Grand Hyatt SFO

The Grand Hyatt at SFO (NOT Grand Hyatt San Francisco) was such a pleasurable hotel stay that I may fly into or out of SFO overnight just to stay there again! A long road trip to Sonoma for a wedding required an overnight stay for me to recuperate enough to arrive at the celebration with a smile on my face :) 

After my usual stopover at Harris Ranch to refuel the car and my body, it was a relief to arrive to a beautiful, clean, comfortable, and new LEED hotel. The most challenging part of my arrival was figuring out how to drive into the hotel! Several employees said they also had trouble for a week or two when they started working there because it is very tricky if you are driving into the hotel. Most guests take the skytrain which comes in directly to the hotel from SFO, so there were flight crews mixed in with people with luggage checking in and out as they perused the very handy flight board behind the check in counter. Rooms during my 2 stays were about $350 including all taxes, fees, and valet parking (which I paid for in advance using the Hyatt app as a member, and it was a reasonable $36 a night with in and out privileges, as opposed to double price for hotel parking in SF proper).

Not much action at the airport, but one waiter said every 2 months or so there is actually an event that calls for the emergency crews to scramble to this area.

The 2 story lobby atrium sculpture looks great both day and night, and from both above and below.

I asked for an ADA room without feathers and they delivered a wonderfully comfy bed, with 2 sets of robes, slippers, and a note from housekeeping saying that it was checked for feathers before my arrival!

The removable shower/tub seat was handy for getting in and out, and the handle bars were thoughtfully placed at different levels. The door also had a wheelchair level peep hole! All the bath products were natural and smelled fabulous! I loved the specifically marked makeup towel next the sink!

The room itself had a space for either a laptop or food tray, along with a safe, refrigerator, Nespresso machine, and tea kettle, along with coffee capsules, tea bags, and alkaline water bottles in metal containers!

Their in house restaurant was just one of the options for guests, including a lobby bar and self service 24 hour snack area (that was VERY expensive-$15 for 3 bags of snacks). But overall the restaurant prices were very reasonable from drinks to food, offering mostly Asian fusion cuisine and a full bar. Their menus are all on tablets, and their staff was universally professional, kind, and efficient.

Since I wasn't driving until the next day, I ordered a Grey Goose Dirty Martini and it was the perfect antidote after 6 hours on the road :)

Their tomato soup was a welcoming light comfort start to a meal.

I ordered the Bloomsdale spinach salad, which used crisp pork belly instead of bacon, for a hearty savory crunch, and this meal was very hearty and HUGE so it would have made for a great meal by itself.

Not knowing the portion sizes until I ordered, I also had the fried rice which was easily enough to feed 3 people!

On my return trip, I learned to order less, but again the gem salad was probably enough for a full meal, but I was hungry, so I ordered the fried chicken, which ended up being two meals with the gai lan and coconut rice on the side. The marketplace snack bar next to the lobby has a microwave, which the waiter recommended for heating up leftovers :)

San Francisco Sights and Flavors

Coming back as a tourist to San Francisco after more than two decades gave meaning to the adage that no matter how things change they remain the same...the Bay Bridge and the Transamerica building are still iconic monuments although crossing the Bay Bridge now is completely automated with either a fastrak pass/tag or they send a bill to the registered owner...I didn't want to face a $25 late fee penalty so I paid it online through their website with the details of my crossing.

I had plenty of new restaurants to try, and first on my list was a recommendation from a friend who had just been to Sotto Mare and told me it was the best crab cioppino she had ever eaten in her life :) I was very happy that they checked Covid vaccination proof and ID before allowing anyone to eat inside the restaurant. The ones unable to show proof either walked away or ate outside (in SF that means a chilly table even with heat lamps).

I started off with a house salad for $6.50 that looked very simple, but the classic dressing and ripe tomatoes made this a fresh way to start off your feast.

Yes, the crab cioppino lived up to its reputation as the best, for $49.95, it was a cauldron of crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, and scallops on a bed of penne that could easily be 2 meals if you ate the penne (I did not).

The next day after my appointment at Pier 17, I walked to the Ferry Building Marketplace and got my Blue Bottle oat milk cappucino before exploring all the shops. I ended up at Boulette's Larder at the end of the building facing the Bay Bridge for their fantastic views and food, like their Fattoush salad and one of the best pizzas I've eaten in years!

I made reservations at Monsieur Benjamin in Hayes Valley after doing some research on Yelp, and it was as wonderful! I also told several people at Hotel Nikko where I was going for dinner and they all said it was great, so it seems to be a universal consensus that this was a great French restaurant in San Francisco! 

Seeing steak tartare on the menu was enough to sell me, but the home made potato chips and the tarragon dressed butter lettuce salad were all as simply French as the main courses. 

I chose the flounder stuffed with spinach and it could not have been more delicate and perfectly cooked. If anyone you know says they don't like fish, have them taste this flounder dish and see if they have changed their mind!

A great ending to a short trip, was an after dinner drink at the Anzu bar in the Hotel Nikko, with the professional and personable bartender John, before taking the elevator upstairs to sleep :)

 

Hotel Nikko San Francisco

It's been nearly 2 years since I've traveled, and probably nearly 20 years since I have been to San Francisco. Going back to a town where I used to live, but as a tourist, is fun! I had a similar experience when I went to NYC as a tourist, everything had a familiar but new twist (like Times Square, the once seedy bad part of town, but now thriving as a tourist mecca). The Tenderloin is still seedy but with more of a depressed homeless population now than a drug addled criminal element.

