San Francisco’s cosmopolitan pleasures and Napa Valley’s bucolic diversions both beckon the sophisticated traveler
It’s also one of the most urbane, progressive cities in the US – a magnet for international tourists and tech entrepreneurs (as well as down-on-their-luck Americans), all attracted to its benign climate and a diverse, cosmopolitan population that has given rise to a thriving arts and culture scene.
The morning I arrive the sun is blazing and there’s not a wisp of fog in the air. My accommodation is lofty both in geographic terms – standing near the top of the steep but stylish Nob Hill district – and in its position within the upper echelons of the hospitality sector. The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco is the city’s only AAA Five Diamond-rated hotel, housed in a gorgeous neoclassical edifice built in 1909. Looking down California Street, a sliver of glittering water and a slice of the Bay Bridge can be seen between the skyscrapers.
The Ritz-Carlton’s interior was renovated a couple of years ago, refurbished with a palette of steel blues and grays representing a weather theme for this city with its own unique microclimate. Lunch at the hotel’s Parallel 37 restaurant is a stomach bulging affair in the private dining room – Chef Michael Rotondo knows how to craft contemporary American dishes with a dash of panache.
As the jet lag hits, we retire to the hotel’s Spa L’Occitane by the Bay, opened late last year and the brand’s very first in America. A soothing traditional massage is the perfect antidote to a long and tiring, 16-hour transpacific flight.
The Streets of San Francisco
Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av Business Traveler.
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Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av Business Traveler.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Around the World in 80 Ways - Oneworld releases an Al-powered travel service for extended international voyages
A new generative artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent will leverage Google Cloud to help ambitious travelers easily book international trips with Oneworld member airlines. The alliance’s Round the World fares allow passengers to book up to 16 flights between at least three continents on a globe-spanning trip that lands back home up to a year later.
Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights
United has become the first major U.S. airline to announce a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink WiFi. Passengers will soon enjoy high-speed, lowlatency Internet service, enabling seamless gate-to-gate connectivity across domestic and international flights.
Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it
There seems to be bipartisan agreement that everything from teen suicide rates to poor mental health and more is due to social media. The obvious solution, they believe, is to impose government oversight on how such services can be provided. Congress is considering sweeping social media legislation and a number of states have already enacted such laws.
Golden Age
Porsche celebrates a half-century of its 911 Turbo with a limited-editon model
The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons
Bags that make the most of your space while providing carefree convenience
Crystal Palace
Baccarat offers sparkling cocktails in Midtown Manhattan
East Meets West
Chef Cyril Lignac fuses French and Japanese cuisine in the heart of London
Bigger.Better.
American Express relocated and improved its Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address issues with overcrowding and enhance the customer experience
High Style
A nonstop journey from Singapore to Los Angeles in Business Class