During our recent trip to California (where I also reviewed Alila Marea Encinitas), we spent a night at the new Four Seasons San Francisco at Embarcadero. The hotel has breathtaking views (it’s the highest hotel in San Francisco) and extremely friendly service, along with a good signature restaurant.
Continue reading: Review: Four Seasons San Francisco At Embarcadero (City’s Best Views)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Stayed there a couple of times when it was a Loews. Great location for work and for leisure. The lobby restaurant / bar was usually pretty popular, including with locals. I remember enjoying the gym. I generally stay in this area when visiting town (here, Le Meridian, Hyatt Regency, Vitale, etc) and will check it out again when everything is open.
The Sky deck was open under the previous hotel brands, although it felt more like an afterthought (just a few benches and a makeshift bar). As long as it wasn't too windy (which it can be all the way up there), it was an amazing space for a cocktail and views. The space is a bit on the small side, but worthy of a visit. I know the (previous) hotel used it from time to time for private events, but never really seemed to advertise it much. Hopefully, Four Seasons will utilize the space and make it more of a landmark bar. When our weather cooperates, it could be one of the best outdoor bars in the city, which SF sorely lacks.
Yeah, the views allow people to look beyond the dump that is street life in SF now. So many interesting places to be in the world right now. Why waste time with a naval gazing city that has lost its narrative? Hard pass.
“When our weather cooperates”
An excellent point. Our weather is great, *unless* what you want is warm outdoor seating in the evening. I can only imagine what the wind is like 40 floors up. Only a significant investment in heaters would make that space usable except on a handful of nights.
Thank goodness they finally got rid of the red marble bathrooms that were a feature of the Mandarin Oriental.
It's a beautiful city with a lot to offer in terms of culture, views, and history. Same can't be said for Miami, even if it is the sixth borough of NYC.
I disagree about this being a good location. The financial district has always been a bit dull, mostly full of commercial office space, resulting in the area becoming pretty dead after work. Post-COVID, it's even more dead because so many people are still working from home.
Location wise for luxury hotels in SF, I'd much rather stay at one of the places near the top of Nob Hill (Fairmont, Ritz, etc.), or stay in SOMA (St. Regis, W, the other Four Seasons). Both neighborhoods are much more lively than the Financial District (and places that locals actually visit). The views are just as good from the top of Nob Hill.
I used to love this hotel when it was an MO. Never quite understood what happened to them there as it was often very full and busy. With that, I still can't quite figure out what MO's strategy is in North America. Or if they even have one when you consider the properties they had and lost (Atlanta, Kahala, San Francisco). Even my hometown DC one has lost a lot of its original uniqueness and is in desperate need of a revamp.
Maybe tall glass shielding to block the wind + space heaters? Still get the views and you're still technically outdoors.
Having been there on a sunny afternoon, it was great, but then the wind picked up and things started flying around!!! Again, hoping 4 Seasons designs the space to be a much more usable spot, because the views are incredible.
Every time I see a highrise like this I'm reminded of that movie The Towering Inferno: "Now, you know there's no sure way for us to fight a fire in anything over the seventh floor, but you guys just keep building 'em as high as you can."
Didn't they also lose Vegas MO? One of the only luxury hotel that isn't attached to a casino in Vegas.
Stayed here when it was MO - always seemed very busy with business people - I’m sure it will look very nice when fully completed , I hope the street problems also start to improve as it was a little depressing
To be honest, for a "luxury" hotel, not good planning to open with no dining facilities and a lack of spa or finished public areas. Hardly a good advert or reason to stay until it is actually finished. So $600 for basically a nice room with a view.
Yes - wasn't a great property middle strip, area... Now a Conrad or some other Hilton Flag.
Desperate need of a renovation
Having lived in SF and worked in Financial District for 8 years I can attest to some incredible views all around town...even a dumpy apartment near Alamo Square can have surprising views of the bay from the rear courtyard. But like every outdoor space in SF you are at the mercy of the fog! When it rolls in like a freight train at 3pm in mid-July and the temp plummets from 75 to 53 degrees within an hour and the sky goes completely grey with no more sunlight...you will flee that 40F sky deck!
Lucky, was there an intro for a trip report? Curious about the reason for the trip. San Francisco and Encinitas aren’t exactly nearby (though I guess relative to Florida . . . ). Any restaurant reviews combing? San Fran has some amazing restaurants, and after Paris it seemed like you were starting to really get interested in the whole Michelin experience.
Agree completely. My old office was a block from this place (and is shown in some of the photos). There are a few decent restaurants (Taddich, Perbacco) and some just-after-work-type bars in the neighborhood, but it's a little like staying in Wall Street/NYC financial district -- pretty dead at night.
When it was a Loews they ran a seasonal bar on the sky deck in the summer. The space is pretty small. They basically just rolled out a bar cart. The views are great though. It was open to the public.
Also agree. FS views look nice, but not nicer than in Fairmont’s Tower or Mark Hopkins. And Nob Hill or Union Square are much more interesting neighborhoods, IMO.
I like the concept they applied to the mini bar - if you want it, we will fill it. I much prefer and appreciate having an emply mini-fridge I can fill with a 6 pack of seltzer I bought outside rather than a $60 mini bottle of champagne that I will never touch (and yet still magically be charged for 20% of the time...).
Recognising a guest by name is such a cool but also an odd thing, especially if the hotel has a lot of rooms. Do you have an idea of how the staff can remember all the name correctly? I think they can use a face recognising technology, but what about the privacy?
You're claiming to be charged for the bottle of champagne that you didn't use 20% of the time?
Garbage.