SAN DIEGO _ The Guild Hotel, which opened last year after a three-year-long transformation of a former Army Navy YMCA building, has been named by USA Today as one of the top 10 new hotels in the country.
The selection of the hotels is based on a combination of input from travel experts and USA Today editors, and the publication's readers, who had a four-week period to vote following the release of the category's 20 nominees. The 162-room hotel, which ranked No. 7, was among three California properties that made the top 10 list.
"It's a huge award for us, and we're looking forward to some more big awards in 2020," said Alvin Mansour, co-founder of San Diego-based Oram Hotels, which developed the Guild, located on Broadway between India and Columbia streets. "It's important because it's a vote by the public and it gets strong national and global exposure for San Diego."
The $82 million project required painstaking restoration work and preservation of the facade of the historic building, which years ago served as a wartime destination for the millions of servicemen and women passing through San Diego. While much of the interior had to be demolished, some features were preserved, such as the original hardwood floors of a basketball court and the elevated running track above, which overlooks a grand ballroom.
USA Today describes the hotel as San Diego's newest luxury boutique property that includes such amenities as a 24-hour fitness center, DJ-curated streaming playlist and a curated collection of local art.
Leading the list of best new hotels is the Margaritaville Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. Other California hotels that made the top 10 are Dive Palm Springs, at No. 4, and Virgin Hotels San Francisco, at No. 9.
