Nook Hotel
"__Why did this hotel catch your attention? __ The exterior still has some midcentury retro flair, but inside, Nook is all modern, clean, and minimalist. There's exposed brick, a mural by artist Alonso Delgadillo, maps depicting the border region, and a color palette of sunset and ocean hues to emphasize the Cali-Baja connection. What's the backstory?This corner building was once a hotel in the 1950s but morphed into restaurants and bars over the years. When creative powerhouses Mariel Cuervo and Miguel Marshall—the duo behind the hospitality-retail collective Coyote Projects and projects like Tijuana's Nativo Coffee and Cereus Bar—scooped it up, they brought it back to its original purpose. Now it's a trendy, 17-room boutique option just a block from the city's bustling Avenida Revolución. Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book?There aren't a lot of bells and whistles. Rooms are minimalist, almost austere. Think clean lines, muted colors, original artwork, and skylights in some rooms. Is there a charge for Wi-Fi?Wi-Fi is included in the room rate. Drinking and dining—what are we looking at?What Nook lacks in its room decor, it more than makes up for with Elvira, the hotel's onsite restaurant and cocktail bar—named after and inspired by Michelle Pfeiffer's character in "Scarface." It's replete with 80s-Miami tropical vibes in the form of blush pink walls, gilded accents, blue velvet chairs, and a hot pink neon sign reading "Not Your Baby," a nod to Pfeiffer's line from the movie. Elvira skews more bar than restaurant. You can snack on salads, a cubano, and fried pickles, but the beverage menu is lengthier, with classics (gin and tonic, negroni), mezcal, tequila, and of course mojitos and cuba libres. And the service?Stays are pretty seamless here. What type of travelers will you find here?Lots of design-savvy, Instagram-loving cool kids from Tijuana, San Diego, and L.A. What about the neighborhood? What else is around here?Nook is just one block from Tijuana's main thoroughfare, Avenida Revolución, where you'll find a mix of hip bars and coffee shops, as well as the (sigh) cheesy souvenir shops targeting Americans. You can easily avoid all that with other nearby delights, including delicious cheap sandwiches at Tortas Chapultepec, the Colectivo 9 food court, and rooftop cocktails at Cine Tonalá. Is there anything you'd change?Maybe spruce up the rooms a little. Bottom line: Worth it?For the lobby, restaurant, and central location—yes, yes, and yes." - Archana Ram
