There’s no doubt San Diego is a photo-worthy town where palm trees, sparkling beaches and trendy street art abound, all photo ops in their own right, but with the opening of The Guild Hotel downtown, San Diego just got even more Insta-worthy. So what makes a hotel an Instagram darling? Well, camera-ready common areas, design-worthy rooms and food fit for an Instagram influencer, for starts.
#instagood A former Army-Navy YMCA building from the 1920's, the 162-room hotel recently went through an $80-million dollar facelift to restore the century-old gem to its historic grandeur, a block of a building with beautiful bones and original arched windows that stands proudly on West Broadway. But what looks like business on the outside, is total party on the inside. The posh pillared entrance, a double-door affair helmed by bell hops, opens onto a buzzy lobby that strikes all your senses. There’s the DJ-curated playlist pumping through the place morning and night. There’s The Guild Bar, a nine-seat stretch of people-watching where the inventive cocktails are as good-looking as the patrons. There are the intimate seating areas with velvet couches and curtained corners just begging to be touched and photographed. And then there are the somewhat surprising hidden gems, like the grandiose Grace Ballroom, a reincarnation of the original basketball court and its elevated running track, and the tongue-and-cheek portraits hanging in the lobby that demand a double take (you’ll know them when you see them).
#boutiquehotel The rooms follow the lobby’s fashionable lead—and there are six to choose from, each named after a guild. Artisan features historic floor-to-ceiling arched windows. Master comes with sitting areas and curated local art. And, the most fetching of them all, a two-bedroom Penthouse complete with rooftop garden terrace. But rest assured, each room style will get you plenty of “likes,” from the tufted leather headboards to the white-tiled bathrooms to the rose gold everything—ice bucket, wall scones, reading light. No detail is spared. Heck, even the pencil is cool.
#foodporn What would an Instagram feed be without food? Luckily, The Guild has Luca, a Mediterranean-meets-California tapas-style restaurant with menu items like beef tenderloin carpaccio, scallops with brown butter risotto and Brussels sprouts with black garlic and espresso balsamic—all photo-worthy and sigh inducing But even more impressive than the food could be the setting. Located just off the lobby in a plant-filled courtyard, Luca’s black and white striped umbrellas and chairs play off the playful pink walls just so, it’s practically impossible not to snap a selfie. And then there’s Grace Garden, the perfect patio oasis for a lazy lunch, and the Intelligentsia morning coffee bar and the already-mentioned Guild Bar’s lofty libations. You’ll be sipping, snapping and savoring every photogenic moment of your stay.
