Fairmont Hotel San Francisco

Thomas Klein, Regional Vice President and General Manager of the Fairmont Hotel San Francisco, has a wonderful story to tell about the cultural and historical significance of the hotel. The Fairmont is one of California’s most prestigious places to stay; located where Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square meet, hotel guests find themselves right in the heart of San Francisco’s most popular areas.

Fairmont Hotel San Francisco Manager, Thomas Klein.

For more than a century, The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco has been synonymous with service excellence. The hotel’s commitment to providing unrivaled service to its guests is what sets the landmark hotel apart from its competition.

For example, The Fairmont San Francisco was the first hotel to offer the services of a concierge in the United States. In the 1970s, a pioneering employee named Tom Wolfe, who trained as a concierge in Europe, set up a concierge desk in the hotel lobby. Because most Americans were not familiar with the concept, he placed a note in each guest room explaining the concierge’s role and the ways in which he could assist travelers. Wolfe later founded the United States chapter of the international organization of hotel lobby concierges, Les Clefs d’Or, in 1978.

Today, Fairmont President’s Club, which is complimentary, offers an exceptional guest loyalty program and personalized room preferences which are noted at all Fairmont properties.

The Fairmont’s classic architecture sets it apart from the completion. In addition, due to its location atop exclusive Nob Hill, The Fairmont boasts unparalleled views of the Bay Area. Since all of the cable car lines intersect in front of the hotel, The Fairmont is also just a ride away from the city’s most popular attractions.

Crowned by three ornate domes and shimmering chandeliers, The Laurel Court provides the perfect backdrop for an elegant culinary experience. The Laurel Court serves delicious regional cuisine that showcases the rich bounty of Northern California. In addition, the restaurant’s extensive wine list features many biodynamic wines from the nearby Wine Country.

As one of the nation’s first tiki palaces, The Tonga Room has delighted guests with its tropical ambiance, decadent libations and delicious island cuisine since 1945. In order to provide a truly authentic experience, The Tonga Room serves fresh fish flown in from the Hawaiian Islands on its dinner menu. The restaurant’s exciting Polynesian ambiance features light tropical rainstorms and a top-40 band performing from a thatch-covered barge on the pool, a dance floor built from the remains of the S.S. Forester which once traveled from San Francisco to the South Seas. It’s also interesting to note that the Mai Tai was created by a Tonga Room bartender in the 1940s.

My favorite dish in The Tonga Room is Peppered Beef Tenderloin served with baby bok choy, oyster mushrooms and a black pepper-soy glaze. The Pan Blackened Sea Scallops with bacon scented sweet yam puree and sautéed spinach is out of this world in The Laurel Court.

The Fairmont’s rich heritage is intertwined with history of San Francisco. Scheduled to open soon after April 18, 1906, The Fairmont survived The Great Earthquake that struck that day, but was ravaged by the subsequent fire. When the hotel opened exactly one year after the earthquake, it symbolized the rebirth of San Francisco.

Since 1907, the landmark hotel has hosted American presidents beginning with William Howard Taft, witnessed the drafting of the United Nations Charter in 1945, and provided the stage where Tony Bennett first sang “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” in 1962. In fact, the flags which adorn the hotel’s porte cochere represent the countries that participated in the drafting of the United Nations Charter in the hotel’s Garden Room.

The Fairmont Hotel is a luxurious San Francisco legend.

The Fairmont, which was designated San Francisco Landmark No. 185 in 1986, was named one of America’s 150 Favorite Architectural Works in a public poll sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2007. Julia Morgan, the first female graduate of Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, was the architect of The Fairmont, which cost $5 million to build in 1907. Morgan later designed Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Calif.

The hotel’s exterior resembles an Italianate palace and the interiors evoke turn-of-the-20th century elegance. We are classical by design and contemporary in spirit. While The Fairmont has been restored to its original splendor, the guest rooms have been renovated to provide elegant and very inviting accommodations while also offering state-of-the-art amenities designed for today’s most discerning traveler. For example, the hotel’s 591 guest rooms and suites now feature pillow-top mattresses, feather pillows and Frette linens along with 37” flat panel televisions, ihomes with alarm clock and cordless telephones.

Spanning the entire eighth floor of the historic Main Building, The Penthouse features 6,000 square feet of luxury – offering one-of-a-kind accommodations for today’s discerning traveler as well as the ultimate venue for important events. This grand dame of hotel suites, which was constructed as a private residence in 1926, showcases a stylish décor that blends contemporary sophistication with old-world glamour.

The Fairmont is a home-away-from-home for many celebrity guests and that is due in part to the hotel’s discretion. Since it has been reported in the news, I am happy to share that President Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Governor Mike Huckabee and Mayor Rudy Giuliani all visited The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco during their quest for the presidency.

The hotel’s gilded guest list includes United States Presidents, world leaders, legendary entertainers and sports figures. In addition to debuting “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” in The Venetian Room, Tony Bennett likes to paint San Francisco scenes from his suite at The Fairmont.

Guests can visit beautiful Huntington Park, the San Francisco Cable Car Museum and Grace Cathedral. Inspired by Notre Dame in Paris, Grace Cathedral is the second largest Episcopal Church in the United States and features two stunning labyrinths that are open to the public.

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