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San Francisco's Nob Hill has always been home to the very rich and the very famous.
As the city grows and changes from year to year, however, one thing remains the
same: Nob Hill is still San Francisco's crown jewel.
During the days of the "Wild West," Nob Hill was adorned with the mansions of the
great railroad barons of the Central Pacific Line, known as the Big Four. They
were C.P. Huntington, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins and Charles Crocker. Later,
James Fair and James Flood, who amassed fortunes during the Gold Rush also built
their mansions high atop the hill. The Tobin family, founders of The Hibernia
Bank, joined their affluent contemporaries on Nob Hill in the 1870's with the
construction of a very large Victorian home on the site of what is now the
Huntington Hotel.
In 1922, construction began on the corner of California and Taylor streets, former
site of the Tobin Mansion. The result was a 12-story, $2.5 million residential
Apartment hotel building. Constructed by Weeks and Day, the 140 room Huntington
Apartments was the first steel and brick high-rise west of the Mississippi. In
keeping with Nob Hill's exclusive ambiance, the building was described by San
Francisco's Illustrated Daily Herald as the "last word in luxury."
The Huntington Apartments offered the “finest apartment facilities with the most
up-to-date hotel service, offering a combination of features never before attempted
in the West,” reported the Illustrated Daily Herald. Some of the apartments were
installed with San Francisco's first twin wall beds or Murphy beds, Pullman kitchens
with electric stoves, and inset steam radiators. A main kitchen, constructed in the
building to provide room service to the residents was considered quite the
innovation.
In 1924, Eugene Fritz, a real estate developer who managed the property, purchased
the Huntington Apartments. Under Fritz's ownership, The Huntington maintained its
reputation as the West's most elegant apartment building, home to some of San
Francisco's most distinguished citizens.
Following World War II, Fritz, a shrewd businessman, realized the vast potential for
increased transient business to San Francisco due to the City's high visibility
during the war effort. In 1945, he began a two-year renovation program to transform
the apartments into the elegant Huntington Hotel. Instead of reducing the size of
the large apartments, however, he maintained the original room sizes. For this
reason, The Huntington's guest rooms are substantially larger than industry
standards. At that time, a cozy lobby was created on the ground floor with the
Zebra Room Restaurant located directly adjacent to it.
The reputation of The Huntington and the Zebra Room quickly spread as it became home
to visiting dignitaries, royalty, top-level executives and San Francisco's “Café
Society.” Years later the Romanoff Restaurant, a posh nightclub replaced the Zebra
Room, catering to an exclusive clientele that was fast, flashy and who favored such
watering holes as the original Cirque Room. In 1960, L'Etoile, another elegant and
famous restaurant, replaced Romanoff's, closing in 1990. The Nob Hill Spa now
occupies the space where these former restaurants were located.
In 1950, Fritz stunned a male-dominated industry by turning over the hotel's
ownership to his 14 year old daughter, Dorothy. As one of the country's first women
to own and eventually manage a hotel, "Dolly" Fritz expanded the hotel's exclusive
reputation. Her 1967 marriage to Newton Cope, a Sacramento real estate developer,
restaurateur and California historian cemented the family's commitment to Northern
California's hospitality industry.
Newton Cope transformed the ground floor of the Huntington Hotel into The Big Four
Restaurant, one of the country's most handsome cocktail lounges and dining rooms.
Named for the Central Pacific Railroad's "big four" tycoons, the restaurant's
club-like ambiance showcases Mr. Cope's impressive collection of 19th century
railroad and early California memorabilia.
The space formerly occupied by L'Etoile was renovated to become the Nob Hill Spa,
opening in January, 2001. A pool was built where the old dining room had been and
treatment rooms were placed under the lobby in the location of the old kitchen.
For the first time, a gift shop was opened for hotel and spa guests alike.
Today, a third generation of the Cope family is actively involved in managing the
Huntington Hotel, Big Four and Nob Hill Spa. The Huntington maintains its
long-standing tradition of high standards and gracious service. Its reputation for
quiet and understated luxury has made it a favorite among savvy travelers who prefer
individuality and elegance.
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When in Carmel, visit our sister property La Playa Hotel & Cottages-by-the-Sea, also owned by the Cope Family.
Located just two blocks from the beach, and with impeccably landscaped grounds, an intimate lobby and an abundance
of Carmel charm, La Playa Hotel & Cottages-by-the-Sea is known as the Grande Dame of Carmel. Built as a Mediterranean
villa in 1904, today La Playa still rests in a picture-perfect setting amidst oceans of flowers and cypress, featuring
the alfresco Terrace Grill, 73 guest rooms and five newly-renovated cottages. As a member of the prestigious Historic
Hotels of America, La Playa is intimately connected to California's colorful past, with a rich heritage all its
own. www.laplayahotel.com, (831) 624-6476
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