San Francisco Marriott Marquis
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA large Marriott-branded convention hotel and 39-story landmark in San Francisco's South of Market district.
Last updated August 22, 2026
Overview
San Francisco Marriott Marquis is a Marriott-branded hotel in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The property occupies a prominent site at the intersection of Fourth and Mission Streets, directly across from the Metreon and near the Moscone Convention Center. Its location places it within one of the city's principal convention, entertainment, retail, and business districts. The hotel is housed in a 133-meter, 39-story postmodern skyscraper completed in 1989. With approximately 1,500 guest rooms, it is one of San Francisco's largest hotels and a major accommodation venue for convention visitors. The building is also an important element of the city's skyline: it is described as San Francisco's second-tallest hotel, behind Hilton San Francisco Tower I. Its distinctive high-rise form and reflective exterior have made it a recognizable part of the downtown landscape. The property's development was connected to San Francisco's effort to redevelop central blocks in the South of Market area during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The city invited private developers to submit proposals for the district, and ten developers initially responded. In October 1980, officials selected a joint proposal involving Marriott and the Canadian development company Olympia and York. The project therefore formed part of a broader urban-development initiative rather than being an isolated hotel construction project. The building's architectural development involved Zeidler Partnership Architects and, later, DMJM architect Anthony J. Lumsden. Lumsden was responsible for the overall architectural expression that gave the tower its characteristic postmodern appearance. The hotel opened on October 17, 1989, on the same day as the Loma Prieta earthquake. Despite the timing and the severe regional disruption caused by the earthquake, the building reportedly performed better than several nearby hotels and lost only one window. As a hotel property, its core offering is paid accommodation supported by the facilities and services expected of a major urban convention hotel. Its commercial role is closely tied to business travel, large meetings, conventions, tourism, and events at the neighboring Moscone Convention Center. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate ownership structure, a current general manager, or detailed financial performance for the property, so those fields remain unspecified. The hotel has also been associated with labor relations in San Francisco's hospitality industry. Approximately 500 employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 2 began a strike on November 24, 2024. The action continued into early December and was expected to extend through the holiday period. A four-year labor agreement was ratified on December 24, 2024, ending the strike. The building has appeared in local commentary about San Francisco's architecture and skyline. Newspaper columnist Herb Caen criticized reflections from its windows that allegedly affected his office in the nearby Chronicle building and compared the tower's shape to a jukebox. This observation reflects the hotel's unusual visual presence and its sometimes debated place in the downtown built environment.
History
San Francisco Marriott Marquis emerged from San Francisco's late-1970s and early-1980s effort to redevelop key blocks in the South of Market district. The city invited property developers to propose new uses for the area, attracting ten initial responses. In October 1980, the selected proposal was a partnership between Marriott and the Canadian property developers Olympia and York. The hotel consequently formed part of a larger urban-development program intended to strengthen the central city and add major commercial and visitor infrastructure near the emerging convention district. The architectural project involved Zeidler Partnership Architects in its early phase. The firm was later replaced by DMJM architect Anthony J. Lumsden, who established the building's overall architectural style. The completed structure adopted a distinctive postmodern high-rise form with a reflective exterior. Rising 133 meters over 39 stories, it became a prominent addition to the San Francisco skyline and remains one of the city's most recognizable hotel towers. The building was completed in 1989 and opened on October 17 of that year. Its opening coincided with the Loma Prieta earthquake, which struck the Bay Area on the same day. The hotel reportedly benefited from stronger earthquake protection than several nearby hotels and sustained limited visible damage, losing only one window. Its location at Fourth and Mission Streets, across from the Metreon and adjacent to the Moscone Convention Center district, gave it an important role in San Francisco's convention and tourism economy. With approximately 1,500 rooms, the property became one of the city's largest hotels. Its principal business functions include lodging for visitors, convention delegates, business travelers, tourists, and event groups. The hotel is also identified as San Francisco's second-tallest hotel, after Hilton San Francisco Tower I. Its size and location enable it to serve large convention demand, while its architecture gives it a role beyond ordinary hospitality operations as a visible piece of the city's built environment. The tower has attracted local architectural commentary. Chronicle columnist Herb Caen reportedly objected to reflections from the windows that affected his office in the nearby Chronicle building and likened the hotel's silhouette to a jukebox. The comparison illustrates the building's unusual and highly legible appearance in the downtown skyline. In late 2024, the hotel became the site of a significant labor dispute. Approximately 500 employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 2 went on strike on November 24. The action was still continuing on December 2 and was expected to extend into the holiday period. On December 24, employees ratified a four-year labor agreement, ending the strike. No further ownership, executive, financial, or corporate restructuring details are established by the supplied reference material.
- 2024
Labor strike begins
[1]Approximately 500 employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 2 began a strike at the property on November 24.
- 2024
Four-year labor agreement ratified
[1]Employees ratified a four-year labor agreement on December 24, ending the 2024 strike.
- 1989
Tower completed
[1]The 133-meter, 39-story hotel tower was completed as a major addition to the South of Market district.
- 1989
Hotel opens during the Loma Prieta earthquake
[1]The hotel opened on October 17, the day of the Loma Prieta earthquake. It reportedly lost only one window and performed better than several nearby hotels.
- 1980
Marriott and Olympia and York proposal selected
[1]San Francisco selected a joint proposal by Marriott and Canadian developers Olympia and York for redevelopment in the central South of Market area.
Products and positioning
A large, full-service Marriott convention hotel positioned for business travelers, convention delegates, tourists, and event groups visiting central San Francisco.
Hotel accommodation · 1989
Guest rooms
The property's principal product is hotel accommodation in a 39-story tower containing approximately 1,500 rooms. The scale of the inventory allows the hotel to serve individual tourists, business travelers, convention delegates, and large event groups in the central San Francisco market.
Meetings and events · 1989
Convention and group hospitality
The hotel supports San Francisco's convention economy through lodging and hospitality services for meetings, conventions, and organized groups. Its position across from and near the Moscone Convention Center is central to this role.
Controversies
Brand decisions
1980
Selection of Marriott and Olympia and York redevelopment proposalStrategyBackground
San Francisco sought proposals for redevelopment of central blocks in the South of Market area during a broader urban-development effort.
Action taken
The city selected a joint proposal involving Marriott and Olympia and York in October 1980.
Aftermath
The proposal led to development of the hotel tower that opened in 1989 and became a major property in the city's convention district.
Sources2 sources
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