Photo Credit: IHG Vignette Collection
San Francisco's Hotel Spero, a 259-room historic boutique property near Union Square, has become the first West Coast hotel to join IHG's Vignette Collection. The Hotel Spero, which is managed by Aperture Hotels, is just the second North American property in the collection of one-of-a-kind properties. IHG launched the Vignette Collection in 2021, which now numbers 20 hotels worldwide.
Built in 1924, the Hotel Spero's Spanish Colonial Revival architecture — with its hand-painted ceiling beams and natural travertine floors in the lobby — earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in San Francisco. The building and many of its original flourishes are well preserved, while the guest rooms offer modern conveniences.
The stylish property offers 23 suites in its total room count, as well as a coworking space, the on-site Jasper's Corner Tap & Kitchen, and 3,000 square feet of meeting space that accommodates up to 140 attendees among five rooms. It is in the theater district, on the edge of the Tenderloin near Union Square.
Vignette Collection hallmarks
IHG's collection promises a couple of key features in each hotel that contribute to their unique characters. The first, "Memorable Rituals," are in place so that guests can connect with each hotel's identity. At the Hotel Spero — which means hope in Latin — guests can write a message of hope to their future self on a complimentary postcard. The hotel will mail the postcard to the guest on their requested date.
Another hallmark, "A Means for Good," refers to social-responsibility initiatives in place at each hotel. The Spero's initiatives are inspired by the building's past owner, philanthropist Elizabeth Glide, who made the property the city's only temperance hotel in 1935, creating a refuge for women. Her Glide Foundation, which continues to be a vital source of support and social justice in the city to this day, runs a variety of programs in the neighborhood to benefit the less fortunate. Hotel Spero participates in Glide's Daily Free Meals Program, for which hotel colleagues volunteer to prepare and serve meals. The hotel also has a "Giving Rack" program, a luggage rack on which guests can leave items to be donated to a local nonprofit that serves the community.