Nob Hill San Francisco, California
Renovated
2026
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Wellness ClassicOutside the door
Restored Nob Hill quarters
Restored boiserie and gilded frames shape theatrical social salons, where an attentive in-house majordomo tailors each stay to personal guest preferences.
“The hotel’s public spaces—the lobby, Arabella’s cocktail bar, as well as the ground floor restaurant The Big Four–are transportive.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Ken Fulk balances historic Georgian scale with cerused walls, dark woodwork, and theatrical jewel-box glamour in public salons.
Remarkable
A three-story spa combines Moroccan Tadelakt steam rooms, saunas, and an airy atrium soaking pool opening onto city vistas.
Remarkable
Decades of live nightly piano and clubby green leather booths keep Nob Hill milestone traditions alive.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler, Wallpaper* and AFAR.
Its rooms and suites feel appropriately residential, their generous spaces decorated in a restrained contemporary-classic style.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Historic California Street cable cars climb past the front doors, with green Huntington Park and monumental Grace Cathedral directly opposite.
The rooms
Generous residential layouts pair original Georgian plasterwork with muted earth tones, bold art, and wide windows overlooking Grace Cathedral.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The edgeless indoor soaking pool is heated to 94 degrees beneath a central atrium with Moorish fretwork screens.
The spa and gym
Moroccan Tadelakt steam rooms and saunas sit alongside a skyline terrace. A dedicated fitness center offers cardio and strength equipment.
Restaurant
The Big Four
Redwood paneling lines the classic dining room, where menus feature hearty American fare from chicken pot pie to crab Louie.
For hometown designer Ken Fulk, returning Nob Hill’s crown jewel to its ivy-clad glory required a grand reimagining of its accommodations, restaurant and wellness facilities.
Bar
Arabella's Cocktail Salon
Rafael Arana's hand-painted murals wrap this 25-seat salon, which serves vintage spirits and drinks inspired by personal diary entries.
How it began
Conceived as luxury apartments in 1922, the Georgian brick tower still preserves original residential stair railings and hallway mail slots.
“Rooms and public spaces have the patina of a grand old hotel, with earth tones and splashes of crimson, without slipping into nostalgia cosplay.”
Good to know
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.