This Iconic Hotel Houses The Highest Bar In San Francisco
The Intercontinental Mark Hopkins has presided over posh Nob Hill since 1926.
Since 1926 the stately and laureled InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel has captivated its San Francisco-visiting guests from the moment they walk through the French Chateau-inspired marble arches into the opulent entrance. They’re even more entranced when they elevate up its 19 stories to the glass-walled Top of the Mark, the iconic Art Deco cocktail lounge and restaurant famous for its spectacular views.
The highest bar in all of San Francisco, and one of the most historic, it offers priceless panoramas of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, and its character-rich Nob Hill neighborhood with the mysterious Pacific-Union Club next door on its manicured grounds.
A triple-A Designated San Francisco Landmark, the 5-star property is the oldest in the impressive InterContinental portfolio, which it joined in 1973. The hotel is named after railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, who built an elaborate mansion for his wife on the site, at that time the highest perch in Nob Hill, in 1878. The mansion was destroyed by fire after the 1906 earthquake.
The former mansion set the grounds for the pedigree that would see the French-and-Spanish-influenced hotel designed by the estimable Weeks and Day architectural firm, open in 1926. Opulence, refined taste, and escapism where channeled into an imposing 380-room structure with 33 suites for guests who cherished history, comfort, and a feeling, well, of being above it all.
The Top of the Mark always attracted its share of affluent swells. But it also hosted countless uniformed servicemen and their gals before the men set off for the Pacific in WWII. A tradition of officers buying bottles for their battle-bound soldiers evolved into a tradition of “squadron shots,” and continued after wartime with a cabinet of bottles purchased by those wishing to do the same; the tradition continues to this day.
In its hallowed past, the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Betty Grable, and Elvis Presley all made the Mark Hopkins their escape hatch from the press and paparazzi. Plus the likes of Charles de Gaulle, Britain’s Prince Philip, Herbert Hoover, and FDR. Many were entertained by Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey who performed at the hotel in the Big Band era.
Now you can keep up with the A-listers in a modernized but still classically elegant hotel. Buckwheat blinis with Beluga caviar and a Champagne tasting are a great way to experience the Top of the Mark; the favored hour being, of course, sunset. Open for all meals, the more casual Nob Hill Club, off the lobby and serving traditional American and San Francisco-inspired cuisine, is where to have classic Eggs Benedict, Dungeness crab rolls, or a fresh-caught salmon entrée.
Equally edifying is the treasure trove of artwork throughout the hotel. The nine historic seven-foot-tall murals in the stunning Room of the Dons depict various scenes from California’s history. They were unveiled at the hotel’s opening in 1926 and were created by Maynard Dixon and Frank Van Sloun. Most recapture “discoveries,” such as Sir Francis Drake’s landing in 1579.
The Continental-evocative rooms and suites feature all the modern amenities. And the higher-floor aeries are of course all about the views, views of all the landmarks and the Bay from nearly every room. The top suites, including the California Suite, Penthouse Suite, Presidential Suite, Nob Hill Suite, and, best of all, the Mark Hopkins suite, are a lot like checking into your own private Nob Hill mansion, some complete with wood paneling and fireplaces.
As Mark Hopkins with its elevated anchor, Nob Hill is one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city. Nearly every adjacent residence has its own intricate details. And besides all the restaurants, bars, and upscale retail, it is strategically located to take in all of the City on the Bay, with the Financial District and Chinatown just East and Fisherman’s Wharf to the north. Take one of the fabled cable cars on its 90-degree angle street, and visitors will pass emblems of historical and cultural divides, such as Grace Cathedral and roads that Steve McQueen made famous in car chases.
With the Pacific minutes away, as well as Napa and Sonoma wine country just to the north, it is clear why San Francisco is considered easily one of the finest culinary ports in the States. Gastronauts plan trips there annually to sample its seafood and other delights. And do not leave the city, or hotel, without asking concierges where to find the best cioppino, the port’s signature seafood stew first cooked up in the 1800s, or the intel on who has the best oysters in town.
