Hotel Stories

We all love to read good stories of our favorite famous figures that explore where they travel, where they stay, and why. In these stories, the travel lives of writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald or Ernest Hemingway, movie stars like Clint Eastwood, or politicians like the Kennedys, are unveiled while simultaneously exploring the interiors and the exteriors of legendary hotels they stayed in.

Many of these stories are told in a wonderful book titled American Hotel Stories, by Francisca Mattéolli (the book was a lovely gift from my children).

There is the story of Alfred Hitchcock who directed Vertigo in the fifties, which was, as you all know, filmed in San Francisco. During the filming, Hitchcock chose to stay at the Fairmont hotel.

The book highlights the interiors of the famed penthouse suite at the Fairmont hotel as it looks today-- although it’s not clear whether Hitchcock stayed at the suite or not.

The penthouse suite was originally built in 1926 as a residence that took up a whole floor. It has three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a living room, and a dining room that could seat over fifty people. The suite also has a billiard room and a library.

An oval tall room filled with books that are accessible with a painted ceiling of constellations drawings. It’s not only a library but a place to socialize

Here is link to the suite. Enjoy the virtual tour!

Photos courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts