Lights, camera, action! It’s all about glitz and glamour at The Lafayette.

Once you step inside The Lafayette, you never have to leave. This “city within a city” hotel concept has restaurants, a live entertainment venue, an indoor bar, a diner, a gym, a bowling alley and games room, and, at the centre of it all, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and pool bar.
 

Built in 1946, the original Colonial revival-style hotel was made to host the rich and famous—think Frank Sinatra and Lana Turner. Today, the same could be said. Chandeliers, animal-print chairs, and a beautiful fireplace welcome you as you enter the lobby, or “Grand Central Station,” as it’s better known. It could all be loud and obnoxious, but the design is so well done, and so over the top, you can’t help but buy into the experience.
 

Step just past the lobby, and you’ll find the lobby bar, a circular setup swathed in natural light thanks to a glass ceiling. Take in the beautiful bottles of liquor on display, victorian-looking lamps, and patterned seat cushions as you ask a bartender to whip you up one of their original creations.
 

The adventure continues as you head outside to the pool deck. The colourful pool bar is surrounded by minty green tables and chairs covered in floral patterns, all on a classic black and white square tiled patio, partially covered by a zebra-print deck roof—because what other fabric would you use? You get a view of the pool from just about any seat.
 

The pool is Olympic-sized and surrounded by striped, fringed umbrellas, first-come, first-serve lounging chairs, and the two-story hotel. You’ll find music playing, cabanas for rent, a food and drink menu on every seat, and sunshine that somehow blankets the entire area from morning until night. Day access to the pool costs $46 USD if you’re in the area and want in on the fun.
 

If you stay overnight, you get access to the entire property, and you’ll want to check out your room sooner rather than later. Get ready to be overwhelmed by custom wallpaper, canopy-covered beds, embroidered bedding, more animal print, dramatic light fixtures, the most well-stocked bar we’ve ever seen, Diptyque bath products—it’s a maximalist’s dream here.

Most rooms feature a balcony overlooking the pool area, so you never feel like you’re missing out. But if you do decide to leave, there are endless places to explore.
 

Quixote is one of the on-site restaurants, serving an Oaxacan-inspired menu in a reconstructed Catholic church straight from Mexico. (If you thought The Lafayette wouldn’t extend its maximalist tendencies into every nook and cranny, you were wrong.) Dark wood panelling, cobblestones, candles, stained glass—it’s a restaurant like no other.
 

Get the mushroom and potato-stuffed squash blossoms, chili garlic shrimp tacos, and the whole grilled fish, and definitely don’t skip the rice pudding fritters for dessert.
 

The Lafayette is also home to Lou Lou’s, a supper club and live music venue right underneath the hotel lobby. Grab a drink at the bar, which was featured in Top Gun, and show off some moves on the iconic sunken dancefloor. There’s also a calendar of events with prix-fixe menus you can get in on. 
 

Upstairs is The Gutter, an almost secret escape filled with games you can play until 2 a.m. Bowl, shoot some pool or indulge in a cocktail and play shuffleboard. If you’re not quite ready to end the party by early morning, Beginner’s Diner is right next door, open 24/7 and looks exactly like the image you’re picturing: red booths, chrome accents, and unlimited coffee. 
 

This hotel is truly a one-of-a-kind property with endless pockets of whimsy fun. Every area you venture into is clad from top to bottom in rich prints, vintage-inspired decor, and total vibes. We’d say two nights here is enough, but really, we could stay all week.

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