Fairmont San Francisco

Character and identity

Crowning Nob Hill since 1907, the Fairmont is a grande dame in the literal sense: a stately facade flying international flags, a lobby of marble floors, soaring columns and ornate ceilings, and 591 rooms spread across a building that doubles as a San Francisco landmark. Rooms lean neutral and elegant rather than fashion-forward, with Frette linens, Nespresso or Keurig machines, and Le Labo Rose 31 amenities in the bathrooms. Dining ranges from the theatrical kitsch of the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar to the chandeliered Laurel Court and an Afternoon Tea tradition running since the hotel opened. Rooftop beehives, a garden and city views round it out.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're paying for here is the building and the rituals inside it, not cutting-edge room design. Book it if a marble lobby, Laurel Court breakfasts and a Tonga Room nightcap sound like your kind of San Francisco; a suite with sofa bed makes sense for families, and December stays catch the gingerbread house at full tilt.