Tiki Hut, Town and Country Hotel

THE TIKI HUT, THE POLYNESIAN ROOM, TOWN AND COUNTRY HOTEL (1961–now)

The Tiki Hut (aka Tiki Pavilion, Tiki Room) is an event space built on the grounds of Charles H. Brown’s Town and Country Hotel in Mission Valley, San Diego. The octagonal shake-covered building was designed by Hendrick and Mock (Islands Restaurant, Hanalei Hotel) as part of a 1962 expansion project that brought 80 more rooms to the hotel complex. The pavilion was topped with a William Westenhaver Witco Mainlander carving named “Riki Tiki.”

On special occasions, Tiki torch flames or fireworks would be set off from his head. Riki caught fire a couple of times even though he was protected from the flames via a sheetmetal dulì (Chinese farmer’s hat).

San Diego Fire Department officials soon put a stop to that, and Riki Tiki was relocated to good ol’ terra firma. The pavilion and Riki Tiki have survived under various names to this day.

The Polynesian Room was a large event space in the Town and Country Hotel’s attached convention center addition.

Mission Valley
Town and Country Hotel
500 Hotel Circle North 
San Diego, CA 92108