Hotel Nikko (and all the restaurants I went to during the entire visit) asked for Covid-19 Vaccination proof and ID to use any of their spaces, including their pool, spa, work out facility, bar, and restaurant. It was comforting to see the adherence to rules which gave the health and safety of all guests the highest priority. Every elevator, door, and escalator had touchless hand sanitizer dispensers that worked, and the room had been sanitized completely between guests. 

The front desk clerk, Michael, saw that I had made the reservation directly with the hotel and offered an upgrade to a King Room with a view :) 

The indoor pool was inviting and heated, as were the sauna and steam rooms, but I did not indulge this trip after the exhausting 6 hour drive, all that I was looking forward to was a shower, food, and sleep :)

Hotel Nikko is very dog friendly, with a dog run, and a dog ambassador named Buster. I followed Popeye on his Instagram trip here, and would have loved to have met a dog celebrity on my trip, but alas no luck this time....

Nice large spacious bathroom with easy step in shower and plenty of towels was a pleasant touch. They offer daily maid service but if you want it, you must call them to request it. Since I was only staying 2 nights it was easy to forgo the service with all the extra towels.

Very comfy robe and slippers tempted me to take them home ;)

Nice clock radio with 2 USB ports and an outlet on the other side of the bed with USB ports, made it easy to recharge electronics. The tablet allows you to use the premium wifi (included with room amenity fee) more easily, and the old fashioned paper and bound editions of menus, services, etc are all accessible on the tablet. The booklet gift from Buster is a collection of quotes that apply to humans and all living creatures:)

Night time room view was spectacular!

Since I had an early morning meeting, I got in room breakfast service, which was pricey but nice. My only disappointment was with the cappuccino which was easily remedied with a visit to a nearby Blue Bottle :)

SF for $79

The Warwick in San Francisco has one of the most sought after locations in the city, in the heart of Union Square on Geary, next to the theater district and on a cable car line that runs to Fisherman's Wharf. When you can get this at a Sunday-Thursday rate of only $79 through April 8, 1020, with a $15 dinner credit at their restaurant LA Scene, and free Internet, the offer becomes a steal for a AAA 3 Diamond hotel featuring Louis XIV style furnishings.

If you want to wait until it gets warmer to go to the foggy city, you can still get a rate of only $89 if you book a stay between April 9-July 8. To get this deal either book through their website or call them at 800-827-3446 with code TZOO.

Don't forget the LA Marathon will be running from the Rose Bowl to the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday starting at 7:30am, so there will be some street closures and parking restrictions throughout the route. Even if you are not running, you can cheer on those who are :-)

San Francisco Book by Friday Specials

Going away for a week-end or a week is much easier when the travel time is only a 1 hour flight, and even though San Francisco may be in the same state, it is a world away in style and sensibility. Quikbook has some great deals if you book by this Friday before 5pm EST.

If you like being in the middle of town, then book the Hotel Nikko; it is just 1 block from Union Square with rates starting at $120 per night (50% off the regular rate). This hotel has a 24 hour fitness center, enclosed atrium pool, Japanese rock garden, and marble bathrooms. Keep in mind they have a fee for spa and pool use, but if the weather is cold (as it usually is in SF this time of year), it may be worth a few dollars for some recreation in a warm enclosed environment. Union Square is central to both shopping and theater, so this is the place to stay if you want to walk to the stores or shows and catch a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf.

If you prefer a more residential upscale neighborhood with spectacular views, you might prefer the Huntington Hotel and Nob Hill Spa with rates starting at $150 a night (40% off the regular rate). The hotel is on a cable car line, so being upscale doesn't mean you are stranded up on a hilltop, but it is worth noting that this hotel is on a very steep hill, so come prepared with your walking shoes or get a ride to your destinations away from the hotel. This smaller family owned hotel has paid attention to the details that make you feel pampered, from the plush robes to Irish linens, but they have kept in mind that you may want to work, so their antique desk has plenty of room for your laptop, has a dual line phone and wireless internet (for a fee). Some of the things I like best about this hotel is that they still offer a complimentary newspaper, twice daily maid service, and complimentary fitness access (Hotel Nikko might want to take notes here).

These are both non smoking hotels, so save your cigars for a trip to Miami.

San Francisco Hotel Sale

If you took advantage of the flight sales in yesterday's post and now you need a place to stay in San Francisco, Quikbook has some great deals if you book before 5pm EST (2pm PST) on Friday, 12/4/09.

The Huntington Hotel and Nob Hill Spa is located in one of the best neighborhoods of San Francisco. This is one of those gems that offers personalized concierge service, valet laundry, twice daily maid service, and free access to the fitness area, combined with modern hotel perks like wireless internet, fax and electronic safes. I love the thoughtful touches that the hotel gives guests, like terry robes and complimentary morning papers. The Spa, located inside the hotel, offers four styles of treatments; Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and Victorian. Rates through Quikbook during this sale are at 50% off, which means you can get the best view of the city with cable car access for as little as $150 a night.

If you want to be closer to the action in San Francisco, you might like the Adagio, located within easy walking distance to Union Square, Moscone Convention Center, and the Financial District. The hotel has all the business traveler could ask for, including high speed internet access, iPod docking alarm clocks, refrigerator, mini bar, and access to a fitness center and business services on site. All this for 40% off with the Quikbook sale means you only need to pay about $83 a night.

Time is money, and in this case if you want to save some money, book your San Francisco hotel before Friday.