The facade of The Westin St. Francis is impressive...

The facade of The Westin St. Francis is impressive, not only dominating the view across Union Square - an actual plaza in the center of the neighborhood - but providing history and heritage. The hotel was built in 1904 with the 32-story tower (to the rear) completed in 1972 featuring exterior glass elevators that offer panoramic views of the bay. At a walking distance from the hotel is China Town, the theater district and the largest shopping area in San Francisco, connecting to Market Street which crosses the city side to side.

The lobby of the Westin St. Francis is a time machine to the past, to a time of great expectations and ambition - a time period where San Francisco was being built to be "the Paris of the West". The lobby features the famous clock, photographic prints of Ansel Adam's and a collection of hotel memorabilia.

Due to its heritage and decor the Westin St. Francis feels smaller than it actually is. With more than 1.200 rooms and suites it is big. During peak times such as checkout on Sundays you notice the large scale of the operation. In fact the check-in process took longer than expected but that was partly due to a large conference taking place in the hotel across two days. The Westin features a large wood paneled dinning room - the Oak Room - in a classic decor, used for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast at the Oak Room features a very complete buffet for about $35 a person as well as a'la carte options. The service in the Oak Room is second to none and one of the best I have experienced at a U.S hotel. A more informal option is provided by Caruso's a simple space offering wine, salads, juices and small bites throughout the day. Finally, the Clock Bar serves as the night gathering spot offering cocktails and a good selection of beers. It is on the expensive side but the ambience is very cool.

The first two days of my stay I was given a room in the 12th floor of the tower wing. The room was large, featuring two double beds, a large bathroom and the usual amenities of a large hotel. While the mattress and bedding were superb the rest of the room looked outdated and lacked any modern connectivity and technology such as USB ports normally found in luxury hotels. Upon my request, in the third day of my stay I was moved to a room in the 21 floor which felt more ample, lighter and featured a great view of the city. The hotel also offers a large fitness center gym which is impressive and complete. The only missing component to make it very enjoyable fitness experience is a sauna / steam room.