Virgin Hotels SF Opens This Fall With Snazzy Rooftop Bar and Big Deal Chef

Virgin Hotels — a branch of British business magnate Sir Richard Branson’s mega corporation the Virgin Group (of airline fame) — is opening what looks like a seriously swanky San Francisco pad this fall. It’s the second, after Chicago, in what’s to be a chain of Virgin Hotels including NYC and Las Vegas locations.

After construction delays that kept the local location from opening last summer, Virgin Hotels SF is now taking reservations for its nearly 200 rooms in SoM inside a new building at 250 Fourth Street. And to build buzz, it’s revealing new details on the project, including the chef talent for its restaurant, the Commons Club.

Via Virgin Hotels

Executive chef Adrian Garcia will be in charge there: He was previously chef de cuisine at three-Michelin star Quince and worked at three star Benu before that. Most recently, Garcia was consulting for the new Stonemill Matcha, a trendy new bakery and cafe on Valencia.

The Commons Club will be on the main level of the SoMa hotel, a hub for guests availing themselves of a free happy hour (with Virgin Hotel’s free loyalty program) in addition to the main bar/restaurant of the joint.

The Commons Club won’t be not the only place to get a drink at the new hotel. There’s also a “Funny Library” coffee shop and an intriguing rooftop bar, which will also serve food and drink. For those keeping score, that’s the latest addition to a local rooftop bar scene that’s picking up speed: New options like Charmaine’s at the Proper Hotel have proven popular with the public, while other spots, like the rooftop at the Hotel Via, are enjoyed by hotel guests only.

• Virgin releases details on new San Francisco hotel [SF Curbed]
• Richard Branson’s New Virgin Hotel in San Francisco Is Now Taking Reservations [Travel + Leisure]