Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco Announces Guest Room Redesign

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. October 14, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, March 8, 2006. Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco is pleased to announce the interior redesign of all 158 guest rooms and suites, scheduled to be completed by Spring 2006. "We're delighted to be working with Susan Caruso of Intra-Spec, Inc.," said Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco's General Manager Sal Abaunza. "We feel her designs reflect the international flavor of Mandarin Oriental without losing the character and vitality that is modern San Francisco."

Comfort, function and the views were the driving factors in the new interior design concept for the prestigious hotel. "The most obvious feature of the Mandarin Oriental guest rooms are the views," says Caruso. "They offered both a challenge and an opportunity. The Golden Gate, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, the ships and boats on San Francisco Bay, all present formidable competition for any room design's visual impact. But what an exciting backdrop to work with."

A number of unusual features immediately attract attention. "The bed is oversized and very high, so that even while reclining, the views aren't lost," says Caruso. "The bed has a headboard that glows at night. There is a circular motif, a symbol of eternity, and the light in the center glows like the setting sun, a subtle Asian influence. It makes a very dramatic statement for turn down service."

"I took into account everything a guest could possibly need," says Caruso. "We created a space to relax, the chaise; a space to work, the generous size desk; a place to dine in the room; the sofa and chair with a higher cocktail table to double as a dining area and then made certain there was also a dressing area. Two separate color palettes were devised for the rooms. "A cinammon red scheme was a natural for the Asian accents we were creating. The royal blue color scheme is elegant, a little more subtle and a nice alternative to the red. I felt the rooms needed to be rather bold to complement the incredible views."

"The wood we chose is a rich mahogany with gold leaf accents. The floor at the entry is bamboo, to create a sense of arrival. Window coverings are constructed of a roman sheer, to let the view in and at the same time diffuse the light. The pattern on the sheer is a ginkgo leaf, a subtle Asian influence. Fabrics are very silk like, great textures. And the carpet has a dimensional quality which really sets off the furniture and fabric in the room."

The lighting was also designed with the views in mind, even the nighttime views. "To create a mood balancing the city lights outside and the light inside the room, all lamps are on full range dimmers and are controlled from the bed side as well as from the lamp itself. This way the guest can control the lighting depending on the time of day, and the desired mood."

Conversion of the guest rooms began in January 2006 and is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2006. The project is being undertaken one floor at a time so as not to inconvenience guests. Susan Caruso is owner and principal designer of Intra-Spec, Inc. a small interior design firm, located in Marina del Rey, California. The company has more than 20 years of hospitality design experience creating exciting hotel and restaurant interiors in many parts of the world, work that has been featured in numerous magazines and on HGTV. Over the past five years Intra-Spec, Inc has concentrated on smaller more intimate boutique type properties all over the United States.

Located in the heart of the city, the 158-room Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco offers panoramic views of the city from the top floors of San Francisco's third tallest building, 345 California Center. Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Readers' Choice Awards rated Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco #2 Best Hotel in the USA and #14 in the world in 2004. The hotel was selected among the top ten city hotels in the U.S. and Canada by Departures Magazine's "Reader's Favorites" poll (May 2004). Travel + Leisure Magazine 2003 Reader's poll rated Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco "Best Business hotel" and "#1 for service" in the City. The hotel was also named among Institutional Investor's Top 75 Hotels worldwide in their annual survey in 2003.

Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel directly at +1 (415) 276-9888, or through Mandarin Oriental's worldwide sales and reservations offices 00800 28283838 or via the website www.mandarinoriental.com