Description:
Hotel Union Square, San Francisco’s first boutique hotel, offers the authentic San Francisco experience. Guests awake to the sounds of ringing cable car bells and the rumbling of the tracks, recalling the nostalgic San Francisco days. Built in 1913 for the 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition, Hotel Union Square completed a $5 million renovation in Spring 2008 that entailed a modernization of the guestrooms and public spaces while preserving the historic architectural elements of the original structure. The result is a visually stimulating fusion of contemporary and classic San Francisco - beautiful brick walls, original 1915 Egyptian-motif mosaic murals, signature staircases, and opulent moldings are complemented by a rich color palate, sleek furnishings from San Francisco-based furniture company EQ3, completely remodeled bathrooms, and state-of-the-art technology that caters to both leisure and business travelers.

Location & Contact Info:
114 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.397.3000
www.hotelunionsquare.com

Located alongside the famous cable car line in the center of bustling Union Square, Hotel Union Square is just steps from San Francisco’s best restaurants, world-famous shopping and nightlife.

History:
The building, which originally housed the Golden West Hotel, was constructed in 1913 for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. Dashiell Hammett, famous scribe from the early 1920s and author of the Maltese Falcon and the Thin Man series, loved the hotel so much that he booked his bride-to-be Josephine Dolan in a suite on the night before their 1921 wedding. During the Prohibition Era, a 10,000 square feet speakeasy called The Golden Bubble was located below the hotel. The original terrazzo floors and wallpaper still remain in what is now used as a storage area. In the 1950s, the hotel was renamed the Golden State Hotel. Personality Hotels purchased the building in the early 1980s and opened Hotel Union Square in 1982.

Interior Designers:
Hotel Union Square was designed by San Francisco-based Interior Designer Riley Johndonnell. Lisa Sayed, partner of the hotel interior design company Sisterhood of the Traveling Hotels, designed the lobby and the “Ring In the Kids Suite.” Lisa Compagno designed the Dashiell Hammett Suite.

Guestrooms:
131 Guestrooms Including:
2 Penthouse Suites
1 Kids Suite (Ring In the Kids Suite)
The Dashiell Hammett Suite
3 Junior Queen Suites

Infused with the colors of San Francisco, the striking guestrooms feature bursts of crimson (reflective of the Golden Gate Bridge), soothing shades of grey (reminiscent of the native fog) and earthy taupe to incorporate San Francisco’s natural setting. Meticulously designed to give the feel of a sophisticated urban apartment, rooms are outfitted with platform beds with custom-made cream tufted leather headboards and luxurious 600-thread count linens, sleek dark wood desks, velvety chaise lounges, flat screen televisions, custom lighting and expansive capsule-shaped mirrors. Many rooms have an open, loft-like layout with exposed brick walls and “floating” white paneled ceiling installations. Sultry hallways are illuminated by mercury-striped lighting that cast linear shadows on the deep grey walls, evocative of the nearby cable car tracks. Two rooftop penthouses are the ultimate in San Francisco chic and boast large living rooms, wet bars and expansive redwood decks with city views.

The edgy, sexy annex rooms are the perfect intimate space for couples. Walls are bathed in deep red; large platform beds, many with oversized cream “rolled” custom leather headboards, and expansive mirrors complete the room. Two specialty “Sleep & Soak” rooms on each of the five floors feature extra large, spa-like bathrooms outfitted with corner soaking tubs with frosted tri- panel glass doors, and a chaise lounge right next to the tub.

Ring in the Kids Suite:
The “Ring in the Kids Suite” at Hotel Union Square celebrates the history of this art deco-styled property, complete with wall pictures of famous kid-friendly San Francisco landmarks, a computer filled with history-related games, a writing desk and a large colorful rug. Stylized in mustards, orange and reds, this large corner suite can accommodate a family of six, complete with a trundle bed and two queen beds.

Dashiell Hammett Suite:
Hotel Union Square is home to the world’s only Dashiell Hammett Suite. From the two stainless steel eyes in the entrance (a reference to Hammett's story "The Girl with the Silver Eyes”) to the hand towels adorned with Hammett’s image in the bathroom, no detail has been overlooked in this large corner suite. Special touches include: an antique suitcase filled with Hammett books; an old fashioned typewriter; a collage dedicated to Hammett’s books and movies; black and white photos of Hammett's wife and daughters; a vintage-style radio; and a mural of "The Shadow of the Thin Man.”

Amenities:
Hotel Union Square features complimentary morning coffee and herbal tea, complimentary wine hour, H20 bath amenities, complimentary use of the Hotel Diva fitness center, complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, on-site currency exchange available, complimentary 24-hour business center, dry cleaning services and on-site parking. Hotel Union Square provides complimentary room delivery from the adjacent Tad’s Steakhouse.

2009 Rates:
Guestrooms: $179 - $399

Press Contact:
Kelly Chamberlin
Chamberlin Pubic Relations
415.336.4332
kelly@chamberlinpr.com