Half an hour from the airport, you’ll find yourselves in the streets of San Francisco, close to the picture-postcard wooden houses and the “dinging” and rattling of the cable cars. Making The Fairmont your base couldn’t be better, especially when you’re on honeymoon, as it has the most amazing, heart-thudding views and the rooms are ultra luxurious. Look out and you’ll San Francisco Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge to the left, Oakland to the right and Alcatraz, the legendary former prison island, in the middle.
The Fairmont was the first building to be finished after the devastating 1906 earthquake. There were fireworks when it opened a year later and a candle-lit procession to symbolise the rebirth of the city. The hotel has been restored to its former resplendent 1907 luxury with huge marble columns, chandeliers and fascinating historic photographs of the city. To add to its reputation, this landmark hotel was where the United Nations charter was drafted and Tony Bennett first sang, I Left My Heart In San Francisco. Beat that!
The Fairmont has a cable car stop just outside the door and everything is pretty close – Chinatown is only a few stops away. Check out Market Street and the old Victorian Ferry Building. It’s been restored, abounds with mouth-watering smells and houses to-die-for food shops. The outdoor Farmers’ Market has stands with luscious fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Go to Fisherman’s Wharf on an F-line vintage trolley. You’ll see loads of restaurants, along with a flotilla of barking seals that sheltered there during the last earthquake and never left. Shopping is another major draw of Frisco and the hotspots for retail therapy are Union Square and Pacific Heights.
San Francisco is very friendly and laid back. However, take some time off and go to the superb Sonoma Valley vineyards, less than an hours’ drive away. The flavour of an old mission town has been retained in Sonoma with quaint stores, 19th-century hotels, old army barracks and great cafés and restaurants.
The vineyards are fascinating and you can buy excellent wine at reasonable prices. Two excellent wineries are Ravenswood (www.ravenswood-wine.com), which specialises in Zinfandel, and the solar-powered Domaine Carneros (www.domainecarneros.com), co-owned by Taittinger, with especially good Pinot Noirs. For general information visit www.sonomavalley.com.
Stay at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, a glorious apricot-stone building. The 1920’s main building has beautifully landscaped grounds. The intimate rooms have a porch, a romantic four-poster bed, leather furniture and a Jacuzzi bath in the middle of the room. The hotel restaurant Sante will serve you one of the most memorable meals you will ever have. The added bonus of the Sonoma Mission is of course, it’s spa and it’s excellent treatments.
A wonderful way to bid adieu to San Francisco is to take a 20-minute helicopter ride over the city’s famous sites on a Bell Jet Helicopter. It’s $130 person and can be booked at The Fairmont.
Honeymoon Factfile The Fairmont San Francisco has rooms from $200 per night and the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has rooms from $359 per night. For more information and reservations visit www.fairmont.com. British Airways offers return flights, twice daily, from London Heathrow to San Francisco from £397 including taxes (stay's must include a Saturday night). For reservations please call 0870 850 9850 or visit www.ba.com. Flying time: 12 hours. Climate: San Francisco is mild year round ranging from 11°C in January to 20°C in July. Warm pleasant summers with little rain between June to September. The Sonoma Valley is always about 10°C warmer.
