San Francisco Treats

As you walk up the hill, you'll be greeted by the presence of two regal lions. These statues guard the entrance of the majestic King George Hotel. A panoply of rich fabrics, paintings, and old English-style furniture graces the lobby, where helpful and friendly personnel wait to assist you in any way they can. The architecture of the building leaves little room for a staircase or large elevator, so if you have a lot of baggage, expect to take more than one trip to your floor.

Old-world elegance meets new-world technology when you slide your key card into the electronic lock to open your door into a luxurious room. Stepping inside, you'll be greeted by warm colors and a perfectly made bed complete with embroidered pillows and an assortment of textured blankets. The window, covered by gauzy draperies and a stylish window treatment, looks out over the city of San Francisco. The bathroom contains the three important necessities as well as a personal hairdryer, large bottle of body lotion, the same size of a shampoo and conditioner mix, and a box of cotton and Q-tips. Environmentally conscious, there is a sign on the bathroom door asking visitors to conserve towel use so as to lower the amount of detergents flowing into the ground. A personal safe, chest of drawers, walk-in closet, ironing center, and television with movies, video games, and Internet (for an extra charge) complete the room.

Overall, with its wonderful location just outside of Union Square, I would give this beautiful hotel a four-star rating for elegance, taste, and style.

I am often amazed at the little pieces of paradise that can be found in large cities. These are the special places where the city lifestyle disappears into the beauty of nature, serenity, and artwork. As a tourist on vacation, those are the ideal spots to rest during an arderous day of sight-seeing, schedules, and entertainments.

One place not to miss in San Francisco is the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park. The sheer majesty of the intricately designed gardens, full of historic significance, is enough to amaze the casual bypasser, but to go inside is to walk the trails into fantasy.

At the entrance you are introduced to Japanese art and architecture and must pay a meager fee to enter into this avenue of delight. Once inside, the riots of rich purple, red, and yellow flowers are precisely balanced by soft whites and blues and the verdant greens of the well-tended plants. Meandering pathways centered around a reflecting pool have broad thorofares for groups as well as small hidden knooks and benches where lovers can steal a romantic kiss without being disturbed. The air is filled with the perfumes of flowering plants and the teas brewing in small personal teapots in the tea house.

Overlooking another reflecting pond the tea house is serviced by women in authentic Japanese attire and the feel of the natural world is represented with wooden stools, a rustic structure, and an amazing view.

There is of course a gift shop where one can purchase a variety of things from postcards and magnets to paper fans, wall coverings, and candies. The wonderfully unique thing about the gift shop was the seed packets you could purchase, to take a little bit of this paradise home with you. Overall, I would rate the Japanese Tea Gardens with all the stars avaliable and would like to announce that I have never seen a more spectacular place to hold a wedding.