5 Hotels in 5 Cities
The Bay Area is where eclecticism, fun and business meet
By Malik Anderson
California’s Bay Area is a vast and eclectic region, nearly full to the brim with a vast array of culture, luxury and adventure that would lead one to think these cities are hundreds or thousands of miles away from each other. Luckily for you and your group, they are all next-door neighbors.
Capturing the Bay Area in its entirety isn’t a simple feat, but perhaps one hotel from five of its cities, San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto, Berkeley and Oakland may give meeting profs a taste of what to expect when they make their trek to this Northern California hotspot.
Local Expert Tip
“The Golden State has an unparalleled selection of one-of-a-kind venues, and the San Francisco Bay Area is no exception.
“Attendees can enjoy meetings at eclectic hotels in Oakland, at boardrooms with ballpark views in San Francisco or in legendary venues across Silicon Valley. No matter where they choose, California will help busy professionals spark their anything-is-possible mindset.”
— Caroline Beteta, President and CEO, Visit California
5 Reasons Meeting Profs Love the Bay Area
Eclectic cities. What are you looking for? Want to hike among redwood trees and take it all in? Seeking adventure on the slopes? Time for some urban action? Or is it a day of relaxation, where resting on the beach is the only answer? Northern California offers all four—and more.
Beautiful landscape. No matter what area of the Bay you’re in, you’re sure to be inundated with gorgeous views of the ocean, the city or the liveliness of its inhabitants. When taking your group for a meeting or post-event wind down, Northern California has more than one right choice.
Road trip-friendly. If you’re familiar with California, you may also be familiar with Highway 1, a coastal road that stretches 655 miles from Dana Point in Southern California to Leggett in Mendocino County, roughly 150 miles north of San Francisco. Between this stretch are plenty of things to see and do in the Bay Area, like stop to explore the beauty of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur or make a stop in Sonoma County, home to more than 425 wineries and replete with redwoods for possible camaraderie-fostering hikes.
Read More: Europe in Southern California
Regenerative experiences. There are plenty of businesses in the Bay Area that offer experiences that go beyond the sustainable and into the regenerative, leaving the area better than you found it. Bay Area Green Tours, for instance, is a regenerative farm based in Oakland that gives tours of the city’s regenerative farming operation, as well as team building, where guides highlight environmental topics and allow groups to get involved.
Birthplace of tech. San Jose alone is home to more than 6,600 technology companies. San Jose and nearby cities are home to various artifacts behind the tech-driven world in which we now live, including Computer History Museum in Mountain View and The Tech Interactive in downtown San Jose, as well as Silicon Valley Tours in San Mateo, which gives a close-up of the latest innovate tech coming from the area.
5 Fantastic Places to Meet
Stanford Court sits atop San Francisco’s Nob Hill, overlooking the Bay. In addition to city views that can be seen from guest rooms, the hotel is also home to The Mixing Room, which serves cocktails, as well as brews and wines from local distilleries and wineries, making it a great way to get familiar with the city. Familiarizing oneself with the city can also be done through Stanford Court’s arts program, in collaboration with San Francisco arts consultancy Daylighted, which consists of three 75-inch screens that display different works from local photographers and painters monthly.
393 guest rooms, 2,100 sq. ft. of meeting space
Signia by Hilton San Jose is one of the newest additions to downtown San Jose. Sitting right around the corner from San Jose Convention Center, this Signia property sits like a beacon of hospitality and fanciful meeting in the Silicon Valley hub.
541 guest rooms, 65,000 sq. ft. of meeting space
Nobu Hotel Palo Alto brings Japanese dining to the streets of downtown Palo Alto. Visitors walking toward the property will be met by a redwood tree on the wood grain-accented facade. In addition to its second- and eighth-floor meeting spaces, just behind the hotel is The Nobu Garden, a Japanese-inspired garden that makes for visually appealing get togethers.
73 guest rooms, 3,000+ sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor meeting space
Kissel Uptown Oakland’s High 5ive Rooftop Bar doubles as a location for American fare and traditional cocktails and a 2,500-square-foot meeting space with an outdoor terrace.
168 guest rooms, 9,000 sq. ft. of meeting space
Claremont Club & Spa, a Fairmont Hotel, in the Berkeley and Oakland Hills, makes wellness a priority. At The Club at the Claremont offers tennis, swimming, fitness classes and hiking at its nearby Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. After sweating it out, dine and refuel in style at Limewood Bar & Restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner staples. There’s also East Bay Provisions, home to coffee, pastries and local wines.
276 guest rooms and suites, 20,000+ sq. ft. of indoor/outdoor meeting space
This article appears in the digital-only May 2023 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
