The Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa

Hotel description

The Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins, both classic hotels (and tourist attractions) in their own right, sit just a block away — but for a quiet, classic elegance and a taste of old-world San Francisco there’s nothing like the Huntington Hotel. Atop Nob Hill, the Huntington is ideally situated for commanding views of the Bay, the downtown skyline, and the surrounding architectural wonders — Grace Cathedral, the Flood Mansion, and Huntington Park.

It’s little exaggeration to say that stepping into the Huntington one feels transported to bygone era. Guest rooms are packed with antique furnishings and plush fabrics, each one individually decorated by one of a number of designers. Spaces are generous and walls are thick, owing to the hotel’s heritage as a luxury apartment house, and the suites are positively sprawling and opulent.

Just off the lobby is the Big Four restaurant, named for Nob Hill’s original aristocracy, the railroad barons Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins and C.P. Huntington himself. It’s no stretch to imagine the likes of the Big Four dining here, surrounded by mahogany-paneled walls and emerald-green leather banquettes. It’s one of San Francisco’s top restaurants, with a wine list to match. And on the other side of the lobby, a surprise; the Nob Hill Spa is as modern as can be, a minimalist setting for a vast array of health and beauty treatments.

The Huntington is a short (but steep!) walk from the theatre district, Union Square and the financial district, and is just off both of the remaining cable car lines, offering easy access to Fisherman’s Wharf, Little Italy and North Beach.