Fairmont San Francisco
Sub-brand
UnclaimedA landmark luxury hotel on San Francisco's Nob Hill, associated with the origins of the Fairmont hotel brand.
Last updated August 22, 2026
Overview
Fairmont San Francisco is a landmark luxury hotel at the summit of Nob Hill in San Francisco, California. The property occupies a prominent position at 950 Mason Street and is known for its grand Beaux-Arts character, extensive public rooms, historic hospitality traditions, and views across the city and bay. Although it operates as one hotel, it is central to the history of the wider Fairmont brand: the property was the first major hotel to carry the Fairmont name and became the vanguard of the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts chain. The hotel was conceived by Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt in memory of their father, mining magnate and United States Senator James Graham Fair. The building was almost complete when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck. Its structure survived, but fire caused severe damage to the interior, delaying the planned opening. Julia Morgan was brought in to repair and complete the building. Her work made use of reinforced-concrete construction, then regarded as an innovative way to improve resistance to earthquakes and other disasters. Fairmont San Francisco finally opened in 1907. Over time, the property developed a broad hospitality offering that has included guest rooms and suites, restaurants and bars, event and meeting spaces, and distinctive entertainment venues. The hotel is particularly associated with the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, a mid-century tiki venue featuring a barge-style bandstand, a dining area incorporating maritime elements, and simulated tropical storms. The hotel has also hosted major performers and public figures. The Venetian Room became closely linked with Tony Bennett, who first performed “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” there in December 1961. Fairmont San Francisco also has an international diplomatic association. In 1945, statesmen meeting at the hotel worked on details connected with the United Nations Charter; the Garden Room commemorates the episode with a plaque. The property is also recognized for introducing concierge service in the United States. Its most prominent accommodation is a roughly 6,000-square-foot presidential penthouse created in 1927, which has hosted visiting presidents and other notable guests. The hotel has had an enduring presence in popular culture. Its exterior and interior have represented the fictional St. Gregory Hotel in the television series Hotel, and the property has appeared in films including The Lineup, The Rock, The Intern, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 2002 and is a member of Historic Hotels of America. Ownership of the real estate changed in 2012 and again in 2015, while the Fairmont identity and hotel operation remained associated with the international Fairmont network. The property remains an active luxury hotel and a prominent San Francisco heritage landmark.
History
Fairmont San Francisco was developed by Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt in honor of their father, James Graham Fair, a mining magnate and former United States senator. The building was designed as a major Nob Hill hotel and was nearly ready for operation when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck. The structure remained standing, but fires caused extensive interior damage. Julia Morgan was engaged to repair and complete the property, in part because of her expertise with reinforced-concrete construction. The hotel opened in 1907 and became the first important property associated with the Fairmont name. Its early history helped establish the property as a leading San Francisco hotel. The building's scale, location, formal public rooms, and association with prominent visitors gave it a role beyond ordinary accommodation. It later became the foundation of the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts identity, although the original hotel retained its historic name through subsequent changes in the ownership and organization of the wider hotel group. The property has hosted diplomatic, political, cultural, and entertainment activity. In 1945, international statesmen used the hotel for meetings and discussions connected with the final shaping of the United Nations Charter. The Garden Room commemorates that history. The hotel also developed a succession of entertainment rooms and specialty venues, including the Fairmont Playhouse, the Nob Hill Theatre, the Papagayo Room, the Cirque Room, and the Tonga Room. The Tonga Room opened in 1945, was remodeled in 1952 and again in 1967, and became one of the best-known surviving examples of a hotel tiki bar. Its design includes a floating bandstand, maritime decorative elements, and artificial storms. In 2009, proposed renovation and condominium-conversion plans prompted concern that the venue might close; the reported closure was delayed and the Tonga Room continued operating. Fairmont San Francisco is also associated with the development of professional hotel services. It is described as the first American hotel to offer concierge services. Tom Wolfe, who had trained in Europe, served as concierge from 1974 to 1981 and later returned to the hotel. The property has maintained a reputation for formal hospitality, historic suites, and large-scale social and business events. The hotel's cultural profile expanded through music and screen appearances. Tony Bennett first sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in the Venetian Room in December 1961, creating one of the property's most enduring associations. The hotel subsequently appeared in the television series Hotel as the visual stand-in for the fictional St. Gregory Hotel. It has also been used in or shown in films including The Lineup, The Rock, The Intern, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Other artistic references include Ernie Gehr's film Side/Walk/Shuttle and a lyrical reference in a Joni Mitchell recording. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 17, 2002, and is included in Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Real-estate ownership changed in 2012 when Oaktree Capital Management-managed funds and Woodridge Capital Partners acquired the property, and again in 2015 when it was sold to Mirae Asset Global Investments. These transactions concerned the property; the hotel continued to operate under the Fairmont identity. Today, Fairmont San Francisco remains an active luxury hotel and a major Nob Hill landmark, combining accommodation, dining, events, heritage spaces, and a highly recognizable cultural presence.
