a last resort for us when we’re crunched for time. This is not the case with Hope 46.

Located centrally inside the hotel, this New American spot serves delicious brunch on the weekends and is equipped with a fully stocked bar for the evening. We kicked off our Friday night with a couple yummy cocktails and the most amazing charcuterie board I’ve ever seen.

For brunch the next day, we ordered the Chicken & Waffles and Crab Cake Benedict. The selection on the menu is not huge, but everything we tasted from the kitchen was definitely made with heart.

Thanks so much to the team at The Lafayette for having us. It’s the perfect retreat away from home for a weekend getaway in San Diego!