Personality Hotels are well known for their original design and their partnerships with various very talented interior designers. Today we would like you to get to know Jonathan Rachman a little more.  Proud owner of Jonathan Rachman Designs, Jonathan has traveled the world before settling in San Francisco for our greatest joy.

He was born and raised in Sumatra, studied in Switzerland and lived in Paris. Being rich of all those influences allows him to create very rich décors in which he is not afraid to mix Louis XVI furniture with random Indonesian artifacts. We are very happy as Jonathan will be designing Hotel Union Square’s new lobby, which will be absolutely stunning when he is done working his magic. It’s time for Jonathan Rachman’s Lounge Confessions:

Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, here is a set of 10 questions that we like to ask Personalities to get to know them a little better.   

PH: What is your favorite food and drink in San Francisco?

JR: Drink- anything made by Absinthe's bartender on Hayes Street. Food- After all these years, I am still in love with the classic Zuni's Roasted Chicken, B Star Bar's Lotus Chips, and Gary Danko's Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers and Mustard Sauce.

PH: What is the place you always go to?

JR: From the Feryy building to the "fairies"-the F line route. I love strolling down the Castro and always think about the history of the place, what it means to Gay rights movement. My favorite building in the neighborhood is the Castro Theatre, one of the few still standing: Old School!

PH: What is your favorite street?

JR: West Portal- I have a lot of memories with loved ones there, plus this is the one street in San Francisco which is still "trapped" in the past, it was cool long before Mad Men ever aired.

PH: What do you most appreciate in SF?

JR: How it has become a home to so many wayfarers and how cosmopolitan yet so itimate it is. On a personal level, this town holds so many memories for me. 

PH: What is your favorite occupation in SF?

JR: Being a doorman in a classic San Francisco establishment, especially those who've held the position for decades...imagine the books they could write if they wanted to.

PH: What is your idea of happiness?

JR: Being with my partner and my "tribe" at he same time in the same place, which happened for one of my birthdays in Bali. There were 60 poeple from 14 countries gathered for a week of love. They are my biological family and my "gathered and hoarded" over the years family.

But sharing meals with my partner everyday is just another perfect idea of happiness.

PH: If not yourself, who would you be?            

JR: No one.

PH: What is the natural talent you would like  to be gifted with?

JR: Playing the piano or the violin.

PH: What is your present state of mind?

JR: Insanely grateful.

PH: What is your favorite Motto?

JR: COMPASSION AND LOVE: "There are in the end three things that last: Faith, Hope and Love and the greatest of these is Love".

There are a lot of different races all over the world, but none that show as much PERSONALITY as San Francisco's Bay to Breakers. Of course there are some serious people running for the challenge but most of the people who enter in this race are here for the fun and the chance to dress in crazy costumes

If you enter the race or dress up for the event, post your picture on Instagram #personalityhotels, get a chance to win the package of your choice. (50 Shades of Women not included) 

The first race was held in 1912 as “The Cross City Race” and won by Robert J. Vlught, a student at St. Mary's College. The race starts at the Embarcadero and finishes at Ocean Beach, therefore the name was changed in 1965 to Bay to Breakers by an Examiner sports journalist. This whole thing started as a way to lift the spirits of San Franciscans after the terrible 1906 earthquake. This race is one of the most popular, it even broke a Guiness Book of World record in 1986 as the world's largest footrace with 110,000 participants. 

Last year's 12 miles race was finished in 34:41mn by the winner, while the majority of people opted to walk the race behind the runnersm wearing the funniest outfits or nothing at all. FYI, nudity has been banned from the streets of San Francisco but Bay to Breakers is one exception where you can still come in your skivvies. It's time to break out last years Halloween costume and get ready for a hilarious time.

Crazies aside, Bay to Breakers is also known for the large number of unregistered runners, or "bandits", who participate in the race. Ross Mirkarimi, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, reported that over half of the 60,000 participants in the 2010 Bay to Breakers were unregistered. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was among the runners in 2010 who did not pay the registration fee to obtain a race number...some people just like to crash the party.

