Fit for a King: The Haute 5 Presidential Suites in San Francisco

There are certain occasions—say Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, President’s Day, or basically any day that you feel like pampering is in order—when merely booking a suite in a luxury hotel just won’t do. On such celebratory days, a call to go above and beyond the status quo is in order. For times like these, a ride to the top floor of your favorite luxury resort, where the posh and private Presidential and Penthouse Suites are tucked away, is the only true way to embrace the luxury lifestyle. Here are our recs for some of the best of the best in San Francisco when it comes to VIP suites.

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

This five-star San Francisco hotel is so posh that the Presidential Suite program offers jetsetters two options for booking reservations. Presidential Suite No. 910 comes complete with a 1,200-square-foot private balcony overlooking the Financial District and The Terrace Courtyard. It is actually so exquisite that in this instance, we will employ the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words.

The Ritz-Carlton Suite 919 offers similar features, such as the same square footage for the private terrace, with this one overlooking the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and, Coit Tower. Both are one-bedroom suites with living rooms, French doors connecting the living rooms to the master bedrooms, private dining room with seating for eight fancy friends, Steinway grand pianos, personal wine cellars, and everything else you would expect from a hotel with such an historic name, like Frette linens, cashmere throws, Bang & Olufsen 10-speaker surround sound systems, and three High-Def, LCD flat screen televisions with dual speakers. And all of this can be yours for approximately $5,200 per night.

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisoc is located at 600 Stockton St.; 415.296.7465

The St. Regis San Francisco

High up in the sky on the 20^th floor, the Presidential Suite at the St. Regis measures in at a whopping 3,200 square feet. But if that is a bit too cramped for you, combine it with the St. Regis Suite to create a 4,700-square foot sumptuous abode. A private living room with a sitting area surrounded by corner windows with marble window seats, and a library/office with frosted-glass doors that separate the suite’s main living areas from the private office await you at this five-star hotel suite. If you thought we were name dropping in the Ritz write-up, how’s this for luxury labels: Butler’s pantry includes a wine cooler, refrigerator–freezer, dishwasher, and cabinets stocked with Spiegelau stemware, Christofle flatware, and Wedgewood china designed by Vera Wang exclusively for St. Regis.

St. Regis San Francisco is located at 125 Third St.; 415.284.4000

Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco

If you’re tempted to say to hell with a one-bedroom, then we must direct you over to the Oriental Suite at the Mandarin Oriental. This two-bedroom suite offers 2,000 square feet of space, which includes a private terrace spanning the entire length of the suite. With views from the 38^th floor, the Golden Gate Bridge, Oakland Bay Bridge, and San Francisco Bay are all within sight. For around $3,000 a night, you can truly experience a night like a king, or at least like Lance Armstrong, who is rumored to have called it home for a night or two.

Mandarin Oriental is located at 222 Sansome St.; 415.276.9888

InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco

We’re loving the Luxury Penthouse Suite at the Mark Hopkins InterContinental, and not just because of the access to the private rooftop garden with a 240-degree view of the Bay. The official square footage on record is 1,650, but word on the street is that you can make the entire 18^th floor your own urban oasis by booking its adjoining neighbor. The original wood paneling from 1926 create an ambiance of Old World glamour that has attracted the likes of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, before Brangelina came along and entered into our lexicon.

The InterContinental Mark Hopkins is located at One Nob Hill; 415.392.3434

Westin St. Francis

Over at the Westin St. Francis, the Shangri La Suite caught our attention, merely because of the name. In fact, there are four presidential suites at this luxury hotel on San Francisco’s posh Powell Street. The bi-level Chairman’s Suite is ideal for entertaining due to the fact that you can keep the guests downstairs, while putting the tykes to bed upstairs in one of the three bedrooms. But if you’re a bit on the star-struck side, then the State Suite might be for you, particularly if you’re a J.Lo fan. You may remember that the dancing-singing-acting trifecta booked it for three solid months while in our City by the By for her role in The Wedding Planner.

The Westin St. Francis is located at 335 Powell St.; 415.397.7000