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Living it up in San Francisco

From elegant oak doors to large suites, Amy Fernandes gives you a peek into The Palace Hotel and St Regis, in San Francisco

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St Regis standing tall and in the centre of the city
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The Palace Hotel in San Francisco, when you say it out aloud, sounds like an anomaly. San Francisco is a modern city, not like Paris or Prague or Udaipur, where castles and palaces are more frequent. And yet, there is the stately Palace Hotel, surrounded by the bustling city of San Francisco. Its history dates back nearly a century, when it played host to such guests as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. 
It opened its recently renovated doors six months ago and those of us who had the pleasure of staying there could see the grandeur of the past: High ceilings, oak doors with brass fittings, endless rows of corridors and just one lift (which begs the question—why bother with the gym?), and wide foyers leading to grand staircases. All of this blends elegantly with the 556 rooms that should really be compact, according to US sizes; instead, they’re large and the suites, larger. Wifi and widescreen television and all the trappings of 21st-century technology, including bliss of all bliss— seat warmers, nestle happily with old-world charm. When you get to the famed Garden Court restaurant (again, unlike new-fangled choices, The Palace Hotel, is unfussy. Choose between The Garden Court or The Pied Piper Bar, both untouched in spirit despite the refurbishing), comprising a large dining space, you see glimpses of a world before your time: a high-roofed atrium and doors so wide that women with hoops could pass through without brushing against each other. 


The Garden Court at The Palace Hotel, redolent in gold and the sophistication of a time gone by

The breakfast lounge (à la carte and a lavish buffet) easily transforms into a fancy gala dinner evening with long white tables dressed in flowers and sparkling tableware, complete with attendant gloved waiters. Only, tailcoats and gowns are replaced with Manolo Blahniks and Hugo Boss. In a way, the city itself is a reflection of The Palace Hotel, modern and bustling, yet grand and expansive, a city on the move yet with an unhurried pace. You get the impression that, unlike New York—which constantly prides itself on its hurried strides towards modernity, San Francisco takes one coy step at a time, which is fine, because modern trappings are to be found in the fine contemporary St Regis Hotel just a block away from The Palace Hotel. Incidentally, both are managed impeccably by the Starwood group, although the former belongs to the stables of The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts.

And yet, both compare and contrast in the same way that peaches does with cream and cheese with crackers. The Palace Hotel is all curves and arches, in pastel grey and blue,with heavy drapes and liveried waiters, and St Regis is all linear, high-tech and natural light, with a view of the San Francisco skyline, when you look out the wide plate-glass window. The bar that evening was buzzing with people, since the hotel was launching its series of jazz evenings with Jamie Cullum, whose 5-foot 2-inch frame delivered a punch with ragtime and American pop. Enjoy the impeccable butler service at the hotel, which has now become its trademark. Both hotels embrace the grace and sophistication of the city that’s just a step beyond the swing doors. And when you do step out, let San Francisco draw you into its magical spell of up-and- down hills and cable-car rides and songs that buzz in and out of your head like, ‘I left my heart in San Francisco.
The truth is, I did.


The Suite at The Palace Hotel

Getting Around
It’s easy to get pulled into the past and stay there awhile, pampered and protected, except that when the doors of The Palace Hotel open to the busy street outside you’re reminded that this is San Francisco and there is much to do and see. 

Luckily, the hotels are right in the centre of any action you choose. Whether it’s Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, the zig-zag Lombard Street, or just riding up and down the famous cable cars, you’re at your destination in a matter of minutes. 

Nicer still, is the fact that the shopping district, Chinatown and Tivoli Gardens are within easy commuting distance.​
 

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