Background This was Mandarin Oriental’s first US property, opening in 1987. The five-star property has recently completed its first bottom up refurbishment since then, stripping away many of the original Oriental motifs in favour of a more neutral, European design.
What’s it like? Housed in the ground and top 11 floors of a 48-storey office building (345 California Center, the third tallest in the city) the rooms take up a set of twin towers which face each other at a 45 degree angle, relative to the rest of the building. The two towers are linked by glass skybridges, which offer spectacular views of the bay. The hotel has its own lifts and entrance, which is clearly visible with a bright red carpet and uniformed doorman to greet you.
The entire property completed a ten-month, ground-up refurbishment in May, 2012 (also coinciding with its 25th anniversary) which saw the lobby transformed into the lively Brasserie S and P restaurant and the old Silks restaurant upstairs converted into meeting space, as well as all of the rooms being redesigned. The colour palette has moved from the old reds, golds and blacks of the hotel’s original 1980’s design, towards a more neutral scheme.
Where is it? Pretty much in the heart of the Financial District, not far from the great shopping available around Union Square and within walking distance of Chinatown and the North Beach district, renowned for its Italian restaurants and famous residents, namely Joe DiMaggio and Jack Kerouac.
Room facilities There are 151 rooms, all with Italian marble bathrooms, and seven suites, all with either Bay or City views. I was in a deluxe Bay view double, which - in my opinion - offers better views than that of the City side. Guests opting for a suite will be able to enjoy their own 75 sqm furnished terrace.
The first thing you will notice about the room is the spectacular view, owing to the hotel’s height and the relative lack of other tall buildings in San Francisco. From my room you could spot most of the city’s major landmarks, including the Coit Tower, Transamerica Pyramid and both the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay suspension bridges.
The bed was king size with a luxurious 100 per cent goose down duvet and Centium satin sheets, with an average thread count of 300. There was a divan against the back wall and a writing desk at the foot of the bed. The desk had personalised stationary in the top draw and power sockets which discreetly flip out from the wood.
A large flatscreen TV with separate DVD player swings out from the wall so as to be visible from the bed. A white cube radio with iPod connectivity was on one of the bedside tables. Wifi is charged at $5USD per hour or $15 per day.
There is a mini bar with premium spirits and champagne as well as a selection of sundries and snacks. There is also 24-hour room service available. A fresh fruit basket and accompanying personalised welcome card were nice touches and there were two Mandarin-branded bottles of water on the bedside tables which were replenished daily. Wardrobe space was ample and an iron and ironing board were provided.
The bathrooms are Italian marble and amenities are by Molton Brown. Mine had a large corner bath, walk in shower, sink with a vanity mirror and the toilet was located behind a small wall.
Restaurants and bars The 90 seat Brasserie S and P is the only restaurant in the hotel and serves casual Californian cuisine all day.
There is a small bar located at the far end of the restaurant which boasts a specialist Gin and Tonic menu. Guests can choose to eat small plates and enjoy a drink while sat at the bar and this looked a popular option to many of the smartly dressed local workers during my stay.
I ate dinner and breakfast at the Brasserie during my stay. On my first night I chose to dine at the hotel but was battling some jetlag so decided to opt for a lighter meal. I chose a Hendricks Gin and tonic, which unfortunately was flat, and a Crab Louis salad.
This was just what I wanted on my first night in San Francisco. Fresh crab mixed with a Louis dressing on top of a fresh salad of Italian leaves, lots of avocado and a side order of piping hot and salty French fries. My dining partner opted for the Turkey burger which I was told was delicious and very juicy.
I was welcomed down to breakfast the next day by name and given a leather booth in the corner. I ordered a gourmet Sebastopole mushroom omelette with caramelized onions and gruyere which came with roasted red skinned potatoes and house made ketchup (to see the menu, click here) and was cooked to perfection. Coffee and orange juice were offered and service was slick and always on hand to top up an empty cup. The restaurant was busy with lots of business meetings taking place, and this being Silicon Valley the talk was more of Amazon and Facebook than the FTSE.
Breakfast is served 0600-1100 Mon – Fri and 0700-1100 at weekends. Lunch is 1100-1600 daily and dinner 1600-2300.
Business and meeting facilities There is a business centre in the lobby which is open 24 hours a day and has two work stations. There is meeting space located on the second floor, accessible via stairs from the lobby, in the space formerly taken up by the Silks restaurant.
There is 465 sqm of versatile function space spread across seven rooms (including a fully stocked library and the boardroom), and a ceremonial deck on the 40th floor which can be used for receptions and weddings, all of which can be fully catered for by the in-house team. There are screens and audio visual equipment built in to each meeting room.
Leisure facilities A fitness centre opened the week after I checked out (September 8, 2012). I was allowed a glimpse in though which showed plenty of space with floor to ceiling mirrors, free weights, techno gym equipment and some treadmills and exercise bikes. The hotel is planning on doing Yoga and Pilates classes too, I was told.
The recent refit has allowed the Mandarin to create a spa on the third floor. This has a total of four treatment suites with rainforest showers and changing facilities, including one couples’ suite with twin beds. There are dedicated manicure and pedicure areas and a tea lounge all located within the spa centre. The spa opened October 1 and is open from 0900-2100 daily.
Verdict: Truly spectacular views coupled with seamless and personal service at every point, this hotel offers a luxury experience while being located right in the heart of the city, some achievement.
Fact file
- HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 151 rooms and seven suites.
- ROOM HIGHLIGHTS The views, large bathroom and nice personal touches.
- CONTACT Mandarin Oriental San Francisco, 222 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94104, Tel. +1 (415) 276 9888; mandarinoriental.com/sanfrancisco
- PRICE A midweek stay in a Deluxe Bay view room in mid-December start at $515 per night at best available rate and $564 for Bed and Breakfast.
Scott Carey
