(All photos borrowed from the hotel website)
I’m a creature of habit. I admit it. When it comes to hotels, when I find one I like, I’m more than happy to stay there every time I visit. You may recall that San Diego is one of my personal favs. On a recent trip, I was obliged by forces outside of my control to stay in a <<gasp>> different hotel than my norms: the Bristol, the Westin San Diego, and the Westin Gaslamp. This time, I stayed at the Hotel Republic, which is located on the Little Italy side of smack-in-the-middle-of-downtown. I confess the closer proximity to Little Italy helped my attitude quite a bit. As did the cheerful valets/bellmen who greeted us when we arrived. These guys were so enthusiastic, I thought sure they thought I was somebody. Ha.
Then there was the stunning lobby that looks like this:
I mean, wow. I’m not sure you can tell, but the chandeliers look like a crafty wizard was playing pick up sticks with some pretty firewood, tied them all together, and decided it would be fun to stick them on the ceiling. The effect is an endlessly interesting focal point for easily entertained people like me. I confess I looked for any evidence of dust or spider webs and found none. (How do they keep them clean?) At all times of day, but particularly in the afternoon and evening, the lobby is abuzz with people chatting and sipping their afternoon cocktails. A small but impressive menu is offered by the ever-cheerful wait staff, including lighter fare such as calamari, salads, and soup, as well as heartier meals like roast chicken, halibut, spaghetti squash, and New York Strip. I enjoyed the tomato bisque soup and the crab cake appetizer, but my hands down favorite was their heirloom tomato salad with pistachio pesto. OH MY GOODNESS. I really wanted to lick the plate get the recipe so I could make it at home!
See the stairs to the right of the bar? If you follow them up, they turn to the left and go up behind the bar to the second floor. At the top of the stairs you will find the Veranda Club Lounge for Marriott Platinum Members.
They serve food throughout the day and adult beverages in the afternoon. So nice! One can sit inside or, it being San Diego, out on the porch.
But there’s more.
Past the Veranda Club Lounge, there is a wide staircase going up yet another level. Lanterns lining the wide staircase let you know you’re in for something special. And you are. Behold the Topside Terrace Kitchen and Bar.
It is a beautiful oasis amid the city high rises. Hip music plays through speakers hidden around the deck. Patrons chat, the scent of delicious food wafts by, and bartenders shake their shakers with big smiles on their faces. It is quite the festive experience.
After all that fun, one might need a place to work off the extra calories. Just down the hall from the Veranda Club Lounge is the Hotel Republic’s tidy gym. It boasts a few elliptical machines, a few treadmills, free weights, a stationary bike, and a universal-type contraption, along with floor space for yoga and the like. And yes, I did go there. More than once. :p
Finally, there is home away from home. Boasting every amenity, comfy beds, nice bathrooms, great toiletries, etc, the hotel rooms of the Hotel Republic do not disappoint. The decor is an unexpected industrial-meets-rustic. Those walls? They really do feel like wood! I felt them myself! My personal favorite feature was the large window seat; so charming. My room looked just like this one.
The next time you’re in San Diego, consider staying at the Hotel Republic. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. In fact, I think I may have found a new favorite.
Lynn Padgett Beard 