San Francisco is on the rise

Not only are the City trees blooming with spring cherry blossoms, but SF is coming back.

We have a new mayor in town who not only talks the talk but actually walks the City blocks.

Mayor Daniel Lurie is known to pick up the phone and speak directly to the top Tech CEOs of past conferences and asking them what it would take to bring them back to the city.

He is quoted as saying, ‘Innovation is the core of SF, and we should never shy away from that’

The January JP Morgan Healthcare Conference brought in 8,000 attendees and 92 million in revenue. Upon hearing that the conference may move elsewhere next year, Lurie reached out and convinced them to return. JP Morgan is now booked for next January 2026.

During a Tech Crunch Panel, Lurie announced “The City is on the rise, and we want your business here.”

This week the SF Climate conference at the Exploratorium hosted speakers,

Former Vice- President, Al Gore and House Speaker Emerita, Nancy Pelosi. The conference is expected to bring into the city, 25,000 attendees.

The President and CEO of the Hotel Council, Alex Bastian, agrees with the positive outlook since Hotel occupancy has risen to 53% occupancy with a daily rate of $282.00 in 2025 and conventions booked are up to 60% compared to 2024.

It is a known fact that when hotels and conventions thrive so does San Francisco.

The City is on the rise and illuminated.

The 150 ft Sky Star Ferris wheel at Fisherman’s Wharf lights up the sky at night.

At the end of market and in front of the Ferry Building, you can view the 45ft illuminated sculpture of a nude woman standing with her palms open and her head looking to the sky in a yoga poise, called the Mountain Poise. During the evening for an hour, you can watch her breath.

This Illuminated sculpture will be here for a short period so book your dinner reservation at the Epic Roast house on the Embarcadero so you can stroll over and witness this only in SF art installation.

The new Bay Bridge light installation is still in production and the 50,000 LED lights will soon illuminate the Bay Bridge again and the light show will now appear on both sides of the Bay Bridge. This is another reason to dine at the Epic or the Waterbar on Embarcadero.

The restaurant scene continues to rise and flourish:

• Wayfare Tavern 201 Pine Street

The new Wayfare Tavern has just reopened on Pine Street in the Financial District.

Tyler Florence, owner of the elegant Lux and Miller at the Chase Center, opened the original restaurant years ago on Sacramento in 2010. The new restaurant offers the same gracious service and will still offer the hamburger and martini special at lunchtime.

Guest favorites are fried chicken and baked macaroni.

So you can wander down Pine to Market for lunch or dinner and have a splendid meal

Afterwards walk over to California Street and take the cable car back up to Nob Hill

• Sorella 1760 Polk

Acquerello, the elegant Italian restaurant on Sacramento @ Polk was one of the first restaurants to earn a Michelin star back in 2007.

The chef/owner, Suzanne Gresham of Acquerello and Giancarlo Paterlini have opened a casual Italian supper club called Sorella, which means sister. Again, old school, gracious service and excellent pasta rules the day.

It is April, so again I will remind owners that the 2nd property tax was due on April 11.

If you have changed your address, please call the SF Tax Collector at 415 554-4400 to correct your address so you will not miss paying your taxes and end up with a tax default on your share.

You can always contact me at creidgm@sfsuitescsa or 415 433-9700 and I can help you pay your taxes online.

On a sad note, I would like to let the association know that Tom Weber, who served on the SF Board as President and Member at Large for many years has passed away in Oregon in January from a serious illness. He was 81 years old.

Tom Weber, was my first President and as a developer, he taught me the importance of keeping the structural integrity of a 100 + year old building. Due to his guidance, I continued to address plumbing, electrical, structural repairs to keep the building solid and up to code.

One of the reasons the Suites were able to renew our property insurance was because I could show all the upgrades and repairs that had been done in the past 10 years. This is all due to Tom Weber and his knowledge as a building developer.

Tom gifted the Suites with the beautiful silver tea service in the Boardroom and the scarlet carpet in the lower lobby.

Every year he would send fruitcakes to the staff and when he heard that I was holding a meeting, would insist on paying for the pizza.

One of his favorite projects was renovating the employees’ changing room and making the housekeepers storage rooms more organized.

Lastly, Tom loved my GM letters and always complimented me and would suggest that I write for the SF Tourist Board.

He will be missed.

So, in closing, the spring trees are blossoming, the City is illuminated, there are new restaurants to explore, and the City is rising.

