Apr 11, 2024 - News
The Lafayette named best new hotel by Esquire magazine
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Sip a painkiller poolside and bask in the sunshine. Photo: Kate Murphy/Axios
The luxurious, whimsical and bold Lafayette Hotel was named best new hotel of 2024 by Esquire magazine.
Why it matters: The historic hotel in North Park underwent a $31 million renovation last year, turning it into what Esquire calls a "fever dream of a party palace." And it's paying off.
The vibe: opulence.
- A swanky lobby and cocktail bar leads out to another chic, retro bar overlooking the pool, with cabanas that make it feel like old Hollywood.
- There's a 24-hour diner, bowling alley and billiards, and an Oaxacan restaurant resembling an abandoned Mexican church.
- Lou Lou's Club and Ballroom, a 1920s-style jazz and supper club, is a main event.
What they're saying: The Lafayette thinks of hospitality "not as giving guests what they think they want but as showing them what's pretty damn cool," Esquire's lifestyle and culture director Kevin Sintumuang writes.
- That's the bread and butter of CH Projects, the hospitality group behind the hotel, as well as some of the city's most popular bars and restaurants.
