What service can you provide to groups that they normally might not receive?
With enough advance notice we can arrange for night tours of Alcatraz or access to exclusive wineries. We’ve been known to access department stores during off hours for emergencies as well!
What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
It truly depends on the type of guest and the experience they would like to have. Our guests enjoy Vessel, Redwood Room, Bubble Lounge, Rickhouse, Top of the Mark, and Matrix Fillmore. There is something for everyone in San Francisco!
Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
Begin at the Transamerica Pyramid and make your way up Columbus Avenue, stopping at City Lights bookstore, one of the most iconic book shops in the City. Continuing through North Beach you must stop at any one of the great cafes for a quick espresso before heading to Washington Square, where you will see the locals doing Tai Chi in front of the magnificent St. Peter and Paul’s church. As you make your way up Columbus, turning right brings you to Lombard, the ‘crookedest’ street in the world. Not for the faint of heart, you climb up the hill to enjoy the phenomenal view and treat yourself to a cable car ride down to the end of the line, leaving you at the Buena Vista Café, home of the Irish Coffee!
Are there any quirky places we should check out?
Located at Pier 45, Musee Mechanique is home to one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. In the Mission District you must pay a visit to Paxton Gate, where you will find “treasures and oddities inspired by the garden and natural sciences” i.e. insects and taxidermy.
What is an unusual request from a group you’ve had?
I once had a request to obtain 300 PEZ dispensers, grass skirts and coconut bras!
A party of 12 wants to have dinner right away. What restaurant can accommodate last-minute requests of this size?
Our restaurant, Silks, would be able to accommodate a party of 12 on a last minute basis. Other restaurants who also might be able to help would be North Beach Restaurant, Oriental Pearl, and Chaya Brasserie.
What’s a unique event that has taken place at your property?
Weddings that take place on our 40th floor sky deck are quite unique. No other hotel has quite the view and the experience of having San Francisco at your feet. Having the Transamerica Pyramid, Coit Tower, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop is unbeatable!
To discover more eye-opening insights from top concierges, just visit our Concierge Insights section!
