Observing the downtown hospitality market since the mid 70s, the hotel’s ownership recognized in 2005 that very advantageous criteria had serendipitously and remarkably come together:

• buoyed by the solidifying Little Italy neighborhood, the West End was approaching a critical mass of renewal;

• downtown’s hospitality scene was finally becoming a San Diego destination;

• the U.S. hospitality market was hot, hot, hot;

• and the (former Pickwick Hotel’s) mortgage would be paid off the following year.

Intent on growing the asset as a long term operation for future family generations (the hotel’s name was borrowed from granddaughter Sofia); it was essential that any repositioning of the property be correctly calculated … which meant that the hotel had to re-open as the premiere property in the mid-price market set. Fiscally achieving that goal required finely-tuned budgeting and strong-willed purchasing to bring in the final renovation for less than $16.5 million. But success in the marketplace required the expenditure of countless hours planning, engineering and designing the infrastructure, architecture, interiors and marketing strategy by an implausibly small team of professionals. Because travelers leave behind the sanctity and security of home for an unknown experience in a remote destination, the experiential elements that guided Sofia’s design were: calm, restful, chic, urban, tasteful, technical, timeless, comforting and ahhhhh…

• The 1926 Gothic Revival/Art Deco exterior was maintained while the interior (which lacked much historical detail) was given a fresh, urban-yet-organic theme with a color palette inspired by nature to invoke a sense of harmony and balance.

• Existing spaces in the original structure were adapted to create public areas accommodating the operational and guest needs of a modern day hotel.

• Space planning was very challenging since most guest rooms were about 120 sq ft and being an older hotel almost every room was just a little different.

• There were many physical challenges with walls of hollow clay masonry, making it impossible to disturb the structure with perforations. For this reason the rooms’ new electrical was run through cleverly disguised wire mold at the base.

• Case goods and built-in furniture meticulously scaled for the dozens of room layouts were created for a more efficient use of space.

• The designer specified all finishes, materials and furniture down to the accessories and her team personally supervised the installation of all products.

• The interiors budget was meager as the bulk of the money was used for updating the building’s infrastructure. Dramatic paint colors were used generously in many areas to keep within the budget and yet give design interest.

• Newer, unique vendors were recruited who were anxious to work on an interesting project such as this and offered very competitive pricing on products such as case goods, window treatments and art.

Some interesting design features include –

• grass-embedded resin panels covering older windows in the meeting rooms to allow in natural light but block unattractive views
• custom light sconces decorated with historical photos of the older hotel throughout the guest corridors that do double duty as art as well as ideal ambient lighting 
• many naturally occurring fossils from around the world throughout the property to repeat nature’s theme

This “new” three and a half star hotel was completed on time and on budget and has been enthusiastically received in the marketplace significantly outpacing original forecasts and frequently selling out. An immediate honor was bestowed when it was inducted into National Trust Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation … making it the first in San Diego joining other regional inductees The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, Hotel del Coronado, La Valencia and the Grande Colonial of La Jolla.

Image