THE FACTS ABOUT ST REGIS HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO

USA San_Francisco

With its sleek design and sceney foyer, the St Regis Hotel San Francisco picks up where the 'chic boutiques' of the 1990s left off. But this time around there's just as much focus on substance as style. The 260-room hotel is in the lower half of a new, 40-storey skyscraper. The bedrooms, among the largest in the city, are intelligently hi-tech, with an elaborate yet easy-to-navigate control system for lights, alarms and a double set of window shades. They are decorated in leather and pale wood and furnished with fresh takes on iconic Barcelona ottomans and chaises, the latter positioned for panoramic views of the city's downtown or the deep blue bay. Any member of the team of 12 butlers will talk you through the hotel's extensive modern-art collection (inspired by the hotel's position next to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), or perhaps book you a table at Ame, its street-level restaurant, or a treatment at the Remede Spa with its 50ft swimming pool. In an excellent location close to Union Square, the St Regis mixes urban sophistication with old-world service. On the down side, we found chef Hiro Sone's mixed Sushi/Northern California/European menu slightly muddled and pricey, and on our late-December visit it seemed that some staff were still learning the ropes. WHEN TO GO In December for a spot of easy-access, mild-weathered Christmas shopping (for foodies, the Ferry Building Marketplace is a short stroll away). ROOM TO BOOK Grand Deluxe Kings have large work areas positioned to make the most of the floor-to-ceiling windows. CONTACT 125 Third Street, San Francisco, California, USA (00 1 415 284 4000; www.stregis.com). COST Doubles from $603