Brad A. Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact
Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact

Hotel Review: Villa Florence, San Francisco

  • August 23, 2015
  • Brad A. Johnson

 

Kuleto's at Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Kuleto’s at Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Kuleto's at Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Kuleto’s at Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)
Villa Florence (photo by Brad A Johnson)

Overview: The seven-story, turn-of-the-century building known today as Villa Florence has quite a history. It was conceived and constructed in the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake, part of San Francisco’s swift reconstruction campaign. It debuted as apartments but shortly thereafter became the Hotel Manx, whose basement would become a speakeasy during Prohibition. In the 1930s, when the Golden Gate Bridge was being assembled, many from the construction crew lived here. The property has been reborn many times, eventually becoming the Italian-themed Villa Florence in 1986. In March, the hotel completed a revamp of its 189 guest rooms, the first phase of a $15 million overhaul. The final phase, the lobby, will be transformed by early next year.

Location: The heart of Union Square shopping, one block from the Powell Street BART station, next door to Uniqlo and across the street from H&M.

Room: Deluxe king, fifth floor. The focal point of the new contemporary decor is the floor-to-ceiling headboard painted with fuchsia peonies. The bedding is brand new and very comfortable. Plenty of bedside electrical and USB outlets make it easy to stay plugged in. The television is huge, and the bathroom is tiny, stocked with good-quality towels but no bathrobes or slippers.

Food/drink: The hotel operates two dining venues, Kuleto’s and Bar Norcini, both Italian. The former has been around for more than 25 years and still ranks among the city’s top Italian dining rooms. Bar Norcini is a casual espresso bar by day, a cocktail bar at night.

Wi-Fi: Basic Wi-Fi is free and good enough for most email and Web surfing. Faster connections are available for a fee.

Public spaces: There’s not much to explore within the hotel since it was originally built as apartments, not a grand gathering place. The hallways are decorated with modern portraits from Los Angeles-based artist Liz Heras, making the corridors fun to explore, but beware: It’s easy to get lost. The property was built as two separate buildings, one within the other, the result of a bull-headed dispute between the two original owners. The tangled structures were eventually joined together, creating the maze-like hallways.

Service: The front desk crew is extremely gracious, helpful and quick-witted. Turn-down service is available upon request, not automatic. The valet staff could probably use an extra hand.

Cost: $270, with valet parking included. You read that correctly: Parking is often included in room rates at Villa Florence, a highly unusual move in San Francisco. It depends on the dates; some do incur parking fees of $56 per day. Best available rates can drop as low as $180, but also fluctuate wildly based on citywide occupancy. The lowest rate in August ranges from $290 to $518 for a deluxe queen.

Bottom line: The newly revamped rooms are genuinely comfortable, and the price is a bargain, especially when parking is included, if you have a need for that. The biggest downside is the tiny bathrooms, but they are far from being the city’s smallest.

For more travel inspiration and photos, I invite you to follow me and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Share
Tweet
Brad A. Johnson

Brad A. Johnson is a writer and photographer specializing in food and travel. His work has been honored by the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, James Beard Awards, World Food Media Awards, Food Photographer of the Year Awards, Society of Features Journalism Awards and others. Based in Southern California, Brad currently serves as Editorial Director of the new luxury consumer travel magazine of the Global Travel Collection (launching Spring 2023).

Previous Article

OC Review: Sushi Roku, Newport Beach

  • August 18, 2015
  • Brad A. Johnson
View Post
Next Article

Where to Eat Now: Hong Kong

  • October 8, 2015
  • Brad A. Johnson
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • California Hotels

Hotel Review: Azure Sky, Palm Springs

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • June 27, 2022
View Post
  • California Hotels
  • California Restaurants

Closer Look: Del Rey at Villa Royale, Palm Springs (part 2)

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • June 4, 2022
View Post
  • California Hotels
  • California Restaurants

Hotel Review: Villa Royale, Palm Springs (part 1)

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • May 30, 2022
View Post
  • California Hotels
  • Travel: Adventure

Review: AutoCamp Joshua Tree

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • May 22, 2022
View Post
  • California Hotels

Quick Look: Pendry, San Diego

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • May 14, 2022
View Post
  • California Hotels
  • Travel: United States

Motel Review: White Water, Cambria CA

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • February 6, 2022
View Post
  • California Hotels
  • California Restaurants

Motel Review: Cuyama Buckhorn, New Cuyama, CA

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • December 27, 2021
View Post
  • California Hotels
  • California Restaurants

Quick Look: Hotel Cerro & Brasserie SLO, San Luis Obispo

  • Brad A. Johnson
  • December 26, 2021
My sincerest thanks to the North American Travel Journalists Awards!⁠ 128 19
Hey, OC. FYI in case you missed it, @ryegoods has opened a new location on Red Hill in Tustin, just down the street from Flight/Mess Hall. Same incredible breads and pastries as the original on the peninsula. No lines here, plus a huge seating area. #sourdough #pastries #coffee #orangecounty 331 9
One more post from our lovely stay at @fstokyo. Delicious lunch at @maisonmarunouchi, the casual sibling to @sezannetokyo. Excellent all around. And clearly popular with Tokyo's ladies who lunch: the clientele during our visit, almost entirely women. Quite the see-and-be-seen crowd. 66 1
I’m not sure which I liked better about the @fstokyo, the valet greeter and escort from the train station, the view of the trains from our room, or the super comfy pajamas. Excellent service all around. #Tokyo #Japan #hoteljunkie 83 3
I think @sezannetokyo ⁠has a #footfetish, and I’m ok with that. Truly fantastic lunch. Impeccable service. ⁠ 64 2
We had a really fun "Lost in Translation" moment at @meatman_roppongi. Google Translate failed hilariously. Delicious meat/fat overload anyway. Great staff, charming hospitality. Lots of sake. Thank you, @fstokyo for securing the reservation! #Tokyo #Roppongi #sake 77 1
Brad A. Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
  • Writing
  • Contact
Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.