Designed by architect Michael Graves, this 16-story tower, topped with a crescent-shaped roof, was a startling sight when it appeared beside I-5 in 1989. These days, a full-scale community with a sea of townhouses and condos, plus several shopping areas, surrounds the hotel. The area is a sensible base as it gives easy access to the interstate, UCSD, several world-class scientific institutes, and all of La Jolla's attractions. With 417 guestrooms, the Hyatt is a magnet for meeting groups, academic gatherings, and business travelers, but it works for vacationers as well. All you need is a room on one of the higher floors with stunning views of sky and sea. A renovation in 2014 added a coastal flair to the guestrooms, with walls and textiles in soft blues and greys and modernistic furnishings. All the benefits of a luxury chain hotel are at hand, including a club floor with complimentary beverages and food in a private lounge; a long outdoor pool with plenty of lounge chairs, cabanas, fire pits and other comforts; access to one of La Jolla's most prestigious health clubs; and proximity to some of the area's best restaurants in the Aventine complex, also designed by Graves.