When I first considered doing this blog, there was no question I’d be including all of San Francisco’s iconic San Francisco hotels: The Mark Hopkins[1], the Fairmont[2], the Palace[3], the St Francis[4] and the Sir Francis Drake. All of them are excessively opulent, extremely popular and have interesting stories. But when I began researching the Sir Francis Drake Hotel I was surprised that my research pulled up more stories about ghosts than about the architecture, the guests or the amenities combined.
Located at the corner of Sutter and Powell in Union Square[5], the Sir Francis Drake Hotel was named after the famed English explorer who in 1579 missed discovering the San Francisco Bay by 28 miles. The hotel was developed by Leon Huckins and John Newcomb with the intent of reflecting the European Renaissance of Sir Francis Drake’s era. When finished it was the first skyscraper hotel in San Francisco.
The grand opening on October 23, 1928 attracted 10,000 visitors during its opening weekend. When Mayor James Rolph[6] unlocked the main entrance on Powell, he ceremoniously threw away the key with the hopes that its doors would never close. It was considered the most opulent hotel of its time with an indoor golf course, ice water on tap, radios in every room and servidors (sliding panels located just inside the door that allowed room service to enter without disturbing the guests). Huge paintings depicting Sir Francis Drake’s explorations decorated the lobby. There was intricate ironwork, huge chandeliers, vaulted gold leaf ceilings and a grand marble staircase. Linens were imported from Ireland and all the silver was from high-end silversmith Reed & Barton. Bullet holes in the lobby ceiling were caused when an over-enthusiastic father-of-the-bride shot off a tommy gun in celebration.
The hotel was built during the height of Prohibition and, because of this, a secret room (which was not on any of the blueprints) was installed directly above the elevator lobby. The room could only be accessed by an elevator stop key, and it was used to store bootlegged liquor which was available to guests. Peepholes were drilled through the Prohibition Room floor into the lobby, and an employee was stationed there to be on the lookout for potential police raids.
Despite the fact that the Great Depression[7] began a year after its opening, the Sir Francis Drake Hotel prospered. In 1936, three years after Prohibition was repealed, the Parisian Room opened at street level as a supper club featuring live music and dancing. In the 1940s the top floor was converted into the Starlight Roof, later renamed the Starlight Room. With 180-degree views of the City, it offered music and dancing with a popular drag show brunch on Sundays. In 2019, under new management, the name changed to Lizzie’s Starlight, a tapa bar that still offered a drag show brunch.
Also in the 1940s, Beefeater uniforms (replicas of the uniforms worn by Tower of London guards) were seen on the hotel doormen as a nod to the British who at that time were standing alone against Nazi Germany. The first famous doorman was Bill Elliot, a former RAF pilot who remained at his post for forty years. He was replaced by Tom Sweeney, who was born and raised in the Sunset District. He took the job right out of high school and remained at his post for 43 years until the Covid-19 Pandemic shuttered the hotel.
In the 1970s guests began reporting windows mysteriously opening, curtains moving, eerie sounds, cold spots and flickering lights. One of the elevators purportedly would not stop on the 21st floor. Some of the more skeptical staff would tell you that what guests witnessed were the result of staying in an old building with ancient plumbing and faulty electricity. But one guest, when asking about ghosts, was told at check-in, “Don’t worry. You’re not on the 12th floor. If you were on the 12th floor we would change that for you.” Room 823 was said to be occupied by a tall menacing man who appeared out of nowhere. Two maids once quit on the spot after saying they witnessed seeing him. A guest reported being grabbed by her hair and yanked to the ground while taking a shower. Another woman requested a room change because her children kept seeing ghosts in their room.
The Sir Francis Drake Hotel has been sold multiple times throughout its existence: in 1938 to Conrad Hilton, in 1941 to what is now the Westin hotel chain, in 1970 to Princess Hotels, in 1993 by Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, in 2005 to a partnership and in 2010 to another partnership.
In March 2020 the Sir Francis Drake Hotel was forced to close due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. In April 2021 it was announced that the hotel was once again sold, this time to the Northview Hotel Group. It reopened in 2022 as the Beacon Grand [9] and restored to its original splendor. There are 418 rooms on 17 floors with wood floors and retro wallpaper depicting City landmarks. The original glass mail chute was restored. The Starlite Room has also returned to the 21st floor, though it bears no resemblence to the original. The bullet holes in the lobby ceiling can still be seen. With all the renovations, the ghosts have sure to been chased away.
[1] Mark Hopkins Hotel: see story coming August 6th
[2] Fairmont Hotel: see story coming January 9th
[3] Palace Hotel: https://thesanfranciscophoenix.com/?p=3616
[4] St Francis Hotel: see story coming March 21st
[5] Union Square: see story coming July 25th
[6] James “Sunny Jim” Rolph: https://thesanfranciscophoenix.com/?p=5365
[7] The Great Depression: see story coming October 11th
[9] Visit them at https://www.beacongrand.com
