La Jolla's La Valencia Hotel Celebrates Its 90th Birthday

The historic La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla is in the midst of a 10-month countdown celebration commemorating its 90th birthday.

Also known as "La V" and "The Pink Lady," the resort has replaced its tenth story Sky Room restaurant with a new Sky Suite providing guests stunning 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean and La Jolla cove. The suite is bright and airy with a yellow and white design scheme, hardwood floors, comfy blue and grey furniture, a bar with Spanish mosaic tiles, an elegant bedroom balcony, and a bathroom with a huge rain and steam shower.

The suite is part of La Valencia's new ICON collection, which includes an apartment-style Pacific suite and an expansive La Valencia suite, both featuring sweeping ocean views.

The latest $11 million resort renovation also includes a makeover of The Med, its signature seventh floor restaurant offering spectacular vistas of the ocean and pool from an open-air ocean view terrace and also inside in the newly redesigned dining room. Menu highlights include jumbo Baja shrimp, foie gras torchon, La V's signature paella, miso Chilean sea bass, ribeye with truffle fries, and grilled prawn saffron bucatini (click here for a similar recipe you can make at home).

The adjacent La Salsa lounge has the same sweeping views as well as small bites and specialty cocktails. Also new is the relaunched Café La Rue, a European-inspired bar and bistro overlooking Prospect Street in the place of the old Whaling Bar. Highlights of the French-leaning menu include mussels, nicoise salad, cioppino, short rib pappardelle, cheese and charcuterie boards, and beignets with chocolate sauce.

The resort's 10-month countdown is commemorating each decade of the hotel's history with a special cocktail, prix fixe menu, live music, and photo shoot featuring fashion from the respective time period. La Valencia is hosting a Great Gatsby gala in December to culminate the celebration.