Few San Francisco hotels offer the stunning views afforded by the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero. The hotel is ideal for San Francisco first timers who might want to orient themselves from above before setting out for exploration. (The top floor ‘Eye Spy from the Sky’ game is a great place to start.) Located on the upper 11 floors of the 48-story 345 California Center building, the luxury hotel’s rooms and suites graze the clouds, providing incredible vistas that morph by the minute based on the flow of the region’s famous fog. Landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid, Salesforce Tower, Alcatraz Island, the Bay Bridge, and San Francisco Bay appear and reappear as the soft gray shroud advances and recedes.
For those who already well-know the City by the Bay, the hotel’s lure is the intuitive service and personalized care for which the Four Seasons brand is so beloved. There is something reassuring about being addressed by name when calling room service, or when exiting and entering the lobby. The hotel’s central, financial district locale puts guests just steps, or a cable car ride, from major international businesses, Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury shopping in Union Square, walkable neighborhoods such as North Beach and Chinatown, and the Embarcadero waterfront, with its twice-weekly Ferry Building farmers market.
Design inspiration came courtesy of the surrounding panoramas. The firm Marzipan chose a bright and crisp palette with splashes of color punctuating bespoke furnishings and carefully chosen textiles such as the custom-designed, hand-tufted wool rugs. Thoughtful details are everywhere, such as the threads of gold woven through the wallcoverings that represent the city’s gold rush history. Spa-like bathrooms, starring Parisian bath amenities by Codage Paris, feature freestanding soaking tubs positioned to take advantage of daylight sunshine and the glittering nighttime landscape.
Spacious suites make the hotel ideal as a remote work location (staff can secure a loaner printer, extra chargers and cables, and other office supplies as needed ), and unique offerings make it perfect for a weekend getaway. Through the end of the year, guests can explore the region and beyond (Stinson Beach perhaps?) in a new Maserati Levante SUV. Named for the Mediterranean wind that can change from calm to gale in an instant, the Levante is available for a complimentary 24 hours to those who book a suite.
And budding or expert photographers can take advantage of ‘San Francisco Through the Lens,’ with lessons from award-winning photographer Adam Jacobs who will impart his know-how for capturing frame-worthy images of your muse of choice: landmarks near the hotel, cuisine, or family shots.
Additionally, the in-room dining menu allows for everything from breakfast in bed to working lunches, romantic dinners, and late-night snacking. Work off your indulgences at the third-floor state-of-the-art fitness center that overlooks some of the city’s most historic buildings.
Photos courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero
