San Diego

Palisociety’s first San Diego property is housed in the Gaslamp Quarter’s century-old Hotel St. James. You’ll likely hear the buzz of the city from your room, but you’ll also be within walking distance of the waterfront and dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops. (Ask the incredibly warm and helpful staff if you need recs.) We suggest stopping by the in-house restaurant, Saint James French Diner, at some point during your stay to enjoy homey French classics—we’re still thinking about their perfectly airy chocolate soufflé.

Four Moons Spa feels like an intimate Baja resort, but it’s tucked in the bohemian northern San Diego County town of Encinitas. The grounds of this wellness-focused day spa are earthy and eclectic, filled with leafy plants and mini casitas that make it look like a charming village. The range of spiritual and healing offerings includes astrology readings, medical medium consultations, and energy work. If you’re looking for a more straightforward spa experience, there’s also a robust list of treatments for skin and body, including a truly stellar hot-stone massage.

A small floral shop in the North Park area of San Diego, Sage Sisters focuses on quality and seasonality over volume. The careful selection of flowers is constantly changing, and no two bouquets are ever the same. But the overall aesthetic doesn’t change: natural, unpretentious designs that lean into the season. The best part of Sage Sisters, though, is that any flowers that aren’t sold by the end of the day are made into arrangements and donated to local nonprofits.

A hipster, industrial space with a garage door, free Wi-Fi, and a highly curated, artisanal approach to coffee—that’s the essence of this coffee shop, which would be just as at home in Brooklyn as it is in Encinitas. The space is small, but it has its own roastery, and the baristas are highly knowledgeable about all things coffee. Stroll in on the later side if you can: It may be in a sleepy little beach town, but this place gets packed in the morning. Image courtesy of Kai Diaz.

We were captivated by the heavy wooden door and almost heavier lion’s head knocker. But once we came inside, we were in love. There’s something very creepy cool about The Lion’s Share—the moody lighting and velvet drapery, the taxidermy and unsettling paintings of animals presented in an uncanny-valley sort of way (like the water buffalo wielding a knife). Even the menu, with its old-fashioned, vaguely haunted imagery, sends a shiver down our spine. Try the County Cork (twelve-year-old whiskey, sherry, Grand Marnier, and orgeat) and a meat and cheese board. That’s only to start—the food is out of this world, so leave time for a few courses.

Pigment is one of those stores that makes us want to throw out everything in our home and start over. Beautiful artisanal candles you’d have a hard time finding anywhere else, elegant prints that would elevate any living space, pillows, throws, stationery, notebooks, cutting boards, cocktail glasses—Pigment speaks to the good life, and a well-curated one at that. But where Pigment really thrives is with its greenery. All manner of pots, plants, succulents, and flora that look more like pieces of art than pieces of nature. You can also design your own terrarium, which—no lie—was the most fun we’ve had in a long time.

The view from the Nolen is so vast, it’s hard to be believe you’re only fourteen stories above downtown San Diego. On a clear day (which is most days here), you can see the Gaslamp district, Petco Park, and all the way to the Coronado Bridge. But the Nolen is worth it even in the rain: The drinks game is solid (we love the Damnit Janet—a mix of vodka, rose water, watermelon, and lychee), and the warm, salty, delicious snacks will inspire you to make a night of it. Or a day, in fact. The Sunday brunch is one of the best in San Diego.

Tucked into Mission Hills, Heartwork is a neighborhood coffee bar. It does its own roasting and leans heavily into small-batch, locally made pastries and snacks. The vibe is quiet and chill, perfect for a stop if you’re passing through the area. Before you leave town, grab a bag of the beans—the Costa Rica blend is a favorite.

Having a drink at Raised by Wolves feels a little like you might be having a drink at the Gare du Nord a hundred years ago. The marble floors, antique cash register, domed glass ceiling, gilded barstools, velvet armchairs in the library, moody lighting: It all conspires to make you feel as if you’re in an Agatha Christie novel and there’s a steam engine train nearby. The drink menu is extensive—over a dozen pages before you even get to the wine—so if you’re overwhelmed, ask one of the skilled bartenders for a suggestion. Or keep it simple and order a glass of champagne.

Whether or not you’re a San Diego Padres fan and whether or not you’re even a baseball fan, it’s hard to resist the charms of sitting outside at twilight, drinking a cold beer, and watching the sun set over the city. Petco Park, located right in downtown San Diego, is the Padres home stadium, and it’s occasionally used for events and concerts. Whatever you go for, try to make it a late-afternoon event—watching dusk settle on the city from here is lovely.