*Please note that large bags or containers are prohibited from the race.

 If you are interested in participating into the race you can register here > Bay to Breakers and if you just want to enjoy the show and wear something outrageous for the occasion here is the map of the race so you know were to go.

Drinking is prohibited at the race but there is a lot of bar crawling involved and other fun things to do on the sides, hey it’s San Francisco and hydration is a must!

If you enter the race or dress up for the event, post your picture on Instagram #personalityhotels, get a chance to win the package of your choice. (This contest is for a package only and does not include a room night. 50 Shades of Women not included) 

Can you believe it? The month of May is already here and what better way to start the month with a big party and all sorts of celebrations. This week-end San Francisco is going to proudly celebrate Cinco de Mayo. There will be dancing, singing and drinking!

This is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. Cinco de Mayo started to be celebrated in California around 1860s and really crossed over in the United States in the 1950’s and 1960’s. But why on that date? What we are actually celebrating is the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This battle which the Mexican army won against all odds, fighting a French army which was considered the best at the time, was not only very important for Mexico’s independence but it also stopped the French to help to the South in the U.S. Civil War. If this battle had been lost by the Mexican army the United States' destiny could have been very different. 

This year San Francisco’s celebrations will be held on Saturday, May 4^th in Dolores Park. The weather should be around 73 degrees (hot for SF standards), so prepare a picnic and pack some sunscreen for a whole day of entertainment from 10am to 5pm. 

Here is the schedule:

• 10am – Zumba-thon Exercise Class ($10 donation)

• 11:30am – Welcome by Mission Neighborhood Centers Board President, Executive Director, Consul General of Mexico, Supervisor Campos and Joaquin Torres, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services.

• 12:00pm – Mission Neighborhood Centers, Senior Chorus, “Coro Solera”

• 12:15pm – Mission District Young Musicians
  Directed by Martha Rodriguez-Salazar, this ensemble of 26 middle and high school youth from the Mission District plays música bailable including favorites from Mexico, Colombia and Cuba.

• 1:15pm – Ms. Berta Olivia, a gifted ranchera vocalist accompanied by talented a Mariachi group.

• 2:15pm – American Red Cross

• 2:20pm – Buyepongo is a classic story of friends coming together out of their passion for creating, learning, and playing music.

• 3pm – Conjunto Picante is bringing back the chart busting sound of the “Fania All Stars” hard Salsa Music of the 1970s. Founder and Composer Tony Rodriguez’s 12-piece orchestra cultivates a full and vibrant sound, portraying the sounds that are reminiscent of the Salsa era that brought Fania Recording artists to the forefront of Latin music.

• 4pm – Edgardo & Candela are an intense and high energy Bay Area salsa band.

• 5pm – Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco, preserving the tradition of Mexican folk dance with quality, authenticity and colorful costumes. There will be several 15 minute presentations and each will showcase a different region in Mexico. 

If you are more of a tequila drinker than a mariachi, a big Pub Crawl is also organized this week-end. Buy your tickets from just a few drinks to the 2 days all access pass.

And on the more intimaye side, you can also pay your respects to the Mexican culture and heritage by having a fresh Margarita and a delicious meal at Colibri, the Mexican bistro next to Hotel Diva.

The choices are yours; the only important thing is to have a good time!

After the big 1906 earthquake and the fire that followed, San Francicso became a pile of rubble. It needed to get back up quickly to show the whole world that the City was still alive. What better way than an International Exhibition to do so. World Fairs were extremely popular at the time and attracted visitors from around the world. A few years later began the development of many hotels and the various Palaces of the Pan Pacific International Exhibition, located on the newly land filled, Marina District.

Today the idea of having this kind of event seems a bit preposterous, but at the time it was a great way for people to gather from all over the world and showcase their scientific discoveries. The San Francisco 1915 Fair was homage to the construction of the Panama Canal, which was a monumental success of its own.

