The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco is a century-old grande dame that has reinvented itself as a polished, design‑forward base camp a block from Union Square – equal parts historic theater district icon and contemporary city crash pad. For ALMANAK’s readers, it hits that sweet spot between character and comfort: a lobby that still nods to Philippe Starck’s theatricality, a legendary bar in the Redwood Room, and rooms refreshed enough to feel quietly luxurious rather than self-consciously hip. 

Meet you at the Redwood Room, San Francisco’s most renowned bar since 1933

AMBIENCE >

Walk in from Geary Street and the first impression is of light and volume rather than the once-notorious nightclub darkness, but The Clift still understands drama. The century-old lobby has been reworked with warm neutrals, driftwood tones and bronze accents, layered over original brick and historic textures so the building’s bones remain visible beneath the polish.

Furniture is a deliberate design statement: the famous outsized “Big Chair” anchors the room, surrounded by a mix of modern pieces and classics that reference the hotel’s Philippe Starck era while feeling less showy than before. To one side, the Living Room – dressed in clubby, Ralph Lauren-esque furnishings – acts as a drawing room for laptops, Negronis and jet lag, while the restored Redwood Room glows like an Art Deco jewel box after dark.

SLEEP >

Rooms and suites – 372 in total over 17 floors – lean into a calm, pared-back aesthetic: pale woods, generous back-lit mirrors and walk-in rainfall showers that feel more residence than relic. Sizes start at approximately 30 square metres for standard rooms and stretch to roughly 85 square metres for suites, which is generous by San Francisco standards and noticeable if you’re travelling with ski bags or shopping.

Beds are plush without being marshmallow-soft, with crisp linens, decent blackout and enough bedside power and lighting control to satisfy a tech-forward traveller. In-room Keurig machines, mini-fridge on request, Chromecast-enabled flatscreens and laptop-sized safes tick the practical boxes, while double-glazed windows blunt most of the theatre-district bustle below – though very light sleepers may still want a higher floor facing away from Geary.

EAT >

The hotel’s main daytime heartbeat is Fredericks, a ground-floor café-brasserie that’s been relocated to its original spot as a nod to the building’s early 20th‑century layout. Mornings start here with a high-end coffee program, pastries and a short but focused menu of eggs, Benedicts and other à la carte breakfast options, which suits guests who prefer café-style flexibility to a formal buffet.

Later in the day Fredericks morphs into a casual all-day dining room with elevated comfort food – think burgers, salads and brasserie staples – drawing a mix of hotel guests, nearby office workers and pre-theatre diners. If you’d rather graze than commit to a full meal, the hotel’s small-plates menu in the Redwood Room lets you assemble a very civilised, if dimly lit, supper around charcuterie and cocktails.

DRINK >

I would not think about visiting San Francisco without dropping into the Redwood Room for a drink, it remains one of San Francisco’s most storied hotel bars and still a local institution. Panelled in timber said to be carved from a single redwood tree, with an 800‑year‑old redwood slab forming the bar itself, the room marries moody Art Deco glamour with 21st‑century lighting and digital artworks which change and sometimes move.

Cocktails skew “liquid art” rather than simple highballs, and the space has enough history and low-lit intimacy to make even a solo martini feel like an occasion. USA Today’s readers recently voted it among the city’s top nightlife spots, and on weekends live jazz sets and a well-dressed crowd give the room a distinctly cinematic energy – arrive early if you want a booth rather than bar rail.

WORKOUT >

The second-floor fitness centre is open 24/7, which matters in a city where jet lag and early East Coast calls are standard. It’s more functional than flashy but well equipped: multiple Life Fitness treadmills and bikes, ellipticals, a stair climber, weights, kettlebells, balance balls, yoga mats and – crucially for Peloton devotees – at least one bike set up with on-demand classes.

Filtered water, towels and sanitising wipes are on hand, and there’s enough space to actually stretch without colliding with your neighbours. If you prefer your cardio outdoors, staff can point you towards nearby urban running routes, or you can borrow one of the hotel’s complimentary bikes to explore the city on two wheels when the weather plays nice.

PLAY >

The hotel’s Geary Street position is its stealth advantage: you are a block from Union Square, steps from the Curran Theatre and within easy reach of the city’s major cultural and retail landmarks. From here it’s a short walk to Powell Street’s cable cars, SFMOMA, the Financial District and Chinatown; a slightly longer stroll or quick ride gets you to Oracle Park for Giants games, the Moscone Center for conferences, and the galleries and restaurants that fringe Yerba Buena.

On the leisure front, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz ferry departures and the Golden Gate Bridge trailheads sit within a two-to-seven mile radius, making The Clift a practical launchpad for first-timers who still want a hotel with personality rather than a generic convention tower. Maybe take one of those bikes and ride from Golden Gate Park and across the bridge to Sausalito (you can get the ferry back).

Back at base, the Living Room and lobby offer low-key “third spaces” for board games, pre‑dinner drinks or simply watching the city pass through.

CONCLUSION >

The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco reads as a sophisticated, well-located option for travellers who want genuine history with their high thread count. Its strengths are clear: an atmospheric heritage shell, a destination bar in the Redwood Room, thoughtful recent renovations and a location that works equally well for gallery-hopping, ballgames and board meetings.

Potential trade-offs to be aware of: while rooms are comfortably modern, post the Royal Sonesta renovation they have lost some of the Philippe Starck edginess and are closer to polished business-luxe than avant-garde design, and the Union Square/Geary Street address means you are very much in the urban mix rather than a waterfront idyll. For most design-conscious travellers, though – especially those who appreciate a proper lobby bar and a sense of place – The Clift earns its place on the San Francisco short list.

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Image Credit | CLIFT Hotel Royal Sonesta & ALMANAK

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