July 20, 2017 – Situated at the apex of San Francisco’s authentic Japantown chock-full of hidden gems and the chic shopping and dining mecca of Pacific Heights, Joie de Vivre Hotels’ boutique Hotel Kabuki will unveil the completion of a $28 million renovation in Fall 2017 (first phase to open in September and second in November). An immersive dive into the spirit of the neighborhood, the Japanese influence honors the destination is prevalent throughout, while the design and experience are wholly modern and sophisticated, with whimsical, bohemian accents.
The 225-room hotel will feature:
- Soaring 19-foot-tall ceilings in the expansive lobby lounge and library
- 14 suites up to 600 square-feet in size
- Guestrooms featuring custom furniture and lighting with several hand-worked finishes, gray accent walls, stitched leather furniture, and shibori crafted cloths
- A Japanese garden woven throughout the property
- Unobstructed city views
- Brand new lobby bar with Japanese-inflection and Bay Area bar snacks
- Spacious outdoor lounge with fire-pits and pond
- 3,000 square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center and 400 square-foot yoga studio
- A designated floor with 13,000 square-feet of dedicated meeting and event space
Key Features of the Hotel Kabuki Renovation:
Guestroom Design: While the historic exterior of the building will be maintained – once a 1960s Community Center (currently the Garden Rooms), connected to the former Japanese Consulate (currently the Tower Rooms) – the interiors will be entirely reimagined by Brooklyn-based MARKZEFF Design. Set in Japantown, the redesign of this modern, upscale hotel blends together a bohemian-inspired aesthetic with contemporary Japanese design. All guestrooms are being redesigned with a Scandinavian sensibility; custom furniture and lighting is simple and functional where modernism and comfort are key. Other elements include several hand-worked finishes; gray accent walls, stitched leather furniture, and shibori crafted cloths. A carefully curated art wall features traditional and modern Japanese art and calligraphy, and sisal carpeting results in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. The serene and modern bathrooms are anchored with a custom, ebonized timber vanity set against large scale floor-to-ceiling porcelain tiles and contemporary fixtures. All 156 Tower Rooms will be completed in September 2017, while the 69 Garden Rooms, including the property’s suites, will be completed in November 2017.
Lobby Design: The new reception area will provide immediate impact, featuring a clean-lined Japanese-style timber reception desk with a live wood edge, detailed with contrasting butterfly-key inlays. A back-lit vintage factory window wall will serve as the backdrop, along with a custom map mural on the ceiling. Custom hand-tufted wool carpets sourced from Thailand lead from the reception area to the elevator lobby. Taking thoughtful cues from industrial lofts, the lobby will feature exposed rough-hewn Douglas-fir beams, vintage factory paned windows and salvaged industrial pendant lights. Blurring the boundaries between the interior and exterior, natural elements make their way indoors, including flame-treated Shou-sugi-ban wood — an ancient Japanese technique of charring wood to preserve it. Hotel Kabuki’s expansive lobby lounge will feature a library, views of and access to the Japanese Gardens, and a bustling bar and restaurant as its social center. Designed to feel like a residential living room, all spaces will be outfitted with plush couches and chairs, vintage industrial tripod lamps from Europe, various seating arrangements and high ceilings with plentiful natural light. The lobby lounge and bar, library, and courtyard are slated for completion in September 2017.
Lobby Bar: The Lobby Bar will showcase an impressive timber trellis system composed of rough-sawn Douglas Fir beams and reclaimed vintage Czech factory pendants threaded throughout to illuminate the area. Breakfast will be served daily, inclusive of a Japanese-style Bento Box; European-style, elevated buffet; coffee bar; tea program; and brunch cocktails. Come afternoon into the evening, the focus will shift to craft cocktails, sake, Japanese whiskey, and inventive bar bites. Grab ‘n Go, coffee and tea options will be available at all times to be enjoyed on-the-go, in any of the various lounge areas, or in-room. The bar will feature a communal table with bar-level seating and opportunities for wired connectivity. The food and beverage program will also extend to the outdoor lounge, where seating surrounds fire pits in a Japanese Garden setting.
Fitness Center: The new Kabuki Hotel Fitness Center was the first phase of completion in the renovation and is currently open to guests. The impressive space features extensive state-of-the-art equipment by Life Fitness and a 400-square-foot yoga studio. Measuring more than 3,000 square-feet in total, the new fitness center is more than quadruple the size of the former space. Located one level below the Lobby, the space features high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows which look out onto an open-air tea garden allowing for natural light to infiltrate the space.
Guest Experience: In addition to its physical connection to the Japan Center Mall, Sundance Kabuki Movie Theaters and Kabuki Springs & Spa where hotel guests are granted complimentary access to the communal baths, Hotel Kabuki is within walking distance of four Michelin-starred restaurants and some of the hottest dining (State Bird Provisions, The Progress, SPQR, Mosu, B. Patisserie, NEW Wise Sons Bagel & Bakery and Jane The Bakery) and shopping (Elizabeth Charles, Rag & Bone, Aesop, Jonathan Adler, Le Labo, Browser Books, Curve, Joie, Steven Alan) San Francisco has to offer. On property, guests can expect additional character in the form of bikes on loan; meditation aides to utilize in the Japanese Gardens; enhanced cable programming including streaming platforms; spirited programming options in the fitness center; and additional nods to modern, Japanese culture throughout. Hotel Kabuki’s philanthropic partner is the Japantown Foundation, anchoring its ongoing commitment to supporting the community.
