The site design concept focuses on eight landmarks surrounding San Diego Bay — the Point Loma peninsula, the lighthouse, the open mouth of the channel, North Island, the Coronado Bridge, the downtown core, the airport and the California Tower in Balboa Park. The placement and bending of the hotel’s tower allow it to acknowledge these distinctive features while taking advantage of the views to the southwest and east.
The architectural concept addresses both the operational/functional uses and aesthetic requirements in support of a five-star property. The latter is realized in the two-story granite base, striped sandstone of the upper tower and villas, and serene landscape program of the grounds. The over-arching theme is for the guest to vividly recall having “breakfast with an F14, lunch with an aircraft carrier, and a night-time dinner with stars and the lights of downtown.”