Westin St. Francis Hotel - San Francisco, CA

If you’re planning to stay at the Westin St. Francis, you’ll be lodging in a hotel rich in San Francisco history—over a century old, surviving the 1906 earthquake, hosting significant events, and undergoing several dramatic transformations.

And if you’re intrigued by the paranormal, this hotel offers an extra layer of atmosphere: many guests and staff over the years have reported odd happenings, especially in the older wings or banquet areas. Whether you believe in ghosts or just appreciate stories, the Westin St. Francis brings both elegance and a touch of mystery to your stay.

Hotel History

• The Westin St. Francis originally opened as the “St. Francis Hotel” on March 21 1904, located at Powell & Geary Streets on Union Square in San Francisco.

• It was built by the trustees of the estate of Charles Crocker (one of the “Big Four” railroad magnates) as an investment for his grandchildren; the hotel borrowed the name of an earlier Gold-Rush era hotel.

• After the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire, the hotel’s interior was heavily damaged, though the stone shell survived. A temporary hotel (“Little St. Francis”) was erected on Union Square within about 40 days to serve guests, and the main structure reopened in late 1907 with 450 rooms.

• Over the years, the hotel expanded: the “Landmark Building” (the early 1904–13 structure) and later a 32-story “Tower Building” addition (completed around 1971/72) were built.

• The hotel has undergone multiple major renovations to maintain its historic character while modernizing amenities. For example: a ~US$40 million restoration in the late 2000s of the Landmark Building, and a ~US$20–45 million renovation of the Tower Building and other guest spaces.

• Today, the Westin St. Francis remains a prominent luxury hotel in downtown San Francisco, notable for its location directly on Union Square, historic architecture, and vintage heritage.

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Haunted Hot Spots & Paranormal Activity

The hotel, being over a century old and full of rich history, has accumulated numerous ghost stories and paranormal anecdotes. Below are some of the more frequently cited ones:

• Ghost of a banquet staffer (“Al Feiss”): One legend tells of a former banquet waiter named Al Feiss (1940s-1950s) who was very dedicated to his job. After his passing, some staff and guests report seeing a ghostly figure in banquet uniform, arranging chairs or tables in the banquet halls.

• Old-fashioned elevator operator: Guests have claimed to encounter an elevator operator dressed in early-20th-century attire, who vanishes before reaching their floor or doesn’t answer when called back. This is often cited in the Tower or older portions of the hotel.

• Apparition in a mirror / haunted suite: Some visitors report in certain suites or rooms (unspecified) seeing strange reflections in mirrors or feeling an unseen presence. One anecdote: a mirror in a suite is said to “absorb” past energies, with guests seeing ghostly images through it.

• Connection to the Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle scandal: The hotel is historically tied to the early 1920s scandal involving Arbuckle and the death of actress Virginia Rappe in adjacent rooms (1219-1221) at the then-St. Francis Hotel. Some paranormal write-ups suggest residual energy from that era lingers in the upper floors.

• Nightmares, sudden chills and unexplained sounds: General reports from staff/guests include sensations of being watched, footsteps in empty corridors, doors that creak or open without visible cause, cold spots in hallways or rooms.

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