The sparkling new 550-room InterContinental San Francisco, which when it opened in February claimed the distinction of being the largest property to open in the city in nearly 20 years by room count, was built to impress, in terms of location, design and high-tech features.
“The location, and our ability on the technology end, with Cat 6 cables—we are the only [hotel] in San Francisco to offer that—[sets us apart],” says Peter Koehler, general manager of the property. “We have wonderful function space—all with natural lighting—so the feedback we’ve got from clients is that they just feel very comfortable with it.”
Koehler says the new InterContinental, a contemporary, cool-blue glass structure rising 32 stories above the South of Market Area and adjacent to Moscone West, is primarily drawing clientele from the pharmaceutical, finance, alternative energy and biotech sectors.
But while the property’s clean lines, expansive use of open space and rich interior wood touches point to exquisite planning, there wasn’t much time for a dress rehearsal before opening, according to Koehler.
“I was so surprised,” he says. “We moved into the building three-and-a-half weeks prior to opening, and on day four we were fully booked with groups, with no ramp-up time.”
Embracing the latest architectural trend, the InterContinental San Francisco boasts a sleek glass exterior that allows for floor-to-ceiling views from both guest and meeting rooms of what is one of the most photogenic cities in the world, and which also melds with the exterior of the adjacent Moscone West, creating a seamless transition.
Standard guest room features include plasma TVs, a large workspace and superior bedding with a choice of pillows. A special treat are the corner rooms above the seventh floor, which offer a large bathroom with a generous tub and separate shower.
The hotel’s 43,000 square feet of meeting and function space includes 21 meeting rooms on the third, fourth and fifth floors, along with two ballrooms, including the 6,800-square-foot Grand Ballroom and 5,600-square-foot InterContinental Ballroom.
For one-on-one meetings, Koehler recommends the Club InterContinental lounge, which shares the sixth floor with the 5,050-square-foot I-Spa, a premier spa facility with 10 treatment rooms. Great small-event options on the same floor include the Spa Terrace and Bay Terrace.
For More Info
InterContinental San Francisco 415.616.6500 www.intercontinentalsanfrancisco.com
