There are tours and there are good tours. And the one I recently took at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco was crazy good—and FREE!
Perched at the top of Nob Hill, just across the park from Grace Cathedral, the 600+ room hotel hides a surprisingly rich collection of San Francisco stories starring earthquakes, global diplomacy, legendary performers, and even a tropical lagoon.
One of the best ways to uncover the secrets is to take a free walking tour led by volunteers with San Francisco City Guides.
I joined a sunny Saturday tour led by Kenn (Ken-with-two-Ns is how he introduced himself), whose enthusiasm made this history tour anything but boring.
Over the course of 90 minutes, we discovered the Fairmont’s hidden gems, famous guests, admired photos of famous visitors, and learned about the well-known and unexpected moments that unfurled here.
If you’re short on time or visiting San Francisco on a budget and want to go in-depth on a local landmark, I highly recommend SF City Guides.
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The Fairmont Hotel and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
The hotel officially opened in April 1906, and the San Francisco Earthquake struck a day later.
Much of the city burned in the devastating fire that followed, but the Fairmont’s steel-and-stone structure held firm. The interior was badly damaged, yet the building itself survived.
Standing in the grand lobby today, it’s almost impossible to imagine that this elegant space was once filled with smoke, rubble, and chaos.
After an extensive restoration, the hotel reopened in 1907 and quickly reclaimed its role as one of the city’s most glamorous gathering places, a title it still holds.
Julia Morgan’s Architectural Influence
Part of the Fairmont’s elegant interior design is credited to pioneering architect Julia Morgan, the first woman architect licensed in California. Girl power!
Morgan helped redesign portions of the hotel after the earthquake, adding classical elements and refined details that make the Fairmont fit right in with other San Francisco architectural gems.
The hotel’s grand public spaces, especially the soaring lobby, reflect the Beaux-Arts elegance typical of early 20th-century luxury hotels.
The Marble Columns
Look closely at the lobby’s towering marble columns. Aren’t they gorgeous?
Well, they are actually replicas. Though they look identical, they are wider and stronger than the originals. One original marble column remains… and you can see it inside the hotel boutique.
This is the kind of hidden detail I loved hearing about on the tour. Something I wouldn’t know just walking in, but will never unsee again.
Tony Bennett and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”
Who doesn’t love a little crooning from Tony Bennett?
We started our tour near the 8-foot bronze statue of the famous singer, installed and unveiled on August 19, 2016, to coincide with his 90th birthday.
Few musical moments are more closely tied to San Francisco than Tony Bennett performing, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
Bennett first sang the now-legendary song in 1961 in the hotel’s famous Venetian Room. The performance helped cement the tune as San Francisco’s unofficial anthem.
FUN FACT: Tony Bennett did NOT write “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” The iconic song was written in 1953 by songwriters/musicians George Cory and Douglass Cross, a duo living in Brooklyn who were supposedly homesick for California.
Bennett would perform “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” countless times throughout his career , including in October 1962, when he sang the song on Johnny Carson’s first “Tonight Show” episode.
But it happened here first, at the Fairmont San Francisco!
Tony Bennett’s Painted Heart
Inside the Fairmont, you’ll also find another tribute to Tony Bennett, one that’s a little more colorful.
A large heart sculpture painted by Bennett himself now sits inside the hotel. The artwork was originally installed in Union Square, where it stood for nearly twenty years as part of San Francisco’s famous “Hearts in San Francisco” public art project.
Little did I know that Bennett was also an accomplished visual artist, and the sculpture is a joyful ode to the city he helped immortalize in song.
The Venetian Room: A Stage for Music Legends
During the mid-20th century, the Fairmont’s Venetian Room was one of the country’s most celebrated nightclub venues. Over the decades, it welcomed some of the biggest names in music, including:
- Frank Sinatra
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Nat King Cole
- B.B. King
- Peggy Lee
- Elton John
Guests dressed in evening gowns and tuxedos to hear these legendary performers beneath sparkling chandeliers. It was the place to be!
Whimsical Murals at Cirque
Cirque Bar was built in 1933—and was the first bar in San Francisco to reopen after the repeal of Prohibition.
These days, Cirque is a cafe with coffee and pastries, but that’s not the reason to go.
The walls are adorned with brilliant gold murals painted by the Bruton sisters, Esther, Margaret, and Helen, depicting dancing horses, acrobats, and wild-animal trainers among other circus scenes.
The Birthplace of the United Nations Charter
One of the Fairmont’s most remarkable secrets is revealed the minute you arrive and see flags from around the world flapping above the entrance.
They represent the 50 nations that, in 1945, gathered here during the United Nations Conference on International Organization. While negotiations took place throughout the city, the final drafting of the United Nations Charter happened inside the Fairmont San Francisco.
It’s a remarkable detail many visitors miss: a document that reshaped global diplomacy was finalized right here on Nob Hill.
The Tonga Room– A Tiki-Tastic Experience
Then there’s the Tonga Room — proof that the Fairmont doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Opened in 1945, the restaurant transformed the hotel’s former indoor swimming pool into a Polynesian lagoon, complete with tropical rainstorms and a floating band stage..
Every so often thunder rumbles, lightning flashes, and rain falls over the water while musicians perform from a raft in the middle of the lagoon.
It’s wonderfully over-the-top and still one of San Francisco’s most memorable experiences. I can’t recommend the food (it’s pretty blah), but the drinks and vibe are solid gold.
The Fairmont “Secret” Garden
One of the tour’s best surprises lies just outside.
Behind the hotel is a peaceful terrace garden, with a fountain, palm trees, and quiet places to sit. And…it’s open to the public!
Despite its location atop one of the city’s busiest hills, the space feels unexpectedly calm.
San Francisco has many beautiful outdoor spaces like this. If you’re looking for more places to relax outside, check out my guide to the best parks in San Francisco.
Why the San Francisco City Guides Tour Is Worth Taking
The tour not only invites you into one of San Francisco’s most iconic buildings, it also reveals the stories that are an integral part of what has made the city legendary.
Once you hear them, it’s hard to walk through the lobby of the Fairmont without imagining the echoes of jazz bands, elegant crowds, and Tony Bennett’s voice drifting through the Venetian Room.
