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 International
travelers who have traveled to the farthest reaches of civilization
reflect fondly on those cities that touched them most; those rich in
culture, culinary traditions, social atmosphere, setting, and
history. San Francisco has long been at the top of the list of
cities, a place where tourists marvel and locals nod knowingly,
where stunning waterfront vistas intermingle with the upbeat, funky
west-coast culture that this 'city by the bay' is known for. Along
with terrific shopping and cuisine, San Francisco has earned its
reputation as a premier vacation spot, and short trips beyond the
city limits yield to world-class golf as well. Pebble Beach, a short
trip down the coastal highway to Monterey, is the obvious choice,
but there is terrific golf to be had within just an hour's drive of
the Bay Area, at the classic Pasatiempo Golf Club or inland to the
Livermore region, where Wente Vineyards stretches out between stands of
grapevines.
A visit to the
‘Jewel of the Western Hemisphere’ should start with a check-in at
its most precious hotel, the beautiful Campton Place on the fringes
of the city’s financial district and its toniest shopping area. A
member of the elite group of Leading Hotels of the World,
Campton Place incorporates some of the finest virtues of the
boutique hotel brand with all the amenities of a full-scale hotel.
With only 110 rooms, luxury is tempered only by grand service and
privacy. Rooms are light and uncluttered, offering broad views of
Union Square, and bathrooms are accented by custom German fixtures
and French limestone countertops. Handsome furnishings and artwork
conjure impressions of a fine study lounge, and the cinnamon throw
blankets are a nice touch on the impossibly comfortable beds.
With such a prized
Stockton St. address overlooking Union Square, guests are
immediately thrust into the city’s rich political history and its
traditional leanings. Pro-Union demonstrations were held here
regularly some 145 years ago, and today a granite column at its
center commemorates the Spanish-American war
 victory at Manila Bay.
Nearby, the cobbled Maiden Lane is lined on both sides with high-end
shops and boutiques where one can find fresh flower stands, antique,
out-of-print books, San Francisco chocolates, or a new dress for
dinner at the Campton Place supper club.
There, Daniel
Humm’s contemporary brand of European cuisine brings a sophisticated
spirit to the San Francisco dining scene. Youthful, innovative, and
brash with his plate assemblies, Humm brandishes the fresh local
ingredients available and fuses them with a distinctly European
feel. Selecting from the menu reminds one of the old adage ‘picking
off fish in a barrel’: a starter consommé of saffron-infused
Hawaiian prawns offers Zen-like refreshment, and the frog’s legs
ravioli with foie gras-stuffed morels is downright sinful. More
robust mains like the Tasmanian king salmon with horseradish crust
and the herb-crusted Colorado lamb deliver for the most discerning
palates. For guests who suffer from the common problems of
indecision, the chef’s ten-course tasting menu, with wine pairings,
is the perfect tour through the fantastical culinary world that
lives in Humm’s talented mind. With a newly remodeled dining room
that has restored the downtown supper club vibe to Campton Place,
the clean, sleek atmosphere offers the perfect canvas for Humm to
display his work. It’s always nice to know, on a visit to San
Francisco, that you’re in good hands for food and rest at a single
address.
With its focused
ethos of comfort, privacy and style, Campton Place is not a
playground full of amenities, and it’s just as well; visiting San
Francisco and not seeing San Francisco would be a criminal
oversight. Guests can certainly unwind and work up a sweat in the
Campton Place fitness room, and those seeking meeting facilities for
small corporate gatherings can certainly arrange them in advance.
Worldwide, in the best cities, there always seems to be a single
property that captures that cosmopolitan essence – that indefinable
sense of place. Campton Place is emerging now as the lead horse in
the San Francisco drove. |
