Long recognized as one of the world’s most exquisite suites, The Penthouse of The Fairmont San Francisco has raised the bar for sumptuous living after a refurbishment totaling almost one-half million dollars.
Spanning the entire eighth floor of the historic Main Building, The Penthouse features 6,000 square feet of luxury – offering one-of-a-kind accommodations for today’s discerning traveler as well as the ultimate venue for important events.
The grand dame of hotel suites, which was constructed as a private residence in 1926, now showcases a stylish décor that blends contemporary sophistication with old-world glamour.
The suite features three large bedrooms, a living room with grand piano, a formal dining room seating 50 people, an eat-in kitchen, a two-story circular library, a billiard room covered in Persian tile from floor to vaulted ceiling, a terrace with sweeping views of San Francisco and the bay, and round-the-clock butler and maid service.
The living room has been transformed into an elegant salon dressed in rich shades of blue and gold. The space radiates luxury from its custom-designed chandelier to its richly patterned rug to its chic mix of contemporary and Louis XV-style furnishings with gold-leaf accents.
The famous library, used by Secretary of State Edward Stettinius when the United Nations Charter was drafted at The Fairmont in 1945, has been refreshed with elegant French furnishings and pearl-white walls that provide a dramatic contrast to the original rotunda where the constellations are rendered in gold against a sapphire sky.
Murals of The Palace of Fine Arts and Seal Rock now adorn the formal dining room with its long mahogany table and decoratively painted black chairs.
Distinctive details such as four fireplaces inlaid with lapis lazuli and precious woods, carved mahogany doors, black and white marble floors, and 24-karat gold-plated fixtures in the bathrooms
add to the opulence of The Penthouse. A secret passageway concealed behind bookshelves on the library’s second floor lends a sense of intrigue to the fabled suite.
From royalty to rock and roll legends, the world’s elite calls The Penthouse home. President John F. Kennedy, Prince Charles of England, King Hussein of Jordan, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands as well as Nat King Cole, Ginger Rogers, Marlene Dietrich, Mick Jagger and Tony Bennett are just a few of the suite’s famous guests.
A GRAND RESIDENCE
In 1926, John S. Drum, president of the American Trust Company, persuaded the owner of The Fairmont to construct a grand residence atop the hotel, which Drum could lease for $1,000 per month.
Arthur Upham Pope, America’s foremost scholar on Persian art and architecture, designed The Penthouse and his exotic influence can be found in striking details throughout the suite.
John Drum lived in The Penthouse until 1938. The next resident was Maude Flood, heiress to a mining fortune. She resided in the suite for nearly 30 years. Benjamin Swig, a former owner of The Fairmont, lived in The Penthouse from 1966 until his death in 1980.
In 1981, The Penthouse was opened to the public as one of the world’s most exclusive suites. Today, it is available as a location for private events as well as world-class accommodations. The suite rents for $12,500 per night.
CONTACT:
Samara Diapoulos
The Fairmont San Francisco
415-673-5634
samarapr@aol.com |