SAN DIEGO -- Many local landmark hotels are making major changes in an effort to compete with newer hotels around San Diego.

It's been more than two decades since renovations have been made to the historic Lafayette Hotel on El Cajon Boulevard.

All 131 rooms at the hotel will undergo a major facelift, as will its popular L Bar & Grill. The hotel's roof, air conditioning, windows and hot water system will also be changed.

"The hotel has great bones. It's just suffering from multiple organ failure," said Lafayette Hotel manager Jay Wentz.

Wentz said the landmark, built in 1942, was a popular escape for Hollywood celebrities. The renovation will uncover many historic attributes, including its original terrazzo floor.

The total cost of the project is $4 million, with half of the funding coming from a city redevelopment grant.

"Together we're going to produce a product that'll contribute to the renaissance of North Park," said Wentz.

The Lafayette Hotel's renovation is music to the ears of the El Cajon Boulevard Business Association. For 20 years, it's been working hard to improve the image of El Cajon Boulevard, which was once considered the place to be in San Diego, especially in the 1960s.

"Because it's such a huge property, anything that shows we're improving the Boulevard is a very good thing for us," said Jackie O'Connor of the El Cajon Boulevard Business Association.

The Lafayette Hotel plans to complete its renovations in a year or less.

Last year, hotel revenues dropped 21 percent throughout San Diego County because of fewer travelers. New hotels that opened during the downturn added nearly 1,000 new rooms, which adds to the competition.

At the Paradise Point Resort and Spa, renovations have completed just in time for the summer season. All 462 guest bungalows now have a whole new look and its convention center underwent a major overhaul as well. Paradise Point management is confident the $20 million investment will pay off.

"Being just newly renovated, it gives us something new and fresh to talk about and, most importantly, to bring the guests back," said Pat Rizco of the Paradise Point Resort and Spa.

Paradise Point's next goal is a $3 million project to renovate its restaurant by the San Diego Bay.