This San Diego hotel has been named 'Hotel of the Year' in North America and Europe

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- A historic hotel in San Diego has claimed the top spot on a list of the 41 Best New Hotels in North America and Europe in 2024.

Described as a "party palace," the Lafayette Hotel, located on 2223 El Cajon Boulevard, was named Hotel of the Year by Esquire.com due to its reputation as a neighborhood hot spot.

The hotel first opened in July 1946 and has entertained Hollywood greats like Ava Gardner, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and John Wayne. It's also rumored to have served Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy.

It reopened in July 2023 following a $31 million renovation to upgrade the lobby's crown moldings, the clamshell stage and the original swimming pool which was designed by five-time Olympic gold medalist and actor Johnny Weissmuller, who is best known for playing Tarzan in the '30s and '40s.

Earlier this year, the Lafayette was inducted into the Historic Hotels of America.

In its review of the hotel, Esquire noted the "couches upholstered in stripes and animal prints" and "the property's ornate, circular main bar, centered on an immense statue of Atlas," summing the vibe of it in one sentence: "Everything clashes, but it all works."

The Lafayette joined Esquire's list alongside the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nev., Maison Hudson in New York City, N.Y. and the Ritz-Carlton in Portland, Ore.

Hotels outside of the U.S. on the list included Maison Delano in Paris, France, the St. Regis Kanai Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and Amarla in Panama City, Panama.