Moods lift and everyone glows under the crystal lobby chandeliers of this 1926 San Francisco landmark. Mark Hopkins' gilded-age style is clearly continental, and a bit formal for California – but this 19-story tower is beloved for end-of-the-world views by locals and celebrities (including Michelle Obama). Rooms are business-class beige, with Frette linens on plush beds – but service can be inattentive.
Mark Hopkins Intercontinental
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