San Francisco's iconic Fairmont Hotel is a treasure to tourists and locals alike. It's also home to San Francisco's most expensive hotel suite, which is a 6,000 square foot full-floor apartment that'll run you a cool $15,000 a night. It's been on Curbed's Hotel 18 since the beginning, and it's got an incredibly lavish lobby and swanky public restrooms. What else to love? Situated on top of Nob Hill and just steps from the Pacific Union Club (which we can gawk at but sadly not go into) and Huntington Park, the hotel's historic relevance earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places (and is San Francisco Landmark #185) and is home to the world-famous and totally goofy Tonga Room. We decided to spend 30 minutes hanging around the hotel, and we'll update you on our findings LIVE in the post below.
12:45pm: We are heading to the hotel now. We'll be LIVE in about five minutes.
12:50pm: We (that'd be me, Sally, your friendly Curbed SF editor who is now going to stop typing in third person) are here! Judging by the amount of taxis lined up outside, quite a few people must being checking out at the very last second or opting for an early arrival:
12:51pm: I've decided to make a cozy and opulent corner of the vast hotel lobby my temporary office for the next 10 minutes. I believe this sofa is upholstered in mohair so I'm basically never leaving.
12:52pm:
What's more San Francisco than Beach Blanket Babylon? This gorgeous lady is wearing what appears to be a four hundred ton hat topped with iconic San Francisco buildings, like the Transamerica Pyramid, City Hall, and the famous painted ladies across from Alamo Park.
12:52pm: A quick glance at the really ornate mouldings on the ceiling:
12:54pm: I've moved over to a gilded side chair so I can do some eavesdropping.
- "I'm single but a yoga instructor."
- "We have to go to Union Square because that's where Gucci and Louis Vuitton are."
- "I haven't seen her since that Fourth of July fiasco."
- "This pasta salad is decent."
12:54pm: I am LOVING the mirrors at this hotel. They are fabulous:
12:56pm: Less words more photos. Here's one of the lamps in the lobby. I'm guessing the base is either mercury or Murano glass:
12:57pm: I have stumbled upon what I can only describe as a hidden entrance that's essentially a greenhouse. Here's a photo:
12:58pm: I've found the house phones. I tried to crank call the Curbed HQ office but alas, there was no outside line available.
1:00pm: I'm cruising down one of the very long hallways and have found the Tony Bennett appreciation wall. They really love him here.
1:01pm: I was starting to get lonely but then I found this guy:
1:03pm: I had forgotten about the roof garden! I am so happy I found this door so that I can go hang out there for a few minutes:
1:07pm: The roof garden has got to be wedding central, right? Also, I spotted the penthouse terrace!
1:08pm: I can smell the lavender. The views of downtown are amazing. I'd stay here all day but a group of office people who seem to have rented the adjoining space are giving me the evil eye. Time to head back to the lobby.
1:11pm: I just tried to take the only elevator to the penthouse, but it required a key. I guess I won't be crashing an early party.
1:14pm: I'm back in the lobby and realizing our my time here is up. Here's a final photo of the lobby in all its glamorous glory:
1:15pm: Fairmont Hotel, never change.
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