Element by Westin — Mission Valley, San Diego
The Element by Westin Mission Valley is San Diego County's first Element-branded hotel — a 148-key extended-stay property developed by Driftwood Capital as part of a $72 million project in the Mission Valley neighborhood. Built on the wellness-forward principles the Element brand is known for, the hotel shares an outdoor courtyard, swimming pool, and amenity deck with the adjacent San Diego Marriott Mission Valley while maintaining its own distinct identity.
Level Three was brought on to handle the audio design and AV integration for the hotel's guest-facing spaces. The challenge here was different from a nightlife venue or resort — the Element brand is about calm, clean design and wellness. The sound had to support that philosophy: present but never intrusive, warm but never heavy.
The Spaces
Lobby Bar & Lounge
The Element lobby features glass walls that open to an 800-square-foot outdoor patio, with ceiling art inspired by the flow of the San Diego River overhead. Level Three designed the audio system to maintain consistent coverage between the indoor lounge and the outdoor patio, so the sound experience holds together whether guests are inside at the bar or outside enjoying the Southern California air.
Pool Deck & Shared Amenities
The resort-style pool, cabanas, and outdoor fire pit terrace are shared with the adjacent Marriott but needed an audio presence that reflected the Element brand's personality. Level Three installed weatherproof speakers across the pool deck and terrace zones, calibrated for background ambiance that keeps the space feeling alive without competing with conversation or the sounds of the water.
Conference & Common Areas
With over 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space, the Element needed AV systems that could flex between corporate presentations, small gatherings, and background operation. Level Three integrated the conference rooms with presentation-ready audio and video, while the fitness center, corridors, and dining areas received distributed background music systems running on automated schedules aligned with the hotel's daily rhythm.
