The ‘5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar’ at Magaritaville (Courtesy photo)
Hotel, Gaslamp

Island-Style Oasis in the Gaslamp

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

If you’re going to “blow out a flip flop,” there’s no better place to do it than at the newly opened Margaritaville Hotel, which marks the first city-center location of the Jimmy Buffett-inspired brand on the West Coast.

Boasting 235 guest rooms and suites replete with beachy décor and cheerful hues, the property’s paradisiacal theme came at a cost of $30 million. It falls in line with other properties throughout the U.S. that are part of the Margaritaville chain, in which designers took their cues from Jimmy Buffett’s Laurel Canyon days of the 1960s. And yes, this location offers a spacious “Jimmy Buffett suite” with elevated amenities meant to drift you away to paradise.

The hotel winks at event planners with 13,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor adaptable space for meetings, conventions, weddings, etc. But the best part is that the public can drop in to enjoy some of the alluring common areas, which include a rooftop “5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar,” a pool deck, and two other dining venues.

Those include the Landshark Bar & Grill, where fish sandwiches, burgers and tacos rule the day along with icy libations and craft beer. There is also the Margaritaville Coffee Shop slinging morning lattes and midday sandwiches.

Live entertainment as well as recorded vacation-style music is common on most days. And if you’re around at the right time, you just might hear the hotel’s namesake song being played as you discover that Buffett’s lyrics jive to the escape you’re enjoying.