Built by architect Benjamin McDougall, who is also credited with creating the Berkeley YMCA building, the building was built in the Mission Revival Style that is apparent in its square corner turrets and arched windows.

In 1914, an annex was added to accommodate the crowd expected for the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.

The construction tripled the size of the original six-story building, adding 120 rooms for a total of 300.

Woolsey, Rosa Livingstone's husband, was cited as hotel's owner with Noah W. Gray as manager.

Hink and Son Department Store occupied the ground floor space of the annex for over seventy years.