You’re in San Francisco for a night or two. You’ve got some pals there because, really, who doesn’t? You want to see everyone; you want to treat them fine. Here’s what you do: You call up the Adagio Hotel, and you book their Samuel Suite for a night. The penthouse home of the Roaring Twenties hotel’s original owner, Sam, this crib’s big: 875 square feet. It’s got a fireplace, a nice, little sound system for playing your tunes, the same comfy, classy furnishings found in rooms throughout the low-key boutique property (only more of them), and, of course, a fully loaded mini-bar.
But the real draw of the Samuel Suite is its outdoor space: a 400-square-foot balcony with sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline. Lounging up there on the pillowed outdoor corner couch amid the potted palms with my friend Ben, who is lovely but, after all, just one person, I couldn’t help but wish I had called in a crowd.
Ah, well. Next time. Instead, Ben and I take the elevator back down the 16 flights to the lobby and pop into the Mortimer, a cozy corner bar and lounge where the drinks sound silly—Freaky Tiki, anyone? Oxidation Libation?—but are, in fact, the type of serious libations that would fit right in with those at surrounding bars like the Prohibition-style whiskey specialist Bourbon & Branch, and swanky pre-theater hangout Rye. I sip a bitters-rye-and-port Beatnik, Ben a sage-orange-and-gin Flying Monkey, and we nosh on a couple of pizettes: wild porcini and ricotta and an “Italian meat lover” loaded with proscuitto, sopressata, and coppa, and spicy with pepperoncini. Delicious.
Though the evening bar food is plenty good, my favorite time to dine in the hotel is at breakfast, a meal which I have always found San Franciscans do splendidly. My brioche French toast at the Adagio is sky high, the jams are housemade, the cups of coffee enormous and made with locally roasted beans. I could sit for hours, reading the Chronicle, developing the latest million dollar app, or just relax and soak up the glittering surrounding of my Tenderloin district oasis. —Betsy Andrews
But the real draw of the Samuel Suite is its outdoor space: a 400-square-foot balcony with sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline. Lounging up there on the pillowed outdoor corner couch amid the potted palms with my friend Ben, who is lovely but, after all, just one person, I couldn’t help but wish I had called in a crowd.
Ah, well. Next time. Instead, Ben and I take the elevator back down the 16 flights to the lobby and pop into the Mortimer, a cozy corner bar and lounge where the drinks sound silly—Freaky Tiki, anyone? Oxidation Libation?—but are, in fact, the type of serious libations that would fit right in with those at surrounding bars like the Prohibition-style whiskey specialist Bourbon & Branch, and swanky pre-theater hangout Rye. I sip a bitters-rye-and-port Beatnik, Ben a sage-orange-and-gin Flying Monkey, and we nosh on a couple of pizettes: wild porcini and ricotta and an “Italian meat lover” loaded with proscuitto, sopressata, and coppa, and spicy with pepperoncini. Delicious.
Though the evening bar food is plenty good, my favorite time to dine in the hotel is at breakfast, a meal which I have always found San Franciscans do splendidly. My brioche French toast at the Adagio is sky high, the jams are housemade, the cups of coffee enormous and made with locally roasted beans. I could sit for hours, reading the Chronicle, developing the latest million dollar app, or just relax and soak up the glittering surrounding of my Tenderloin district oasis. —Betsy Andrews
IN THE AREA
- Take in a play at one of the neighboring venues in the Tenderloin, San Francisco’s theater district.
- Go for dim sum in Chinatown, a short walk from the hotel.
- Shop until you drop in the department stores around Union Square or the high-end boutiques on the walking street, Maiden Lane, each a few blocks away.
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