Ivy

Lounging

location > 600 F Street, Gaslamp Quarter

phone > 619-814-1000

web site > ivyhotel.com

THE IVY wants to be San Diego’s hottest party destination——times three. A trio of nightspots spans 13,200 square feet of jetsetting fun. Crowds are brimming to test this posh palace, but being everything to everyone is a daunting task.

ULTRALOUNGE: The swank UltraLounge——dimly lit in orange hues——tempts guests with deep-backed velvet couches, artful dark ash panels and modern design. At center, burlesque dancers adorn touch-activated tabletops, performing to energizing lounge music. Extensive table service, a semiprivate VIP room and catwalk would make for great lounging if less congested.

ENVY: Laid beneath a spiral staircase is Envy, a seductive nightclub whose sizable dance floor exposes crowds to grooves from guest deejays, come-hither photo murals and an erotic combination of red-and-black motifs. A discreet VIP mezzanine sectioned by bejeweled curtains and furnished with bordello-style couches overlooks the bare-concrete club.

EDEN: An elevator trip takes guests to Eden, where a South Beach breeze blows. This seventh-story rooftop lounge, dressed luxuriously in all white, is San Diego’s largest. The expansive area houses a bar and kitchen, a pool, cabañas galore and plush furnishings. All this set amid a backdrop of south-facing views capturing the bay and city skyline——flawless.

MISCELLANEOUS: It’s been said great artists steal. If so, this three-floor experience is another masterpiece from Powerstrip Studio, creators of the Sky Hotel in Aspen and the W Los Angeles. The space, while not daring, offers premier luxury and an extremely accommodating staff. Booming hype and a see-and-be-seen vibe marked the long-anticipated opening of what is now the latest pretty façade in the Gaslamp crowd.

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