Warmest wishes,
Cynthia Reid
General Manager
San Francisco Suites

April 23, 2025

San Francisco Suites on Nob Hill

Dear San Francisco Suites Owners:

The 2024 VOTA Delinquent Assessment Foreclosure Auction will be held on
Tuesday, February 4,2025 at 1:30 pm.
Please find below the 7 shares that will be up for auction with the minimum bids.
The new owner will also be responsible for the past due property taxes on some of the shares and the 2025 assessment which is $1,769.00.

Master –

39M $ 2,249.70(238.94 taxes due)

139M $2,249.70 ($296.46)

213M $2,249.70 ($282.02)

153M $2,249.70 ($248.82)

Parlor-

13P $2,249.70 ($32.78)

107P $2,249.70 ($281.05)

277P $2,249.70 (taxes paid)

The shares will be sold at auction as follows:

Vacation Ownership Title Company will hold the auction:

Outside the Memorial Gates by Van Ness between 301 and 401 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA.94102

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 1:30 pm

The estimated minimum bids are located above.

Please be advised, there may be additional costs.

You are invited to bid, and the highest bid will sell for cash payable at the time of sale in lawful money of the United States, in cash, or cashier’s check drawn by a state or national bank, state or federal credit union, state or federal savings and loan association, savings association or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in the State.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this matter.

Thank you,
Cynthia Reid
General Manager
San Francisco Suites

creidgm@sfsuitescsa.com

cc Geoffrey Bellah ,President

Greetings, Everyone!

As you may know, certain shares owned by the Association are periodically offered for adoption to owners, to friends and family of owners, or to individuals interested in the Suites. This year we have five Parlor shares for adoption at $1769.00 per share. The cost includes the 2025 assessment of $1,769. The Adopt-A-Share year will begin January 31, 2025, and end January 31, 2026.

The first five owners or friends of owners to contact the GM will become an adopter of a parlor and will be able to start using the 7 days by simply sending into the Suites payment of $1,769. Please be advised that the Association has imposed a restriction on adopted shares that prohibits them from being rented to third parties, and they cannot be exchanged or sold through a Time Share company. They may be used only by the adopter, by his or her immediate family, and by those persons designated by owners as being entitled to Bonus Time.

The San Francisco Suites City Share Association’s governing documents, including all Rules & Regulations, do apply to the adopted shares. 

PLEASE NOTE: Payments must be received by January 31, 2025.

Thank you in advance for your interest and participation in the January Adopt-A-Share Program.

Best Regards,

Cynthia Reid
General Manager
San Francisco Suites

San Francisco Suites Owners,

As we begin a new year, we are preparing for our Annual Owners’ Meeting to be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025, and for the election of two (2) Directors. Currently, the two positions are held by Fred Munroe and Dwight Walker. They are both running for reelection so we may have an uncontested election, if no other owners decide to run. However, we encourage those interested in serving on the Board of Directors to complete the accompanying application and review the Board Directors’ commitment pledge. You may also include a one page resume. A candidate must be an owner in good standing and meet the qualifications outlined in the Association’s By Laws. (located on the web site www.sfsuitescsa.com).

We are a self-managed Association, and Directors are required to attend scheduled Board meetings at least five times a year and to actively participate in the business of the Association. The Board establishes policy, manages the financial affairs of the Association, and works closely with the General Manager, who oversees the daily operations. The Board is also responsible for strategic planning and special projects. Serving on the Board requires a commitment of time and effort, but it can be very gratifying while providing an important service to the Association and the Suites.

Applications from all candidates must be returned by 5pm on February 1, 2025, in order to prepare the voting packets for mailing to the membership on February 8th, 2025. Applications received after 5pm on February 1 cannot be included in the election.

Please send your application to:

Cynthia Reid, GM
San Francisco Suites
710 Powell St.
San Francisco, CA 94108

The Inspectors of Election has been hired to mail the election materials, ballots and to count the ballots during the March 8.2025 BOD Meeting which will be held on zoom.

Thank you for your consideration, and please remember: VOTE!

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Bellah
President, Board of Directors
San Francisco Suites City Share Association

December 20, 2024

A Charles Dickens Christmas on Nob Hill, 2024

The colorful, old-fashioned, red, and green Christmas décor at the Suites always reminds me of Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol which is set in Edwardian, London. The fireplace flickers as families and friends meet while sipping a glass of wine or hot cider. Laughter fills the air, as the desk checks guests in and the houseman piles the luggage onto the brass cart. Families gather to enjoy the holiday traditions by attending the Nutcracker at War Memorial Opera House, Handel’s Messiah at Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill or the Broadway musical, Hamilton at the Orpheum.

The hotels on Nob Hill seem to be in competition with laser light shows and outlandish installations. Hugh crowds fill the lobbies to view Christmas décor and a gingerbread house.

