The Hotel Nikko San Francisco, near the city's Union Square, completed a $60-million renovation commemorating its 30th anniversary this year. Following the three-month renovation, spearheaded by Hirsch Bedner Associates, the property's interior design takes inspiration from the Nikko’s Japanese heritage and the fluid lines of a traditional kimono, encompasses 405 of 533 guestrooms and suites, structural upgrades to the lobby, public areas, third-floor ballroom and meeting spaces, as well as large-scale improvements to the hotel’s overall infrastructure and technology.
“We are thrilled to bring travelers a completely reimagined and elevated hotel experience in the center of San Francisco,” Anna Marie Presutti, VP and GM of Hotel Nikko San Francisco, said in a statement. “When Hotel Nikko San Francisco first opened, it represented the most advanced technological and architectural hotel design available of its time. We are happy to continue that legacy into our 30th year.”
Since its launch in 1987 under the ownership and leadership of the Takenaka Corporation, one of Japan’s largest architecture and engineering firms, Hotel Nikko San Francisco embodied a modern Asian-inspired aesthetic taking a nod from its Japanese heritage. In February 2016, the hotel’s revamped indoor pool with glass atrium and adjoining outdoor terrace, reopened to include an outdoor grass dog run on its fifth floor.
The property is reopening in time for the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, the city of San Francisco’s biggest cultural movement.
The 405 new residential-style guestrooms and suites are designed to be airy and bright with an understated color palate of earthy neutral tones, extending an urban refuge to visitors and creating an elevated contemporary hotel experience in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Living spaces include deep seated sofas, plush carpets and quality fabrics throughout, while marble bathrooms with parquet flooring, deep soaking bathtubs and separate oversized showers were also added.
The revamped 6,652-square-foot ballroom on the hotel’s third floor offers a new space for large-scale gatherings, conferences and events. Focal points include tall metal-cut wall screens with modern Japanese design features, emphasizing the height of the space, and crystal glass drop light chandeliers anchored from the ceiling. The pre-function space offers natural light and contemporary art-inspired fixtures and furnishings such as copper finished tables, grey marble worktops and cozy armchairs.
Hotel Nikko San Francisco also offers 20 meeting rooms on its 25th floor overlooking the city, with views of the San Francisco Bay. As part of the renovation, the meeting rooms received updated audiovisual equipment for presentations, and additional hotel amenities include a 10,000-square-foot health club and fitness center with indoor pools, steam rooms and dry saunas, as well as a 140-seat live music venue and bar. The hotel’s signature restaurant ANZU, led by award-winning Swiss chef and food and beverage director Philippe Striffeler, is also now open.
Hotel Nikko San Francisco is a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Lifestyle Collection.