We took a look inside the HotelChatter Flickr Pool and were delighted to see a new batch of pics from member Pat+ of the St. Regis San Francisco. Here he got an inside look at the hotel's Astor Suite which looks pretty sweet to us. However, don't judge a suite by its gadgets. Pat+ writes:
The suite's corner living room offers a great view on downtown SF, and the fog adds a mystical dimension. The suite includes a sound sytem, multiple plasma screens and DVD players, Remede bathroom amenities, a rain shower, and butler service. Overall though I found the walls to be somewhat bare, the living room design a bit uninspiring; and the service I experienced definitely didn't meet the St. Regis standards.
Whoops. Good to know before we dropped $700 on this room.
Every so often we feature a hotel review from one of our readers that we feel should be shared with the rest of you dear hotel guests. These reviews are highlighted because they are timely, about cool hotels in cool places and are relatively level-headed. Think you can submit one just like this? Send it in. Now, we present you with solid reviewer Michael S. Dacko's review of the W San Francisco which got a new look. Enjoy.
The W San Francisco was one of the original W's that laid the foundation of what "W" stood for in 1999. Fearing that I was going to spend 2 weeks at a trendy hotel to find "wear n tear" left and right was my main concern. Boy was I wrong!
The W San Francisco has renovated their interior quite a bit to keep sleek and posh like the rest of the new Ws, but original and unique just as all the Ws are. Since San Francisco has such an Asian influence in the city, the designer took much of that Asian influence and incorporated designs in with it. (Check out the elevators!)
Taking an $11,000 bath in Evian water may sound like the bee's knees to some germ-o-phobes, but for most of us level-headed decadents, if we're gonna shell out serious cash, we want to at least get out of the bath with a nice bubbles buzz.
Luckily the St. Regis San Francisco offers a bath menu for a variety of rich addictions. For couples in love, the Rose petal package is right up your alley for throwing on a snorkel and diving mask momentarily and coming up with a diamond for proposing.
For those of us looking to just straight kick-it all luxe, there is a Chocolate Extravagance package and two separate Champagne packages.
But our favorite is the Krug Ultimate Bath which includes Caspian Osetra Caviar paired with a Magnum of Krug. A Magnum of Krug, our idea of perfect alone time.
As an enticement for every kind of traveler, the Four Seasons San Francisco just announced three specials available now through December 31.
First, there's the shopping deal. For the rate of $470 a night, you get a $100 Bloomingdale's gift card, a Bloomie's gift and 15% off additional store purchases, package wrapping and delivery (this would come in handy around the holidays), overnight valet parking, and a makeover at the Chanel counter.
Second, is the get-in-shape deal. A nightly room rate of $595 comes with an hour-long private trainer session, a 50-minute massage (per room, per night, in your room or in the spa), and a daily fruit plate and smoothie.
Lastly is the I-don't-have-to-check-out-yet special. Two nightly room rates of $510 pre-paid gets you the third night for free, with a free hotel breakfast for two thrown on the tab.
In our opinion, the hotel will get the biggest bang on the Bloomie's deal. For Europeans and their powerhouse Euro-dollar exchange rate, a 15% discount will go a long way. Heck, they can buy the Chanel counter.
The New York Times knows that it's what's on the inside that counts. Which is why despite vehement dislike of the 32-story Intercontinental San Francisco's architectural attributes (our favorite: that its turquoise and glass make it look like "a deodorant stick"), the Times bestows the new hotel with a rave review. Writes Chris Colin:
"...[T]he view from the inside is quite different. The muted beige interiors are well proportioned and calming. The service is polished. And many of the hotel's 550 rooms offer spectacular views of the low-slung city."
Colin particularly enjoyed the hotel's "cozy" lounge, "airy" fitness center and "large and inviting" rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. (He recommends paying more for a king bed superior to be guaranteed a room above the 12th floor, which apparently offers killer views of San Fran and all the way out to Oakland.)
Room rates start at $229, a pretty reasonable rate that will likely attract business travelers and shoppers alike, given the hotel's SoMa (South of Market Street) location, within walking distance of the financial district and "gobs of shopping," according to Colin.
So unless you're really shallow, sounds like this purported Ugly-Betty building may be worth checking out.
We are suckers for a room with a killer view. We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.
It was taken at the Marriott San Francisco's View Lounge atop the hotel on the 39th floor-- a view which we can't get enough of. And the good news about this view is that anyone can check it out.
The folks over at Perfect Escapes have an inside look at the forthcoming Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco. The hotel won't be open until late February but PE details what to expect, including some voyeuristic bathrooms.
Each room has a flat panel tv, hi-speed internet, and an iPod docking stereo. I'm kind of surprised every hotel doesn't have that yet. The size of the rooms vary, as does the "unique" features, such as some of the rooms on the north face, which have very public viewing bathrooms. The entire wall of one bathroom was a window overlooking the neighboring office building. If you close the drapes, you're fine. But definitely a bit unsettling.
Another voyeuristic view option can be found in the rooms overlooking the outdoor area of the spa which may make the spa-goers a little uncomfortable.
The hotel will be a big hit for convention goers as its adjacent to the Moscone Center in the SoMa area. But it's also probably a good bet for shoppers as its near the Westfield Shopping Center with the enormous Bloomingdales. One final suggest from PE: Get a room on the top floor to maximize your city views.
After the crying babe at Hotel Tomo, SFO*Media Publisher Mark Johnson quickly made a reservation at the Westin Market Street (formerly the Argent Hotel) in San Francisco where he was promptly shown to room 2416.
There awaited him a room with floor to ceiling windows, views of Alcatraz and downtown and a glimpse of the Bay Bridge. Not bad for a Westin.
We can only wonder if the hotel made him feel as if he were escaping the urban jungle for a rain forest. Hopefully, he'll answer our question in his full report due Monday. Until then, browse his Flickr photos to satiate yourselves.
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by juliana
