Stylish Proper Hotel Brings Rooftop Lounge To Market Street

Earlier this month, the Proper Hotel hosted a lavish fete to celebrate its opening. The San Francisco Proper Hotel is the first high-end boutique hotel to open in SF in the last decade. The hotel has 131 rooms and suites in various configurations, meeting and event spaces, a fitness center, and three restaurant/bar concepts. It took four years for The Kor Group to develop and remodel the hotel, which is at the intersection of Market, McAllister, and 7th Streets. “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,” Alex Samek, the co-founder of Proper Hospitality and principal of The Kor Group said in a statement.

Kelly Wearstler sits in the San Francisco Proper Hotel's lobby at the opening party on November 16 — Kelly Wearstler sits in the San Francisco Proper Hotel’s lobby at the opening party on November 16

Photo Credit: Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography

The entire space was designed by stylish tastemaker, Kelly Wearstler, with interiors that reflect the building’s rich history as well as SF’s current contemporary culture. Wearstler designed custom wall coverings based on vintage patterns and commissioned local artists, Jonathan Anzalone and Joseph Ferriso, to create pieces for the hotel. “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,” Wearstler said. “The spirit of premodernist European influence, hand-selected vintage furnishings, and works by local artists are all part of the warm, inviting design mix.”

Rooms are meant to feel like a fabulous pied-a-terre that is both chic and practical. Amenities include Aesop bath products, Vifa speakers, Aireloom mattresses, and Bellino linens. The Proper App allows guests to converse quickly and easily with the concierge and there are complimentary Shinola bikes that guests can ride around town.

Photo Credit: Noah Webb

As for the food and beverages, the Proper has plenty to offer. There is the restaurant Villon, a rooftop lounge Charmaine’s, and an all-day eatery called La Bande. Proper tapped chef Jason Franey (formerly of Campton Place, Eleven Madison Park, and Canlis) to oversee the culinary programs with Josh Harris and Morgan Schick of BVHospitality (Trick Dog) in charge of the beverages. “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.”

Photo Credit: Noah Webb

At Villon, guests can enjoy creative American cuisine—“our aim is to create the ‘living room’ of the neighborhood, a vibrant gathering place encouraged by a social, shared-plates dining experience,” Franey said. “We’re serving classic dishes in fun and approachable but subtly refined ways—what I like to call ‘comfort geek’ cooking.” Charmaine’s has 360-degree views of the city, crowd-pleasing bar snacks, and superb cocktails that feature original combinations and innovative flavors. La Bande is more cafe-like with house-made pastries, sandwiches, salads, coffee, tee, and an assortment of curated products that serve as provisions on the go.

The Proper Hotel and its three restaurants are now open at Mid-Market.