One of San Francisco’s famous historical hotels has undergone a vast modernisation, and photos have been revealed.
The hotel hails from the early 1900s so the designers have borrowed from its vast history to inspire the new design. It is here that it is claimed the Martini cocktail was dreamed up in the late 1800s, when the hotel was a society hotspot.
The extensive renovation has transformed the lobby, entrance area and mezzanine and has been the project of celebrated local architect, BAMO.
Just last year the hotel completed the renovation of its residential rooms, all 177 and eight suites getting a refreshed look.
A daily Martini Hour has been introduced
The look is richly diverse. Ultimately luxurious, the entrance has been given a statement white marble tile flooring, while other areas of the hotel boast a lighter, softer feel with cream walls given definition by antiqued mirrors.
Elsewhere, modern artwork is brightly colourful, and pairs with bolder carpeting in charcoal and brandy notes which sweep through the communal areas.
The mezzanine area offers the Gaspar Brasserie, and a daily Martini Hour will give a nod to the history of the hotel.
General Manager Suzie Yang explained: “Over the years, our guests have expressed a desire for a casual common area where they can enjoy cocktails… We saw this renovation as the perfect opportunity to create a new experience out of the existing mezzanine, offering our guests the freedom to enjoy the vibrancy of the lobby from a contemporary and intimate space.”
The previously renovated rooms were given a ‘new neutrals’ colour palette with a fresh feel, although marble desks remind of the hotel’s glamorous past.
In the late 1800s the property that now houses the hotel was the home of two properties, The Occidental Hotel and Lick House, the stomping grounds of eminent locals of the West Coast in the day.
It was here that the Martini cocktail was reportedly invented.
However, a fire destroyed the hotels in 1906 and it later turned into a roaring Twenties speakeasy – the remnants of which can still be found in the basement of the hotel today.
It was in the 1980s that the property was renamed Galleria Park Hotel.
The boutique hotel group Joie de Vivre now run the property.
