Fairmont San Francisco

Historic grand-hotel luxury atop Nob Hill

★★★★★📍 Nob Hill$$$$

The Fairmont San Francisco has presided over the top of Nob Hill since 1907, when it opened just a year after the 1906 earthquake and fire (its construction was nearly complete when the disaster struck, and it was repaired and opened to symbolize the city's recovery). The flagship of the Fairmont brand, it's a grand hotel in the fullest sense — a soaring, marble-columned lobby, a sense of occasion, and a guest list across the decades that includes presidents and dignitaries (the United Nations Charter was drafted in part here in 1945).

Rooms are spacious and traditionally appointed, with the upper floors and the storied penthouse suite commanding sweeping views over the city, the bay, and the bridges. Service and amenities are full-scale, befitting a landmark luxury property. Its most famous feature beyond the architecture is the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, a wonderfully over-the-top tiki bar — complete with a floating band and periodic indoor "thunderstorms" — that's a San Francisco institution and a destination in its own right.

The Nob Hill location is central and atmospheric: the Powell and California cable car lines run right past, putting Union Square, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf within an easy ride, and the neighborhood's grand hotels and Grace Cathedral are all around. The Fairmont suits travelers who want classic, grand-hotel luxury with genuine history and a hilltop perch.