The Grand Old Dame of Bay Area Hospitality

San Francisco is a city of gorgeous, palatial, historic hotels.

This is in no small part owing to the 1906 earthquake that leveled much of the city, requiring the rebuilding of vast portions of town in the Beaux Arts style.

The Fairmont San Francisco, perched atop Nob Hill, was under construction at the time of the earthquake and suffered significant damage but remained largely intact. Julia Morgan, a (then-rare) female architect, shored up the hotel with reinforced concrete—which was cutting-edge earthquake proofing for the time.

The hotel opened the following year as one of the most luxurious accommodations on the West Coast. 

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The United Nations charter was drafted at this hotel in 1945, and a plaque marks the occasion today. That year also saw the opening of the tiki-themed Tonga Room, converted from a swimming pool into a Polynesian fantasy complete with live music on a floating barge.

In the early ‘60s, Tony Bennett first crooned about leaving his heart in San Francisco here atop the hill “where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars.” Today, a statue of the singer sits in the garden in front of the building.

From a guest perspective, this grand old dame looks spectacular for 110 years of age. The multi-story, gardenia fragrance-polished stone lobby draws marble-cooled breaths and outpours with the excess of the city’s Gilded Age ascendance. Endless corridors hide treasure such as a rooftop apiary where bees provided the hotel’s dining guests with honey; plenty of shopping and conference space; a gracious rooftop garden with a fountain and mature palms almost incongruous (albeit welcome) in the midst of such an unforgettable urban setting.

Those who forego the cable car to hike up Nob Hill themselves won’t be disappointed with their reward: the hotel’s tower rooms command some of the best views in the city.

My own corner room high atop the tower had a wraparound view from south, across the Transamerica Pyramid and Coit Tower to Fisherman’s Wharf. Elevator lobbies and north-facing rooms have views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge (when it’s not foggy).

The hotel is well-situated for visitors, sitting at the crossroads of two cable car lines. (If one has the patience, for the cars often run full during peak periods and waiting for one with an empty slot can eat into valuable time. There are cheaper and easier ways to get around the city without climbing the hills.)

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The Tonga Room is still in operation and offers a throwback experience unlike anything else. Quite clearly a fine representation of tiki, rather than Polynesian culture, it’s a nod to a place and time when imagination coupled with a Pacific sensibility sharpened by war, creating a wholly mid-century phenomenon.

The Tonga Room is perhaps one of the last remaining outposts of this craft.

The menu has been ever-so-slightly refined to appeal to more modern tastes while clearly aspiring to the often dubious culinary aspirations of yesteryear. Drinks are classic kitsch with a perfectly faithful version of the 1944 Mai Tai (which is entirely liquor with nary a splash of juice in sight). Instagram moments abound, whether with the floating band in the background or via cocktail served in a whole pineapple.

The hotel’s chandelier-crested corridors on the public space floors seem to cascade from the lobby down the side of the hill. They are resplendent with plenty of history to stir the imagination, such as a Christmas Day 1941 breakfast and dinner menu, which reveal the similar fare and pricing. (Breakfast entrees for $1 at the time are $17 today adjusted for inflation.)

It all leads one to wonder what sort of conversation and worries clouded that Christmas meal just weeks into a new world war.

In a way, it makes sense that there were those who sought solace in the fine accommodations and proud edifice of the Fairmont. In times both trying and happy during the following decades and through today, the hotel succeeds in the hallmarks of good hospitality: comfort, security, solace and escape.

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The Takeaway: With no end to entertainment and comfortable corners for quiet escape, the Fairmont San Francisco affords visitors and residents alike the ultimate luxury: choice.

The Damage: The lowest I’ve seen rates is around $299 per night.

Instagrammable Moment: If the lobby is empty enough for a clean shot, take it. Otherwise, tower views of the city and the rooftop garden are memorable moments to capture.

Loyalty: Fairmont President’s Club.

Good to Know: If taking BART from Oakland or San Francisco Airports, invest in surface transport to the hotel from the station. Nob Hill is unforgiving when toting luggage, and it’s not particularly welcome on a cable car.

The hotel has a house car available for short trips in the evening, but this isn’t well advertised. Inquire with the door staff or concierge for more information.

Accommodations and some meals were provided by The Fairmont San Francisco in preparation for this story.