Hotels - Sleeping under the Golden Gate Bridge

With its greens on the edge of steep cliffs plunging into the Pacific Ocean, the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay offers a sublime natural setting, a world away from the high-tech frenzy of Silicon Valley.

San Francisco is so creative, so ebullient... Yet it's not one of those American cities where new hotels are springing up non-stop like in New York. Perhaps that's because the energy is elsewhere, or because the space is more suited to start-ups than hotel rooms? In any case, palaces here have a long history and a serious reputation. Let's take a look. This year, The Palace, established in 1875, has rediscovered all the panache that befits it, as well as a contemporary edge. Under the grandiose glass roof where the last scene of The Game, starring Michael Douglas, was filmed, a long coworking table has been installed, with built-in sockets for recharging laptops and computers. Quite a spirit, almost a symbol for this hotel, a member of the Starwood group's Luxury Collection; the oldest or, as we say here, the most historic in the whole of San Francisco.

Built by a wealthy banker who wanted to make it the largest hotel in the world, it was destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1909, a brand new hotel was built on the same site, with a majestic atrium which, over a hundred years later, still dazzles with its gilding, Italian marble and Austrian crystal chandeliers. Above all, The Palace remains one of the three major hotels in San Francisco to have a swimming pool. And it has to be said: the most beautiful! "We wanted to keep the traditions, but also make it a more welcoming place for the younger generation looking for informal places to meet and work."explains Christophe Thomas, Managing Director. In this region of start-ups, where it is imperative to 'deform' everything, including the most prestigious venues, this is an absolute necessity.

To achieve this, Beatrice Girelli, an Italian from Los Angeles and head of Indidesign, chose furniture with pure lines and noble materials such as marble, leather and wood. All the rooms, 556 in all, have been rejuvenated with colours that are sometimes bold, often suave, highlighting the antique details, mouldings, staircases, fireplaces and original wooden coffers. Of course, a sign of the times, new technologies and respect for the environment are combined in the establishment: LED lights, recycling bins, non-aggressive use of air conditioning, low-water consumption toilets are all part of everyday life...

Among other historic establishments, The Fairmont, where the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945, was also built at the turn of the last century, in 1907. Today, a modern tower completes the august building that triumphs at the very top of Nob Hill, the very posh hill in the centre of San Francisco. And no less than 21 million dollars were invested in 2014 to renovate the 591 rooms. The jewel within this jewel is the magnificent 600 m2 penthouse. Spectacular, its sculpted door opens onto a Klein blue vestibule extended by an immense terrace. The dome-shaped library, with the signs of the zodiac painted on the ceiling, is a sight to behold. Sublime are the billiards room, with its turn-of-the-century Moorish feel, and the bedroom, with its walls decorated with a vast map of the world - obsolete, admittedly, but so poetic.

Despite this profusion of luxury, the hotel strictly follows its environmental programme: recycling, bottled water distributed on demand - due to the drought in California - and gardens dotted with beehives. Here you can drink the famous honey beer made by the hotel's own bees.

The lights of the city

Although much more recent, other hotels such as the Marriott Marquis, opened in 1989, have built up a fine reputation over the years. With its 1,500 rooms, this establishment is well equipped to cope with the influx of visitors to the many conferences held at the nearby Moscone Center. At the beginning of 2016, this crowd of business travellers will find a completely refurbished lobby and a revamped business lounge based on a new, highly contemporary concept, M Lounge. As for the impressive bar on the 39th floor, The View, overlooking the whole of San Francisco, it has just been completely redesigned and redecorated. From the 155 suites high up in the sky, lined with bay windows, you can also contemplate the city in complete privacy. Particularly at night, when it shines brightly. There's no doubt that in a few months' time, this hotel, which has already been partially transformed and is focused on technology, with tablets and IPhone docks in every room, will be one of the most remarkable in the Market Street business district.

As you leave the city across the famous Bay Bridge towards Silicon Valley, the urban landscape changes somewhat. And so does the hotel industry. Palo Alto is both a small town and the centre of the world. This is where deals worth millions, sometimes billions, of dollars are concluded. This spirit, where the very serious meets the relaxed, typical of southern cities - it has to be said that the climate and vegetation here have something of the Mediterranean about them - can be found in the magnificent hotel The Epiphany. Hip, high-tech and... of course, very relaxed.

The staff here are young and in jeans, and their sense of service is beyond reproach. Opened in 2014, this hotel looks like a big motel from the 70s, with a tree-shaped mosaic covering its entire height. "We met with a number of start-ups before embarking on the work, because we wanted to know what they wanted from a Palo Alto hotel, a place that reflected the spirit of Silicon Valley."explains Jeanine Conforti, Sales Director. As a result, technology is omnipresent, but never intimidating. "We wanted everyone to feel at ease, without having the impression that they hadn't mastered certain tools."she continues. On the first floor, a collaborative workspace has been set up on a mezzanine floor, with brightly coloured chairs, rough wooden furniture and ad hoc equipment.

In the lobby, you will be struck by the play of light, the moving LED bulbs that guests will soon be able to manipulate from their smartphones to create the desired effects themselves. What's more, not a single one of the 86 rooms has its own unique, creative and... eco-friendly detail. IDEO designers have come up with beautifully shaped carafes that you can fill yourself with mineral water in the lobby. As for the wooden furniture, it was made by Pennsylvania Amish craftsmen. As for the hospitality products, from the brand (Malin + Goetz), they come in maxi sizes to avoid throwing away bottles, a disaster for the environment. "As customers love these products, we offer to buy them, and this is a profitable business model that other hotels have chosen to follow."concludes Jeanine Conforti.

Business Casual

Another Silicon Valley establishment where the sense of detail is pushed to the extreme, the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay imposes a different style. No doubt because of its location, on the California Coaster Trail, in a pristine landscape facing the sea, but only a few kilometres from all the digital industries. This slightly British manor house has a more maritime kind of relaxation, with Adirondack chairs all over the lawns, but also in the 261 rooms with furniture made from recycled materials, sometimes even with wood gathered from the water's edge. "We are the playground of Silicon Valley", laughs hotel representative Joel Costa. There's nothing like this idyllic panorama to de-stress before signing a contract with Skype or Oracle, then come and celebrate in the evening, in the pretty bar overlooking the cliffs, with a cocktail made from herbs harvested from... the green wall growing near the bottles, or during dinner at Navio, whose concept is 'farm to table'. The chef buys his produce from Ouroboros, a nearby farm that grows tomatoes, basil and salads using aquaponics, an aquaculture method that requires a lot of fish and very little water. It's another way of bringing Silicon Valley and new technologies full circle.