Since January is such a popular travel month, I wanted to start this year by sharing a few of my favorite travel destinations. Today, I wanted to showcase a few highlights and favorite moments from our recent trip to San Francisco, a city that will always hold a special place in my heart. What made this trip particularly special for Edward and I is the fact that we got to spend a few days at the gorgeous St Regis San Francisco hotel, indulge in our favorite vacation traditions, and experience the incredibly luxe time-honored rituals the San Francisco property has to offer.
First I wanted to talk about the hotel itself. A luxe, modern oasis in the heart of the city, St Regis San Francisco has that incredibly relaxing, decidedly polished and sophisticated vibe. Our room especially was something absolutely incredible. Panoramic views of the city, sleek decor in a gorgeous calming color palette, I must admit that we loved it so much, we ended up staying in a lot. Breakfasts in bed and dinners in became our favorite indulgences since it felt so nice to enjoy delicious treats while admiring the stunning views. By the way, if you end up staying at the property I highly recommend trying the french toast, it was truly amazing!
What makes St Regis different from any other hotel is its incredible history, traditions, and the way St Regis preserves these time-honored rituals and reinterprets them for modern day. One of our favorite rituals was of course the Art of Tea. Served in the swanky downstairs lobby, the Afternoon Tea is truly an experience based on history. Not only do you get to enjoy the classic Afternoon Tea staples like exotic teas, delicious treats and tea-infused champagne, you also get to learn the history of this particular ritual all while relaxing in a gorgeous setting.
Though it was hard to choose a favorite ritual, both Edward and I were really partial to the Evening Champagne Ritual. I mean, the incredible history behind it alone makes it a truly unique experience. Dating back to the Napoleon Bonaparte, who opened a bottle of champagne with his saber, the art of sabrage is a signature ritual at St Regis hotels. You’ll see that I got to experience it at different St Regis properties, and it never failed to impress! If you would like to know more about it, you can see the full story on the St Regis highlight here.
Last, but certainly not least was the Bloody Mary ritual. Did you guys know that Bloody Mary was invented at St Regis? That’s right, it was invented in 1934 at St Regis New York King Cole Bar and to this day, the Bloody Mary remains the hotel’s signature cocktail. The collection of Bloody Mary cocktails at St Regis is truly incredible and I highly recommend sampling them all to find the one that you love best. Both Edward and I were really partial to the Golden Gate Mary, the local interpretation of this classic, inspired by the sunset over the Pacific, which we thought was incredibly romantic.
Special thank you to St Regis & to St Regis San Francisco for partnering with me on this post.