U.S. Grant Hotel

California
United States

The Experience

An Edwardian grande dame given a spectacular makeover. Built in 1910 by the second son of the namesake president and Civil War general, the property was purchased for $45 million in 2003 by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, who promptly put another $56 million into a top-to-bottom renovation completed in 2006. The results shine from every corner—from the restored marble staircase and chandeliers of the lobby to the Empire furnishings and original French art in the guest room. Thirteen U.S. presidents have stayed in the U.S. Grant over the years, and now the owners of one of the state’s biggest casinos are betting over $100 million that someday you will, too.

The Rooms

Nine-foot ceilings and broad windows create a light and airy feeling, reinforced by fine linens and an understated decor. Try hard for an upper-floor room, however; large windows mean poor sound insulation from the city outside, and the not-quite-great location, at the still-developing far northwest corner of the Gaslamp District, means a lower-floor room may offer an uninspiring view at best.

The Service

There’s no pool or sauna, but a wide variety of in-room spa treatments can be arranged. The concierge and staff are friendly enough, which is a good thing: the hotel’s location—half a mile and more from the waterfront, Balboa Park, the convention center and many other attractions—also means you may often rely on the staff for directions and transportation.

The Highlights

The U.S. Grant was listed in 1979 on the National Register of Historic Places; standing in the grand entrance, it’s hard not to imagine Great War hansom cabs and Model Ts scuttling by. As the hotel strives to reclaim and improve upon its once-great past, it’s only fitting that the Grant Grill, formerly a leading businessmen’s haunt, has now become one of the Gaslamp Quarter’s finest restaurants. Executive chef Mark Kropczynski has ambitiously taken on the challenge of expressing the hotel’s various artistic motifs in his recipes, mixing French and contemporary California cuisine with Native American vegetables. The results are sublime.

 

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