SAN FRANCISCO—Originally built in 1928, Kimpton’s Sir Francis Drake unveils the completion of its $10-million renovation during its 85th anniversary.
The completed renovation features a modern design that attempts to complement the original Gothic Revival and Regency architecture of the hotel. All public spaces, including the Starlight Room; 18,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space; and 416 guestrooms and suites have been completely redesigned by Dawson Design Associates.
The newly restored 21-story Sir Francis Drake attempts to draw its design cues from the hotel’s 1920s roots while meeting the needs of its contemporary guests. Dawson Design Associates, an integrated-design firm that specializes in hospitality work, was commissioned to give Sir Francis Drake an upgrade, with the goal of recapturing the romance of the guestrooms and refreshing the public spaces.
Dawson Design started by expanding the grand hotel bar, Bar Drake, with European finishes. Some design elements in the guestrooms and suites include red-lacquer Chinese trunks, contemporary steel and glass desks, Jonathan Adler-designed horse-head lamps, chairs monogrammed with the hotel crest, and new wall accents, carpets and furnishings.
Sir Francis Drake’s well-known Starlight Room offers 360-degree views of the city as a backdrop to the return of the nightclub. The nightclub lounge also received a facelift, with decadent classical lines of Venetian architecture.
The final stage of the renovation included Sir Francis Drake’s retrofitted meeting facilities and collection of salons, ballrooms and parlors.