San Francisco's Embarcadero long languished as an undiscovered waterside locale, obscured as it was by an ugly overpass that thankfully disappeared after the 1989 earthquake. Since then, the neighbourhood has undergone a makeover, with the old Ferry building morphing into an upscale foodie haven, and its industrial feel transformed by parks, plazas, public pier access and a 10-kilometre stretch of promenade.
It's the kind of local renaissance that cried out for a boutique hotel. Enter Chip Conley, the founder and CEO of Joie De Vivre Hospitality. Conley spearhea
ded the development of the 199-room, $60-million Hotel Vitale, which opened last spring with the mantra "luxury, naturally."
Location
Situated at Mission Street and the Embarcadero waterfront, Hotel Vitale offers easy access to downtown and the business district, with fine views of the water and refreshing sea breezes. Minutes away from a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) station, it's an easy half-hour ride from the airport. The Ferry building and its Farmer's Market is an easy roll out of bed on a lazy weekend morning.
Ambience
Funky, relaxed luxury with what JDV calls "post-boutique chic" (whatever that means). The Americano restaurant and adjoining lounge is a hive of activity, where a well-heeled business crowd comes for after-work drinks and a trendier crowd flocks on weekends.
Clientele
Many business types during the week. Bay area residents often come on the weekends for an inner-city getaway. Sipping Saturday afternoon tea in the circular lounge, gazing out at the waterside view of the Bay Bridge, I noticed actor Richard Branson perched on a nearby divan.
Design
In keeping with Conley's quirky habit of naming his hotel properties after magazines, Vitale is "Dwell meets Real Simple."
"It's got a kind of Canadian feel," says general manager David Curell, formerly of Vancouver's Opus (and part of San Francisco's growing Canuck hotelier "mafia"). The "natural" touches include translucent leaf-patterned glass panels and sprigs of eucalyptus and lavender (not to mention the nature films playing in the elevators).
While the brick exterior (by Heller Manus Architects) is rather clunky, the interiors by Colum McCartan are appealing. The look is very California mid-century modern, with an emphasis on muted tones and natural colours.
The public terraces on the fifth and eighth floors are great additions, where guests who don't have their own private penthouse terrace can take in the view.
Rooms
The best feature of my mid-sized room was the view over the Embarcadero. Unfortunately, this was also its downfall, as the noise from the traffic -- drowned out somewhat by the handy white noise/nature sounds machine -- made it very easy to make the Vitale's complementary 7 a.m. yoga classes.
Otherwise it was stylishly comfortable, with high-thread-count bedding and a lovely chaise lounge -- but sadly no bath tub. City view rooms are quieter but less spectacular, and the circular suite (where Branson may have bunked) features 180-degree views.
Spa
Small and intimate, with only three treatment rooms, the main emphasis here is on bodywork and fragrant, therapeutic baths. In Zen-meets-Cleopatra style, patrons can choose their very own outdoor bathing ritual. Mine involved a milk bath, lavender and mandarin oils. Preceded by a glass of champagne and augmented by Oriental chimes and serene music, I was unable to operate heavy machinery for hours afterwards. Protected from the surrounding office towers by thickets of bamboo, it was a true urban retreat. The massage that followed was pleasant, professional and intriguing -- a blend of Tibetan, Thai and Shiatsu techniques.
Food and drink
The morning room-service café au lait and scrumptious croissant amandines made me think of Paris. The Americano eatery offers hearty Italo-Californian fare -- with a corresponding concentration on Italian and Californian wines and extensive by-the-glass selections -- and the margarita pizza was a delight. The fact that the Farmer's Market is across the street assures fresh ingredients. An afternoon snack of cheese, nuts and dates, all from the market, was sublime.
Service
The hotel staff is young and enthusiastic, with their warmth and sincerity making up for lack of experience.
Bottom line
A great place to relax and recharge right in the city. It's not the impenetrable fortress of perfection you will find at the Four Seasons, for example, but the location and fresh, open feel make it a worthwhile choice.
It's a good thing there's easy access to jogging trails and kayaking routes, or you might spend your whole stay spa-ing and noshing (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Hotel vitals
HOTEL VITALE
Essentials: 8 Mission St.; 1-888-890-8688; http://www.hotelvitale.com. Located at Mission Street and the Embarcadero waterfront, Hotel Vitale is about 30 minutes from the airport on rapid transit and is close to the city's downtown and business districts.
Rates and rooms: Rooms start at $345. Suites range from $665 to $1,670.
Top draws: Location, location, location -- plus relaxed luxury and a wonderful spa.
Needs work: Soundproofing would be a worthy addition to the rooms, as would bathtubs (guests really feel their absence after the lovely bathing ritual at the spa).
Special to The Globe and Mail