The Westin St Francis - a celebrated San Francisco hotel since 1904

San Francisco – the wonderful city on the bay. The natural scenery is stunning. The buildings are a mixture of heritage Victorian grandeur and modern intrigue located in several distinct neighbourhoods. On a recent visit to this vibrant city I was fortunate to stay at The Westin St Francis on Union Square. This hotel is known as the “Ultimate Destination in San Francisco”.

The Westin St Francis has a long and glorious history dating back to the grand opening in 1904 of its two original wings. After the earthquake of 1906, the interior was gutted by fire even though the exterior stood intact. The interior was refurbished and the hotel re-opened in 1907. This original hotel was expanded in 1913 with the addition of a new third wing. It was expanded again in 1971 with the opening of the 32 story Pacific Tower. (The long and colourful history of The Westin St Francis is so interesting that I will write a separate article about it in a future edition of The Holiday and Travel Magazine.)

The hotel lobby is welcoming with its marble and columns historic decor. The check-in process was smooth, and the staff welcoming with their warm greetings.

The Westin St Francis has 1,195 guest rooms and is one of the largest hotels in San Francisco. I was privileged to stay in one of the Landmark Building  guest rooms at the front of the hotel. This was the original hotel tower opened back in 1904. A wonderful blending of history and comtemporary touches made my stay at The Westin St Francis most enjoyable.

What a wonderful room resplendent in its turn-of-the-century grandeur! My luxurious Grand Deluxe traditional Guest Room had a lovely high ceiling, crystal chandelier, ornate mouldings and bronze-patterned carpet. The classic furniture was hand crafted dark timber topped with gold and silver granite. The room was furnished with an executive desk and chair and had the provision of high-speed internet access. The room included two velvety arm chairs on either side of a round timber coffee table, a standard lamp and a sideboard with a mini-fridge inside and a flat screen 37” TV and coffee machine on top. Starbucks coffee was provided.

A very comfy queen sized “Heavenly Bed” with a pillow-top mattress and a premium down blanket, comforter, and pillows was flanked by two bed-side tables with reading lamps, phone and clock-radio. Lovely art works by local artists and a mirror adorned the walls.

The bathroom was exquisite with marble and wallpaper. It had a “Heavenly Bath” that I enjoyed soaking in with the plentiful hot water. The bathroom had a large mirror and vanity. Westin White Tea Aloe amenities were a welcome touch to the bathroom

My guest room was light and airy, as large windows were on two walls of my corner room. They provided a wonderful view overlooking Union Square. At night the thick full- length luxurious drapes blocked out any outside light and noise. A wonderful night’s sleep was had in this elegant guest room.

The guest rooms in the Pacific Tower, the most recent addition to the hotel, are larger and have bay windows. The higher floors provide views over the city. All these rooms have recently been refurnished.

The Westin St Francis is ideally situated in San Francisco. It is directly opposite Union Square and close to shopping and dining. For one meal I went to the wonderful Cheesecake Factory, on the top floor of Macey’s Department Store located on the side of Union Square. An Australian touch is the nearby Westfield's San Francisco Centre which has Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. The famous cable cars pass up and down in front of the hotel going to Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. Hop-on hop-off tour buses depart on a regular basis from Union Square. The BART train station is only three blocks away.

The Westin St Francis has all the services that one could desire to make their stay enjoyable. On exploring the hotel I came across the Fitness Studio, and noted the many high-tech treadmills, bicycles, and motion trainers. They had individual video screens and digital music available to make the work outs more pleasing. The Fitness Centre is free for hotel guests to use and is open all day and night.

The St. Francis Renewal Spa provides pampering in the form of body treatments and massage, skin care, hands & feet services.

Several dining options are available at The Westin St Francis, including the Bourbon Steak, a modern American steakhouse. The Oak Room Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual setting, with the choice of à la carte menu or a sumptuous buffet. Caruso’s is ideal for casual dining, an afternoon snack or quick bite. The Clock Bar is a cocktail lounge and bar that is ideal for meeting people.

A fully equipped Business Centre is located on the mezzanine floor of the Landmark Building.

The Westin St Francis is ideally set up for meetings, conferences and weddings. There are 33 meeting spaces available, ranging in size from small parlors to the large Grand Ballroom. A full range of audiovisual equipment and a variety of banquet and catering menus are available.

I found The Westin St Francis the ideal hotel to stay in when I visited San Francisco. The historical grandeur mixed with modern amenities, the comforts of my guest room, and the pleasant hotel staff all added to the pleasure of my stay. The Westin St Francis is the ideal temporary home-away-from home for any leisure or business traveller in San Francisco.

An admission here - I did not do my research before staying at The Westin St Francis. It was only when I arrived back in Australia that I realised that the tall tower behind the front heritage towers was part of the hotel. When I sat in Union Square admiring The Westin St Francis I thought the tall tower was a separate office block sitting behind the hotel. Even the photos I took of the hotel only captured the front older towers, not the taller Pacific Tower. I was so intrigued viewing the classic lines of the exterior of the front towers I did not notice the five glass lifts on the outside of the Pacific Tower. How I would have loved going up to the 32nd floor in them! I have since read they provide panoramic views of San Francisco and the bay. (Oh well, at least I have an excuse to go back for a return visit to The Westin St Francis.)

The Westin St Francis 

 

Address: 335 Powell Street San Francisco, California 94102
Phone: 415-397-7000
Reservations : (800) Westin 1

Website: http://www.westinstfrancis.com/