Many of the renovations were based on the original plans for the building. “The hotel’s rich history and original architectural elements found in the original drawings provided a framework for a design concept inspired by the evolution of an icon,” said Jenne Jeske, senior associate, Gensler. “The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel fuses its original craftsmanship with modern-day San Francisco sophistication.”
All 372 rooms and suites have been renovated with a refined neutral palette of color and textures to promote a handcrafted look that augments the warmth and indulgent sophistication of the rooms.
The bathroom areas have been enlarged and fitted out with all new plumbing fixtures and finishes, including period-specific black and white tiles found in many other historic buildings around San Francisco.
The lobby and other public spaces have a noticeably brighter look, accentuating a palette of warm neutrals with light driftwood, rich charcoal grays and metallic bronze accents. New furniture complements the elegant, modern style of the lobby, while cutouts at the upper level suffuse the space with light. To the left of the lobby is the new Living Room, with several seating options for working, having a drink or just relaxing and people watching. The previous Velvet Room has been transformed into an event and meeting space, and all of The Clift’s meeting spaces have received additional natural light and cutting-edge technology, including multiple 98” UHD displays with integrated sound systems.
For Jeske, the element of the renovation that best illustrates the theme of the redesign is the “reinstatement and rebirth of art deco’s most glamorous moment in San Francisco—The Redwood Room,” she said.
The room retains its namesake redwood walls and glamorous lighting, only undergoing a change in furniture, flooring and wall art. The new Art Deco-inspired furniture, a salute to the post-prohibition era when the lounge opened, is coolly neutral-toned to let the original redwood millwork shine. The new bar is manufactured from an 800-year-old redwood tree found by a custom woodworker in Montana. Additional recessed lighting was added, and the mural behind the bar has been brightened up.
The original Gustav Klimt paintings [reproductions created by students of Klimt, under his direction]—uncovered onsite during the hotel renovations—have also been painstakingly restored and re-hung.
Also added to the F&B offerings is Fredericks, an upscale yet laid-back onsite eatery serving creative cuisine for breakfast and lunch. The new restaurant has a black and white floor similar to what adorned the space in the 1920s, as well as neutral walls with exposed brick, also part of the earlier space.
The floor itself was the inspiration for the rest of the decor, which features a classical look from the hotel’s original restaurant, while echoing the chic feel of modern-day San Francisco.
www.myinspiredesign.com
