View of the Luisa Tetrazzini Suite at Chateau Tivoli, Steiner St, San Francisco.Looking at San Francisco's Rich and Varied Hotels
San Francisco has been a tourist destination long before the word tourist became popular. Its legendary hotels have been shelters for presidents, kings and opera stars since the 19th Century. As part of our ongoing travel book project, San Francisco Secrets, we took another look at a handful of hotels that share some of the city's rich and eccentric past and a few new ones that caught our attention.
The Palace Hotel on Market St. is one of San Francisco's most legendary. Enrico Caruso was tossed out of bed by the 1906 Earthquake here. President Warren Harding died here under less than respectable circumstances. The Palace, with its grand glass domed central hall, the Garden Court, is the most classical elegant meeting space in the Western U.S.
Pied Piper Bar and Grill at the Palace Hotel, featuring the famous painting by artist Maxfield Parrish.
The Clift is one of the finest examples of Art Deco exuberance found anywhere. What is amazing is the fact that it was not destroyed when Philippe Starck remodeled it 15 years ago. Having a drink in the Redwood Room should be on everyone's bucket list.
Lobby inside the Clift, boasting eclectic furniture including Philippe-Starck-designed Big Arm Chair.
The W San Francisco hotel should be a corporate cookie cutter type of place serving the convention crowd. It's not. It is a chic, well-designed modern space that is several steps above it's south of Market neighbors. It has a hip, sophisticated uptown look in a downtown environment. Third and Howard St. is a busy intersection, but once inside the hotel, you don't realize that you are in the heart of the city.
Living room fireplace at the W.View from the second floor lounge.The design concept for the lobby was inspired by the city, laid out in a grid pattern, constantly being interrupted by periods of shifting fog.
Chateau Tivoli is one of those 19th Century Victorian mansions that survived the fire of 1906, the hippies of the 1960s and the New Age communalists of the 1970s. Today it is a beautifully restored mansion that reminds us that this was always a classy place. You can almost hear the opera stars of old who were guests back in the day. Their names along with other famous San Francisco persona are on the doors of each of the nine rooms and suites.
The parlor inside Chateau Tivoli, artfully restored with Victorian-era and furnishings and decor.
A View From the Other Side of the Camera
We thought we would get a bit personal and give you a look at what happens on the other side of the camera. Kristen Paulin is always documenting the job so she can tease her midwestern friends on Facebook. Here are a few snapshots from behind the scenes.
Food shot inside the Garden Court at the Palace Hotel.Working on the eclipse day in August. Thank you, Catharine Garber of FGY Architects, for supplying our eclipse glasses.Working with plates of dim sum at Dragon Beaux.Adjusting the drinking chocolate at Dandelion Chocolate.Above: Russell, reviewing proof sheets on site in Hillsborough, for Swatt | Miers Architects.
Below: sampling the wares at Paul's Hat Works, Geary Blvd, one of 30 retail stores to be included in San Francisco Secrets.
