The downtown Sir Francis Drake Hotel is a San Francisco legend, where doormen in full Beefeater regalia and an offbeat style create a unique presence on vibrant Union Square, home to the city's trendiest shops, nightclubs and entertainment venues. Located steps from Moscone Convention Center, the financial district, Nob Hill, Chinatown and the theatre district, the Drake is a cultural mecca. Famous authors read their works at a bookstore across the street and the upscale department store on the corner hosts designer fashion shows.
Guests are welcomed by a grand lobby with classic chandeliers, gilded ceilings and a curved marble staircase leading to the mezzanine lounge, which overlooks Union Square and the cable cars. Guests can enjoy fine dining in the hotel's Scala's Bistro or get endless shots of caffeine and conversation at the Café Expresso. On the hotel's 21st floor is the famous Harry Denton's Starlight Room, a 1930's style nightclub featuring live entertainment and a 180-degree view of downtown San Francisco and beyond.
Guestrooms feature classic, but cosmopolitan décors with antique- style furnishings, vertical-striped wallpaper, lime-and- fuschia draperies and star-patterned carpets. Amenities include cable TVs, movies, complimentary movie channels, fully stocked honor bar, refrigerator and room service.
When the Drake opened in 1928, critics considered the hotel the model of modernity: each room had a tap just for ice water; a panel inside guest room doors allowed staff to deliver items without disturbing the occupants; and chutes collected postcards on every floor. Today, international visitors, leisure travelers, business types, conventioneers and locals still head for the Starlight Room, Scala's or to mingle in the ornate lobby.
