Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2007 - (Page 18) HOTELS SAINT REGIS SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL The vibe of our stay at the five-star St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco (www.stregis.com/sanfrancisco) was set immediately by the lobby, which in reality is an extended lounge area—it has a 16-foot open fireplace—whose nucleus is the Lobby Bar. In early afternoon it’s a well-lit place in which to conduct business, but as 5 p.m. rolls in it evolves into one of the most exciting after-hours venues in the city. Like most of San Francisco, the scene is quite democratic; we saw young people in Birkenstocks settle in as comfortably as those in the ACCESS: We dined at two very different venues in San Francisco, A. Sabella’s (www.asabellas.com; contact Tony Salinas or Antone Sabella at 415771-6776 for a top table), an institution on San Francisco’s Fisherman's Wharf, and Cafe Maritime (www.cafemaritimesf.com; contact owner Mark Mitcheltree at 415-885-2530 to inquire about their Sunday brunch), which serves up “uncomplicated” seafood on Lombard Street. (Note: Do not leave without trying “Mark’s Mom’s Coconut Cream Pie.”) most stylish Manolo Blahniks. Hot tip: Try the Key Lime Martini. When it’s time to retire, a Grand Deluxe Room does the trick. Ours, room 2007, had views over the Yerba Buena Gardens and Center for the Arts. At first glance, furnishings seemed sparse, but as we settled in we realized that nearly all of the storage space was sleekly built in. We loved the digital assistant controls that allowed us to close the drapes automatically and set the do-not-disturb sign from the comfort of our bed. Note: Rooms in this category ending in 03-08 serve up the best views of the sunset. The top pick at the hotel is the one-bedroom Presidential Suite, which has a dining room. Next in line are the St. Regis Suites on the 19th and 20th floors. At 1,500 square feet, they have one bedroom, one and a half bathrooms, a living room and a dining area. Meanwhile, St. Regis Suites offer views of the Financial District and Bay Bridge. (Note: All are bookable via the GDS.) A good pick for families is the Metropolitan Suite, which has a corner location, windows throughout, and a dining area for four. At 980 square feet, it connects to a room with two double beds or a St. Regis Suite. If these quarters 18 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | August 2007 http://www.stregis.com/sanfrancisco http://www.asabellas.com http://www.cafemaritimesf.com
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