- 2016
Tony Bennett statue unveiled
[1]A statue honoring Tony Bennett was unveiled outside the hotel in connection with his 90th birthday and his historic performance there.
- 2015
Mirae Asset acquisition
[1]Mirae Asset Global Investments acquired the property.
- 2012
Real-estate ownership changes
[1]Oaktree Capital Management-managed funds and Woodridge Capital Partners acquired the hotel property.
- 2002
National Register recognition
[1]Fairmont San Francisco was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 17.
- 1961
Tony Bennett performs “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”
[1]Tony Bennett first performed the song at the Venetian Room, establishing a lasting connection between the performer, the hotel, and the city.
- 1945
Tonga Room opens and United Nations discussions take place
[1]The Tonga Room opened, while the hotel hosted international statesmen involved in discussions associated with the United Nations Charter.
- 1927
Presidential penthouse established
[1]The hotel's approximately 6,000-square-foot eighth-floor presidential suite was created and later became a notable accommodation for visiting heads of state and public figures.
- 1907
Hotel opens
[1]After repairs and completion work led by Julia Morgan, the hotel opened on Nob Hill and became the founding property associated with the Fairmont name.
- 1906
Earthquake and fire damage
[1]The nearly completed hotel survived the earthquake structurally but suffered heavy interior damage from the resulting fires.
Products and positioning
Historic luxury hotel combining landmark architecture, heritage hospitality, destination dining, major-event facilities, and a central Nob Hill location.
Accommodation · 1907
Guest rooms and suites
The hotel's core offering is luxury accommodation in a historic Nob Hill building. Its inventory includes standard guest rooms, upgraded rooms, suites, and historically significant accommodations, with the property marketed around architectural character, city views, formal service, and access to San Francisco attractions.
Luxury accommodation · 1927
Presidential penthouse suite
Created in 1927, the approximately 6,000-square-foot eighth-floor presidential suite is the hotel's most prominent accommodation. It has been used by visiting United States presidents and other notable guests, giving it a role in the property's public identity as a historic luxury hotel.
Restaurant and bar · 1945
Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
The Tonga Room is a historic tiki-themed venue opened in 1945. Its signature setting includes a bandstand on a floating barge, nautical décor incorporating parts of an old sailing ship, and artificial thunderstorms. It has undergone several remodels and remains one of the hotel's most recognizable attractions.
Entertainment and events
Venetian Room
The Venetian Room was a performance and entertainment space closely associated with major musical appearances. Its best-known historical moment came in December 1961, when Tony Bennett first sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” there.
Hospitality services · 1907
Meetings, banquets, and private events
The hotel's formal public rooms and historic venues support conferences, diplomatic gatherings, weddings, banquets, receptions, and other private events. This event capacity has been part of the hotel's role as a civic and social gathering place since its early years.
Brand decisions
2015
Sale to Mirae Asset Global InvestmentsM&ABackground
The hotel property was sold after a change in its United States real-estate ownership.
Action taken
South Korean investment group Mirae Asset Global Investments acquired the property.
Aftermath
The hotel continued to trade under the Fairmont San Francisco name and remained part of the Fairmont hospitality network.
Reported sale price. $450 million (November 30, 2015)
2012
Acquisition by Oaktree-managed funds and Woodridge Capital PartnersM&ABackground
The hotel property changed real-estate ownership as part of an investment transaction.
Action taken
Funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management and Woodridge Capital Partners acquired the property.
Aftermath
The property later changed hands again in 2015, while continuing to operate as Fairmont San Francisco.
Reported acquisition price. $200 million (May 9, 2012)
2009
Proposed renovation and condominium conversion affecting the Tonga RoomStrategyBackground
Owners announced plans involving hotel renovation and condominium conversion that raised concerns about the future of the historic Tonga Room.
Action taken
A preservation-minded group planned to seek official San Francisco landmark status for the venue. The proposed closure was delayed, and the Tonga Room remained open.
Aftermath
The episode increased public attention around the preservation of the hotel's entertainment spaces, while the Tonga Room continued as an operating venue.
Recent events
- 2016
Tony Bennett statue unveiled outside the hotel[1]
Other
A statue honoring Tony Bennett was unveiled outside the hotel in recognition of his relationship with the Venetian Room and his association with “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
- 2015
Fairmont San Francisco sold to Mirae Asset Global Investments[1]
M&A
The property was sold to the South Korean investment group Mirae Asset Global Investments.
- 2012
Property acquired by Oaktree Capital Management and Woodridge Capital Partners[1]
M&A
Funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management and Woodridge Capital Partners acquired the hotel property.
- 2009
Tonga Room closure and condominium-conversion plans announced[1]
Other
Owners announced plans connected with renovation and possible condominium conversion that could have affected the Tonga Room. Public opposition and a proposed landmark application followed, but the reported closure did not take place and the venue remained open.
- 2002
Fairmont San Francisco added to the National Register of Historic Places[1]
Other
The landmark hotel received National Register recognition, formalizing its architectural and historical importance.
Sources1 sources
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