Clift Hotel
495 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA, USA
Neighborhood: Union Square
Check availability as rates may vary for dates. Best rate guaranteed.
Once San Francisco’s grandest old-fashioned luxury hotel, the century-old Clift underwent a thorough re-imagining at the hands of Philippe Starck, who has transformed its faded Victorian elegance into its nearest modern equivalent — all black, ivory and steely grey, with rich textures in hardwood, velvet and leather, it’s the last word in hyper-modern boutique decadence.
Hints of the hotel’s Art Deco heritage remain, from the choice of furnishings in the surrealist-inspired lobby to the noir-ish lighting effects throughout. The famous Redwood Room was the focus of the original Clift, and it’s still here in all its wood-paneled splendor, decked out in some of Starck’s most serious lounge furniture. And the adjacent Velvet Room restaurant is hardly less dramatic, draped with, yes, massive red velvet curtains and lit with hand-blown Murano glass lamps.
Guest rooms are stylish, but not precious — they’re sedate, almost monochrome, with accents in soft lavenders and greys, amplifying the effects of the natural light. Bathrooms are smallish, but clever, and the living spaces are spacious, many with astonishing views; the Clift is a high enough building to make for some spectacular sightlines.
It’s a bit of a scene, as any Morgans Hotel Group production is intended to be — that’s a large part of the appeal for the people who make up the Clift’s clientele. This is Starck at his most elegant, and his eye for a well-placed surprise only deepens this place’s mystique. It would seem there’s some mileage yet left to be wrung from this partnership.
- 372 Rooms
- Style: Cutting-Edge
- Atmosphere: Happening
- 113 Guest Reviews
- Clift Hotel
- 495 Geary Street
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neighborhood: Union Square
Hotel amenities and services
- 100% non-smoking hotel
- 24 hour concierge
- 24 hour front desk
- 24 hour gym
- 24 hour room service
- Babysitting (on request)
- Bar
- Business center
- Central air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Self service parking (charges apply)
- Spa
- Spa treatments (on request)
- Valet parking (charges apply)
- Wi-fi (charges apply)
Other San Francisco Bay Area hotels
113 Guest Reviews
All reviews are from Tablet guests with verified stays.
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- Ron
- Stayed July 2011
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
location
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing, had a wonderful stay!
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- Adam
- Stayed August 2011
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
Location was exactly what I needed. Room (studio suite) was large and airy. I've stayed here a few times before...it's not "perfect" and is definitely starting to show some wear and tear!
What the hotel could do better:
The bathroom was a joke...tiny and uncomfortable! Since I was in a suite, I expected a bathroom to match. Also, some LIGHTS would be great in the bathroom...dark, dark, dark.
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- Cynthia
- Stayed May 2011
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
The hotel is beautiful, chic and well-located. The lobby staff and bar staff were fabulous.
What the hotel could do better:
Even though I was there for 5 days and 4 nights, my room was only made up twice.
