Granger Hotel Review | Hotels Above Par

"A recently opened four-star member of Design Hotels set in a 1904 Romanesque landmark in the Gaslamp Quarter, this guest-only retreat was reborn after a $30 million renovation that preserves historic character while layering whimsical, contemporary design. Housed in a former bank where the founder of the San Diego Zoo once briefly kept animals, the property keeps public crowds out—there’s no public restaurant or co‑working area—so key holders enjoy an intimate, curated experience. Interiors mix vintage finds and playful details: a light installation made from the original elevator cage, a 1920s Art Deco mirror, a late-1980s Philip North painting, tin ceilings, a rose-colored marble rounded reception desk, plaster walls with murals, mosaic flooring, midcentury standing lamps, and small surprises like a stone elephant. A curtained drinking den nods to the neighborhood’s seedier past but is executed with tasteful, seductive touches (nude silhouettes, leopard-print carpet, rose-velvet chairs). The hotel partners with a local artist whose ground-floor studio guests can visit, and rooms continue the blend of old and new with 120-year-old doors, custom curved armoires, peacock lamps, fan-shaped headboards, leopard door handles, heavy drapes, and other thoughtful details. Practical offerings are modest but well done—a home-cooked breakfast buffet and a reception-desk-turned-bar—plus amenities such as a complimentary welcome cocktail, guest-only bar, snack pantries, garage parking, an artist studio, and access to a nearby hotel fitness center; playful animal accents and stocked pantry cabinets (jelly beans, mixed nuts) add charm."