HotelChatter

Overall

Ian Schrager’s Hotels are always an experience, and Schrager’s San Francisco creation, and the Clift Hotel, is no exception. From the historic Redwood Room Bar to the sparsely decorated rooms the Clift provides its guests with a memorable “Schrager” experience. The Clift Hotel’s “modernly historic” exterior, an Schrager trademark, is awkwardly out of place in the tourist driven Union Square section of town. You look at it and say, Ok dark windows, pointy bushes, yeah I am at the right place, but something is different. It could be the fact that the stodgy St. Francis, and a bunch of over hyped shopping destinations are right around the corner. Sure South of Market would have been the perfect location for Schrager’s SF creation, but let’s just revel in the fact that there is finally a Schrager property in the Bay Area.

Rooms

The rooms are straight out of the Schrager manual: tiny, crisp, and complete with all the accoutrements that Schrager usually ads (CD/DVD rentals, etc), yet the minimalistic decor and the mirrored walls create the illusion of a much larger room.

Location

The property is steps away from Union Square, which geographically a good spot to be, whether you are a tourist or a business traveler. As a tourist you can hop on the Powell/Hyde cable car, have an Irish Coffee at Buena Vista, walk by the street artists and through Ghirardelli Square to Fisherman’s Wharf take a cab back to the Clift to complete the circular tour of San Francisco’s major tourist attractions. As a biz traveler you are a short walk from Bart or the Muni and there is a Starbucks right across from the hotel where you can get T mobile Wife access.

View

The room I stayed in came compete with a sunny view up Nob Hill.

Details

As usual for a IS property where the Clift Hotel really treats you is with its quirky amenities and the hip yet friendly staff. The Redwood Room bar is a destination for locals and biz folks, and the exercise room more than makes up for its lack of size with its plasma tv’s, free newspapers and overall look and feel. I had a long conversation with the bell hop (Dave) who was ultra friendly and willing to give me any information I needed about SF, and the doorman made sure he slipped a map of SF with directions to the hotel into my rental car as he opened the door for me. Friendliness is always a nice touch.

Conclusion

When you stay here, don’t compare this property to other Schrager properties in Manhattan, or you will be disappointed. Instead, enjoy the Clift Hotel’s convenient location, the Redwood Room, and most of all enjoy the experience, which now you can thankfully get in San Francisco.

Price

Want to spend Halloween weekend in The City? Feel like attending the crazy Castro festivities? Found a room at The Clift for the weekend at a rate of $195.00.

Want to go at a different time? Ian Schrager Properties runs Web Specials often. Check out prices for your stay.