Beacon Grand Hotel

Built by Midwestern hotel developers Leon W. Huckins and John A. Newcomb at a cost of $5 million (equivalent to $88.7 million in 2023), the hotel's grand opening, on October 23, 1928, attracted a crowd of 10,000 people during a two-day open house, as well as officials like San Francisco Mayor Jimmy Rolph, Jr. and California Governor, C. C. Young.

Orchestras played and banquets were held to celebrate what headlines at the time described as “The last word in hotels” for innovations and amenities such as an indoor golf course, ice water on tap, and radios in every guest room.

After the stock market crash in 1929, the hotel still prospered, attracting Hollywood luminaries like Dolores del Río, Myrna Loy, Barbara Stanwyck and the “Our Gang” child actors, as well as dance troupes and vaudeville players.

Prohibition was repealed in 1933 and in 1936, the hotel opened a supper club on the street level that became a popular San Francisco nightspot featuring dancing, dramatic lighting and murals painted by A.B.

Legendary San Francisco columnist Herb Caen dubbed the Persian Room “The Snake Pit” because, he said, “You never heard such hissing or saw such writhing."

[2] During World War II, blocks of rooms were taken over by the U.S. military and the hotel was the scene of many tearful farewells and joyous reunions as troops made their way to and from the Pacific.

During this time, famed doorman and local personality Tom Sweeney assumed his post at the Drake's entrance in the hotel's trademark red Beefeater uniform.

[11] Pebblebrook announced in February 2021 that they would sell the Sir Francis Drake for $157.6 million[12] to the Connecticut-based Northview Hotel Group.

Designed to reflect the European Renaissance of Drake's era, architectural elements included the grand marble staircase, vaulted gold leafed embossed ceilings and bas-relief detail.

Banquet rooms, restaurants and guestrooms were equally elegant, accented and accessorized with everything from fine Irish linens to Reed & Barton Silver.

News accounts of the time described the hotel's Persian Room lounge as “enveloped in an aura of romance” accented with midnight blue carpets, black-topped tables inlaid with gold, bronze table lamps with colored lights and a spun glass foundation illuminated by constantly changing lights.