San Francisco is a beautiful city – it’s full of culture, and sites we are are familiar with from Alcatraz to the Golden Gate Bridge. When looking for a place to stay – whether for a destination wedding or honeymoon – the lovely Hotel Griffon is a perfect choice! It is conveniently located near the Oakland Bay Bridge and the Embarcadero station, which is just a hop on the BART from the airport. I had a lovely stay, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
The images are via Hotel Griffon, which was gracious to provide hospitality on my San Francisco trip!
The Hotel Griffon itself is completely gorgeous. If you are flying into the San Francisco airport, all you have to do is find BART (Bay Area Regional Transport) at the airport and head to the Embarcadero station. I’d say that it may be a 30-40 minute ride or so, but I was busy planning my list of to-dos so I didn’t quite notice! Once you come up from BART, you just walk a few short blocks (towards the water if you are directionally challenged like me!) and you are at the hotel. It really is conveniently located, and I love the fact that it is so close to the Oakland Bay Bridge. Shops, restaurants, sites and views are all close by.
The lobby is welcoming, and the staff was so kind and knowledgeable. They also have a restaurant – Perry’s – on site for you to enjoy all day long from breakfast to late night drinks. If you look below, the view from Perry’s is lovely, and they have both indoor and outdoor seating. One room is also able to be sectioned off so that you can utilize it for your rehearsal dinner or as a venue for a smaller, more intimate wedding. The atmosphere is modern yet quaint.
As far as accommodations, the rooms are so cozy – yet spacious – and I dare say that the room pictured below was the one I stayed in as my view was exactly the same looking out towards the Oakland Bay Bridge and then looking towards the San Francisco piers. So gorgeous! Truly, the views from Hotel Griffon were a highlight, and I loved looking out over all of the scenery.
And now on to my personal photos of Hotel Griffon in San Francisco. So pretty!
Hotel Griffon – again – was very easy to find, and the entrance is stately and inviting. It was built in 1901, and the classic elegance of this San Francisco boutique hotel really shines through in so many ways. Gorgeous!
If you are planning a San Francisco area destination wedding, Hotel Griffon is perfect.
You can choose to reserve a block of rooms for your out-of-town guests, and the hotel also makes a comfortable “getting ready” point for members of the bridal party. Look at the balcony patios below – I can just picture bridesmaids sipping mimosas on the patio as they laugh and lounge while getting their hair and makeup done for the big day.
The room I had actually faced the waterfront and had beautiful views day or night! The room was comfy too. Dare I say that it would be the perfect place for a honeymooning couple? Waterside views were so inspiring, and I loved the amount of activity going on around. People were walking, running and generally just enjoying the waterfront area of San Francisco, and I adored being a part of that!
And look at that room! Modern but not stuffy with such a soothing color palette. Note the griffon on the pillow (more about him later!). My room included a sitting area and reading nook along with a spacious bathroom with oh so nice toiletries. I love it when I don’t have to tote my own shampoo and such – and when I can rely on a hotel to have quality hygiene products (especially when traveling by plane).
See the dark grey building below nestled in among the others (under the fog)? That’s the side of Hotel Griffon that faces the water. I actually found it endearing that the hotel has both a street side and a waterside (which, yes, is facing another street as you can see here). You can actually walk through Perry’s from one end to the other, which is quite nice to be able to get to both sides. And again, just look at everyone enjoying the San Francisco coastline!
The bridge also lights up at night – the lights have a soothing pattern to them in almost a subtle “light show” of sorts, but it really makes for a beautiful sight when illuminated at night both in the evening and the early morning as you can see below.
All in all, I had an amazing stay at Hotel Griffon!
I woke up refreshed and ready to hit the town – with perfectly curled hair that, frankly, didn’t last long in the humidity. But, hey – at least it looked good for a quick solo traveler photo. Ha! Again, my view was so wonderful from the window. So picturesque.
Last, but not least, I did promise you more on the actual griffon, remember?
Well, I was able to get a sneak peek of THE actual griffon, which used to be in the lobby, but apparently he was a bit unsettling to the younger guests.
A plaque in the hotel reads “The griffon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and often the wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffon was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature…the griffon’s amalgamation of a lion and eagle gains in courage and boldness…Griffons are portrayed with a lion’s body, an eagle’s head, long ears, and an eagle’s claws, to indicate that one must combine intelligence and strength.”
Such an interesting history. Take a peek below!
If you are heading to San Francisco and would like to stay at Hotel Griffon, here is the contact information, and I hope you enjoy your stay. The helpful staff will make sure of it!
Phone: 415-495-2100 Email: reservations@hotelgriffon.com
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