Resting in Nob Hill between California and Pine Street is the five-star Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. Once the Metropolitan Life Insurance building (erected in 1909), it is now a 336-room luxury hotel overlooking the Bay Bridge. The white columned building underwent a four-year renovation in 1991 and another in March of this year.
With a nod towards its historical roots, the hotel’s interior décor boasts 18th and 19th century antiques and offers views of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows. Within walking distance from Chinatown, the property also embraces local flair, welcoming each visitor to the lavish lobby with a fortune cookie. The redesigned guestrooms exude subtle masculinity through their furnishings, bedding, artwork and plush carpets.
Named “Best in America” by Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, the Ritz’s Club Level lounge grants exclusive access to guests staying on the hotel’s two top floors. Breakfast, lunch, light snacks and a wide array of beverages are offered daily beside a wood-burning fire. After an afternoon touring the City by the Bay, the cozy haven is a perfect place to escape from San Francisco’s chilly weather.
A stay isn’t complete without dinner at Parallel 37, the farm-to-table, fine dining eatery located on the lobby level. Sourcing seasonal ingredients from the area’s local farmers and artisans, Chef de Cuisine Michael Rotondo crafts an eight-course tasting menu which often changes nightly. Taking influence from global cuisine, each plate can be paired with a choice of housemade cocktails or a selection of Napa varietals. Our late-summer menu included sweet-corn risotto, local fish and lobster mushrooms along with succulent duck prepared and served three ways.
Recently opened, guests visiting the Ritz this fall can look forward to after-dinner drinks at the JCB Tasting Lounge by Jean-Charles Boisset. Situated on the lobby level, the opulent and intimate space mimics a playful yet chic boudoir. JCB lounge offers rare and exclusive wines along with Jean-Charles Boisset’s own line of custom accessories and unique souvenirs for gifting the most discerning wine connoisseurs.
