|
The
Luxe St. Regis in San Francisco
by Susan Van Allen
My
waiter sets down a picture-perfect plate
before me.
“Ms.
Van Allen, a mini-chocolate chip pancake
with raspberry and toasted almond steamed
milk,” he says.
I
only ordered oatmeal for breakfast, but
here was this handsome young man presenting
me with a divine amuse bouche. An amuse
bouche at breakfast? Throughout my entire
stay at San Francisco’s Hotel Saint
Regis, elegant touches such as this subtly
slipped their way in.
 |
|
Ultra
modern lobby
|
I
pop a tasty bite of the pancake into my
mouth, reclining back in culinary bliss.
Vibrant yellow orchids in the Vitrine
restaurant add dramatic color to the simply
styled, white dining room where a wall
of windows opens to a beautiful San Francisco
morning. Classical guitar music fills
the soft, foggy morning.
I’ve become a big fan of Saint Regis
since having stayed at its landmark New
York hotel and The Grand in Rome. It's
not just because every inch of these properties
are exquisitely beautiful and luxurious,
but also because my stays at both brought
on such deep relaxation — creating
a feeling that I could easily move in
and call these places home.
As
I drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles,
I wondered if this Saint Regis —
opened in November 2005 — would have
the same magic as the others.
I’d
lived in San Francisco during the 80s
when the neighborhood where the hotel
currently stands was a no-man’s land
at the edge of the city's Financial District.
As I made my way to the Saint Regis, I
found the neighborhood had transformed
itself into one of the city’s most
happening spots. Neighboring the Saint
Regis are the impressive San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art and the Yerba Buena
Arts Center and Gardens. Hip natives and
tourists filled the windy streets, toting
bags from the nearby shops including Gap,
Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales.
 |
|
Hotel
Fireplace
|
As
I set foot inside the hotel, I let out
a gasp at the 16-foot long, narrow fireplace
in the Zebra wood lobby. Though the décor
in the Rome and New York hotels is elegantly
European, this west coast property pays
homage to Asian influences. Its sleek
lines and style is quintessentially contemporary
San Francisco — seamlessly blending
earth tones, splashes of vibrant red and
lighting to create an airy ambiance.
I sunk into the "I’m at home'
feeling" when I entered my 20th floor
room. A Mozambique wood door opened to
the limestone entranceway, leading to
a spacious room of cream colored, leather-stitched
walls. Warm touches including a chaise
lounge, separate vanity area, pretty pillows
and succulents on the window ledges accented
the room, where I settled in to enjoy
the city view. The butler who showed me
in demonstrated the digital bedside control
panel where I could adjust the room's
lighting, temperature and window shades
at my desire.
“And here’s the closet,”
he said, popping open a limewood door
that blended into the wall. Apparently
many guests had a difficulty time locating
it.
The
room's huge bathroom featured a deep tub,
separate rain head shower and a vanity
sink with a small TV at its side. I indulged
in a bubble bath and pampered myself with
Remede spa amenities, before wrapping
up in a soft terry robe and stretching
out on the king-sized bed. In front of
the bed was 40-inch plasma TV and a view
of the evening fog as it rolled past one
wall of windows. Ahhh... there it was
again — that heavenly Saint Regis
feeling.
 |
|
Standard
Room
|
I
reluctantly checked out the next morning,
but not before deciding to prolong my
stay at the hotel's Remede spa. I started
off my relaxation adventure in the 50-foot
heated pool. I had the entire glorious
place to myself, which allowed me to quietly
enjoy the light streaming in from the
glass walls. Curling up near the window,
I laid back on a leathered, window ledge
cushion to relax before my massage.
The spa offers customized massages and
facials, which allowed me to create my
own experience. As gentle flute music
played in the background, my masseur started
off with a parafango foot wrap. He then
mixed Swedish and Shiatsu techniques to
expertly rub the knots out of my aching
body, ending with a pleasant scalp massage.
Afterwards, so euphoric out I could hardly
walk, I was led into a relaxation room.
There, alongside water, tea and fruit,
was another Saint Regis elegant surprise
— chocolate truffles and champagne.
I sipped the bubbly slowly, popping a
rich chocolate into my mouth, and slid
back into that that calm, “only at
the Saint Regis,” experience.
If
You Go…
St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco
125 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-284-4000
|