I prefer the cozy, quiet beauty of the Suites. As you enter the lower lobby you are welcomed by a beautifully appointed Christmas tree, guests mingle over cheese and crackers as a guest sits down to play carols on the piano.

Charles Dickens wrote the famous line, ‘It was the best of times and the worst of times,’ from Tale of Two Cities.This phrase is fitting today as San Francisco continues to recover after the pandemic lockdown and the office occupancy turndown due to remote work.

• There is a new mayor in town and many of the tech workers are moving back to SF to be a part of the new AI technologies. There is quite a crowded conference schedule in 2025, starting off with JPMorgan on January 12. Mark Benioff of Salesforce stated that the 2025 conference will now stay in San Francisco.

As we celebrate the best of times during the holidays, visit Union Square and go ice skating, listen to live entertainment on the square, view the puppies and kittens in the windows at Macy’s and do not forget the lobster club sandwich at the Rotunda, Neiman Marcus. You can still shop at Gump’s which has relocated to 250 Post.

This Christmas Season has been festive and full of light. SF Glow has been providing light installations all over the city during the holiday season which commenced at the Ferry Building, December 6. In the early spring of 2025, the Bay Bridge will be illuminated with 50,000 lights which will be visible on both sides of the bridge.

The restaurant Sessions in the Presidio will be closing this month and a new Italian restaurant will take its place, February, offering vegetarian pastas and pizzas:

• Piccino

#1 Letterman Drive, Presidio

• Bar Sprezzatura Venetian bar bites and cocktails in a stunning and dramatic setting

300 Clay at #1 Maritime Plaza in the Financial District

Recently, I experienced a disappointing dining experience at a new Mediterranean restaurant.

There was no welcome, no eye contact or thank you from the host or servers. It was a cold unhospitable experience. I will never return even though the cuisine was fine. The atmosphere and guest service were unwelcoming.

The hospitality industry is based on welcoming guests, and making guests feel comfortable and appreciated. A well-trained staff can make or break a business.

The power of welcoming guests back to the Suites is what we are known for, and it is the basis of the training for the concierge, housekeepers and houseman and is the reason that the soul of the Suites is the wonderful, welcoming, hardworking staff.

Staff news:

Andrew Flack has just returned from a surfing holiday and Luis has just returned from Mexico.

Susan is off to visit family in Boston and Erik has just returned from a holiday stay in NYC.

Our two new housemen, Pedro and Wilfredo, are becoming acquainted with the owners.

Please take the time to congratulate our wonderful Head Housekeeper, Gloria, who has just passed her Citizen requirements and will soon be sworn in as a US citizen!

SFS reminders:

• Dec 22 1st installment of property taxes. Please note if you are a new owner or have moved, you will need to contact SF City Tax Board to receive your tax bill. I can also help you pay your tax bill online.

• January 1st, Call for Nominations is sent out announcing the two positions that are currently held by Fred Munroe and Dwight Walker are up for re-election. They both will run again so it is possible to have an uncontested election this March.

• January 2025 Delinquent assessment auction will be held TBA.

• Owners that are not able to visit SF this year can exchange their 7 days and vacation elsewhere. Please contact the front desk for the exchange procedures.

Here’s to celebrating the best of times after experiencing the worst of times.

San Francisco is resilient and so are the owners and staff of San Francisco Suites.

Come celebrate and lift a glass to this beautiful City by the Bay and your iconic, welcoming, home away from home, San Francisco Suites!

To end this Christmas missive, here is the last line of A Christmas Carol;

“And so, as Tiny Tim said, A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, everyone!”

Happy Holidays,
Cynthia Reid
General Manager
San Francisco Suites

Greetings, Everyone!

As you may know, certain shares owned by the Association are periodically offered for sale to owners, to friends and family of owners, or to individuals interested in the Suites.

We now have a few Master and Parlor Shares for sale.

The Board of Directors is offering these Masters for the cost of $3,500 each,

which includes the 2025 assessment. This special sale also includes 2 weeks’ usage for the first year instead of the usual 7 days.

The Parlors Shares are for sale for $100 + $1,769 (assessment) = $1,869.00

This special sale also includes 2 weeks’ usage for the first year instead of the usual 7 days.

The first few buyers that contact the General Manager and are interested in purchasing a Master or a Parlor will only need to send in the above payment and can start booking time even while the escrow is in process.

Please contact the GM at creidgm@sfsuitescsa.com and start making memories at the iconic San Francisco Suites.

Thank you in advance for your interest and participation in this special

San Francisco Suites Master and Parlor Sale.

Warmest wishes,

Cynthia Reid
General Manager
San Francisco Suites
CC: Geoffrey Bellah, President