San Francisco, CA (June 30, 2017) – San Francisco is a frontier city, perpetually on the edge and always looking forward. This is where the gold rushes, Ginsberg Howls, consciousness expands, love is legal, and young CEOs invent change. Now, the pioneers that converge in this ‘Paris of the West’ have another thing to look forward to: A ‘Proper’ Hotel. And the timing couldn’t be better.
This summer, a beloved flatiron hotel building on the corner of 7th and Market will be reborn as San Francisco Proper Hotel, the first injection of true luxury lifestyle hospitality into the city in over a decade. Once a hideaway for high society at the crossroads of deco ritz and juice joints, the district fell into disrepair. Now the landmark is a beacon of the neighborhood’s resurgence as a hub of innovation: cutting-edge tech companies inhabit once-blighted architectural marvels while once-thriving theaters have been revived, artistic institutions provide rare exhibits, and thousands of residential units are coming online.
Each Proper experience is an ode to its city, and in this case, San Francisco serves as the hotel’s muse. It’s a renaissance story befitting the launch of Proper’s flagship. A hotel long forgotten, burned, and rebuilt, poised to reclaim its status as a culturally connected hangout for next generation bon vivants.
“Proper Hospitality and The Kor Group have been committed to helping develop this dynamic community, investing significant time and resources into delivering our first flagship hotel and our own unique brand of taking care: of guests, of a building, of a neighborhood,” said Alex Samek, Co-Founder of Proper Hospitality and Principal of The Kor Group.
From the outside in, every detail has been meticulously attended to by veteran hotel developer The Kor Group and world-renowned interior designer Kelly Wearstler. A crumbling facade has been stripped away to reveal Beaux-Arts ingenuity, and the historic lobby has been painstakingly restored by local artisans, who employed centuries-old techniques to brilliantly showcase its accumulated history.
“While carefully preserving the original elements of this classified landmark, we looked to bring something new to San Francisco by collaging a reimagining of past, present and future,” said Wearstler. “The spirit of pre-modernist European influence, hand-selected vintage furnishings, and works by local artists are all part of the warm, inviting design mix.”
Part reception, part meeting space, part commissary, the lobby has a genuine, residential flair, with cozy moments throughout that invite both rhetoric and repose. Within it lies a sophisticated and sensual lounge – a classic salon in the European manner – that transitions into an intimate restaurant, a Cubist inspired envelope, in which Wearstler combines elements from various European modernist styles.
The residential feel continues in each of the 131 guestrooms, where a downtown vibe meets old-school French and Italian sensibilities. Like a textbook city pied-à-terre, each room is at the same time chic and practical, showcasing a collection of Proper’s favorite things, like Aesop bath products, Vifa speakers, Aireloom mattresses, and Bellino fine linens.
The hotel’s highly anticipated restaurants and rooftop lounge will have their own local appeal. Proper tapped acclaimed cocktail consultants Josh Harris and Morgan Schick of BVHospitality (Trick Dog, The Bon Vivants) for its beverage program, having together enjoyed a white-hot run with Rio Grande, a beloved pop-up bar that occupied the ground floor of the building, pre-restoration.
“As we do on all our projects, we sought out not only local, best-in-class partners, but also true hospitality veterans with market expertise to bring our vision to life in San Francisco,” said Brian De Lowe, President and Co-Founder of Proper Hospitality, and President and Principal of The Kor Group. “Our collective talent will be critical to launching this flagship hotel and to propelling the mission of Proper Hospitality forward.”
James Beard-nominated executive chef Jason Franey (Campton Place, Eleven Madison Park, Canlis, Restaurant 1833) oversees the culinary offering at Proper, marking his return home to the city that helped catapult his career. Four distinctive concepts will weave together in a series of indoor/outdoor spaces that inspire a natural progression from cocktails to dinner to stargazing.
From the lobby, guests are transported to a one-of-a-kind oasis on the rooftop terrace. Inspired by the natural beauty and decorative living environments of the Viennese Secession art movement, the expansive terrace feels unlike anything in the city, with a lounge and garden meant to evoke the spirit of romantics. Proper’s antidote to the everyday, this dramatic gathering place offers an unparalleled view into the soul of San Francisco – past, present and future – spanning the stimulating street life to the commanding Bay.
Other notable amenities further establish San Francisco Proper Hotel as a one-stop hospitality destination:
- Concierge Services: Should they desire something special, guests can summon the Proper Concierge with a few taps on the Proper App. Developed in partnership with Keypr, the Proper App is a guest’s tool for accessing all of the services and amenities in Proper Hotels and Residences. Guests can use their mobile device or the tablet in their guest room to order room service or arrange a private flight – and everything in between.
- Meeting & Event Spaces: The boardroom accommodates up to 14, while its neighboring meeting room flexibly seats 50 in a class-style setting or 75 informally. The Hotel also has a selection of non-traditional spaces including the 14-person private dining room, over 3,400 square-feet of space on the rooftop, and intimate restaurant spaces, which will all be available as buyout options.
- Fitness Amenities: The fully-equipped fitness center features an array of state-of-the-art machines and free weights, while private instruction is available for hire through the Proper App. Shinola bicycles are provided, free of charge.
Overseeing the San Francisco opening is the recently announced President and COO of Proper Hospitality, Arash Azarbarzin, who served as President of sbe hotel group prior to joining the Proper team. Grace Chow (Corporate Director of F&B), Joshua Katz (Creative Director), and Alexis Kagan (Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing) support the local team, which is led by Lorenz Maurer (General Manager) and Xavier Bon (Director of Sales and Marketing).
San Francisco Proper Hotel welcomes its first guests in August 2017, paving the way for the brand’s three upcoming openings in Downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Austin. It is the only member in San Francisco of Design Hotels™, the exclusive portfolio of handpicked, design-driven hospitality experiences. Rates start at $400 per night. To book a room at San Francisco Proper Hotel and find out more information, visit www.properhotel.com/san-francisco and follow Proper Hospitality on Instagram (@properhotelsandresidences).
