ATLANTA, Georgia—IHG Hotels & Resorts welcomed Hotel Spero to the Vignette Collection. Near San Francisco’s Union Square and the Theater District, this latest addition to IHG’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, owned by an affiliate of Fairwood Capital and operated by Aperture Hotels, marks the brand’s first hotel to open on the West Coast.
Originally built in 1924, Hotel Spero has 236 guestrooms and 23 suites. Hotel Spero’s design goes back to Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, evident in elements like the hand-painted ceiling beams and travertine floors throughout the lobby. The preservation of the building’s century-old architecture combined with modern design got the property a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in San Francisco.
Leanne Harwood, senior vice president and managing director of Luxury & Lifestyle Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, “We’re excited to welcome Hotel Spero to Vignette Collection. Since the brand’s launch in 2021, it has seen tremendous global growth, and we’re excited to continue that momentum across the Americas. Hotel Spero is the first Vignette Collection hotel in California, and we’re eager to provide a one-of-a-kind experience to those traveling to the Golden State. We look forward to welcoming guests seeking discovery and purpose to this latest gem in one of the country’s most inspiring destinations.”
Vignette Collection combines each property’s identity with the brand’s collective vision to offer an authentic travel experience. Each property is united to the collection by hallmarks called Memorable Rituals and “A Means For Good”. Memorable Rituals connect guests with the hotel’s identity, locality, and cultural landscape. Spero means “I hope” in Latin and, at Hotel Spero, guests can write a message of hope to their future selves on postcards. Following their stay, the property will mail the postcard to the guest’s preferred address on their requested date. Guests simply pen a message to themselves, address the already-stamped postcard, and wait for their message to arrive.
“A Means For Good” initiatives are woven throughout all Vignette Collection properties to represent each hotel’s commitment to improving people, places, and the planet. Hotel Spero’s initiatives are inspired by the historic property’s past owner, philanthropist Elizabeth Glide, who transformed the property into the city’s only temperance hotel, creating a refuge for women in 1935. Her GLIDE Foundation continues to offer services and empower those in need. Hotel Spero participates in GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals Program, where hotel colleagues volunteer their time to prepare and serve meals for those in need. The hotel also prioritizes working towards a sustainable future, replacing single-use toiletries with refillable ones and using energy-efficient LED lightbulbs and low-flow water fixtures. Beyond that, Hotel Spero donates gently used clothing items through their “Giving Rack” program. Guests may leave items on the luggage rack and the property will donate them to St. Anthony’s Foundation, a local non-profit organization helping San Franciscans in need.
Hotel Spero’s signature restaurant, Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen, serves gastropub classics and breakfast items. Its menus dish out fusion-inspired flavor and ingredients that also cater to vegetarian palates alongside a revolving selection of Bay Area brews on tap. Jasper’s is undergoing a renovation.
Hotel Spero has 3,000 square feet of meeting and events spaces spanning across five rooms. Inside each space, the history and character of San Francisco blend with adaptable amenities, catering to group room blocks and executive retreats. Additional hotel amenities include a visionary co-working space, pet-friendly offerings, and local recommendations as well as a 24-hour fitness center.
Charles Oswald, president and CEO, Aperture Hotels, said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts for Hotel Spero. This historic luxury hotel will now be affiliated with Vignette Collection and be seen worldwide due to IHG’s reach and reputation. It is a great day.”
Hotel Spero serves as a gateway to the Bay Area with a location near Union Square and the Theater District. In addition to shopping and dining experiences near the hotel, guests can visit Oracle Park to catch a baseball game, the Chase Center to watch a basketball game, or explore the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and more, which are a short drive away.
Vignette Collection has surpassed the halfway point in its initial aim to reach 100 open and pipeline hotels in 10 years. The brand debuted in the Americas in early 2023 with Yours Truly DC in Washington, D.C. Future openings in the Americas include SOUMA Hotel Lima in Peru; Franciscana Hotel in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula; and The Gwendolyn, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine region.
