The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

This majestic neoclassical building was the headquarters of an insurance company before being converted to a luxury hotel in 1991, and today it’s difficult to imagine it having ever been anything but a Ritz-Carlton, so perfectly is it suited to the task — midway between the old money of Nob Hill and the skyscrapers of the financial district, it spans half a city block, an imposing landmark in white stone and fluted columns.

The lobby is no less opulent, lined with 19th-century artworks and crystal chandeliers, and the lobby lounge, looking out over the courtyard garden, is the venue for the daily afternoon tea, a Ritz-Carlton institution. Guest rooms continue in the same vein, spacious and elegantly appointed — feather beds and Egyptian cotton linens are universal, and the Italian marble bathrooms are oversized with double basins. Club level rooms offer access to a dedicated concierge, and many have impressive views down the slope of Nob Hill toward the downtown skyline.

Though San Francisco is second only to New York in terms of diversity and quality of dining options, it’s difficult to top the Ritz-Carlton’s dining room — certainly there’s no place more formal in this laid-back city. The Terrace restaurant offers Mediterranean fare in a more casual environment, and the vast majority of San Francisco’s best restaurants are close by, including a number of Italian offerings to rival any in America.