Among other historic technical achievements, the fair visitors were presented with the wonders of the time including, transportation, machinery and the latest developments in electrical devices. The first transcontinental phone call was done during the fair, it was the end of horse carriages and the real beginning of automobiles.    

The Palace of Fine Arts is one of the few remaining buildings from the exhibition and the only one still standing at its original place. It was saved from demolition by the perseverance of Phoebe Apperson Hearst and the Palace Preservation League she created at the time. This building, like the others was not supposed to last, so the entire Palace was rebuilt in 1965 with more durable materials. In 1969 it became the home of the Exploratorium. The new Exploratorium opened on April 17^th on Pier 15 but San Franciscan’s dear Palace of Fine Art is still in place and will soon be home to something else. 

We are proud to say that the first Personality Hotel, Hotel Union Square was built in 1913 for the 1915 Exhibition. Known as the Golden West Hotel when it opened, the Hotel changed names several times over the years but its spirit remains intact. As soon as you walk into the lobby you are welcomed by the two Egyptian inspired mosaics that have been keeping an eye on the hotel guests for 100 years and the art deco feel is still very present.The hotel is a visually stimulating fusion of contemporary and classic San Francisco - beautiful brick walls, signature staircases, and opulent moldings are complemented by a rich color palate. Next time you come to San Francisco, make sure you take a look at Hotel Union Square.

San Francisco is well known for it’s cuisine scene and all the great restaurants you can find in the city, this week we wanted to introduce you to one of our Union Square neighbors, Sauce Belden Lane. Today we go behind the scenes and talk to the three brothers that own Sauce,  Nathan, Matt and Trip Hosley.

The “Sauce Boys” opened their first venue, in 2004 in Hayes Valley, and a year later they opened a bar “Shine” at 1337 Mission. Following the success of their restaurant in Hayes Valley, they decided to open a second "Sauce” restaurant on Belden Alley in 2012. The drinks are delicious, the food is pure comfort and they are even open until 1AM. Finally a place open late night! 

Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, here is a set of 10 questions that we like to ask local Personalities, to get to know them a little better.   

PH: What is your favorite food and drink in San Francisco?

Trip: I am addicted to our sausage cheese bread, it’s one of my favorite things, otherwise it would be Tony’s Pizza in North Beach and a Trumer Pilsner.

Nathan: If we stay inside of Sauce my favorite is Carpaccio and right now outside would be the Chicken Wings at Kezar Pub, it changes a lot... my favorite drink would be any Whiskey.

Matt: For me inside of Sauce I would have to go with the Burger, I just love the Burger and outside I would go for Peppered Steak and a Manhattan at the Brazen Head.

PH: What is the place you always go to in SF?

Trip: I love Dolores Park.

Nathan: The Academy of Sciences, because my kids love it and I love it, it’s fun.

Matt: One of my favorite spots in town is AT&T Park, love the baseball park, love to catch a day game and I love the surroundings.

PH: What is your favorite street?

Hosley Brothers: GOUGH STREET! Hayes Valley. That’s our neighborhood. We have been there 10 years. 

PH: What do you most appreciate in SF?

Trip: I like the diversity, there is always crazy things going on, People watching is always interesting in SF.

Nathan: I love the weather here, I lived in many different places and I love that here its mild, it’s not going to be 114 when I wake up in the morning!

Matt: The availability of good food and good wine, everybody takes it for granted here. The majority of the places you go to always serve high quality product and everything is always fresh, whether you get a sandwich or steak.  When you do get out of San Francisco, it becomes evident that you really live in the middle of a culture that really takes food and wine seriously.

PH: What is your favorite occupation in SF?

Trip: My favorite occupation has always been bar tending.

Nathan: If not running my own restaurant, I would be running somebody else’s.

Matt: I’m trying to think, race car driver or boat captain maybe?

PH: What is your idea of happiness?

Matt: Having enough money to be comfortable and having the people I love around me to enjoy.

Trip: Cool glass of wine with my wife and my family.

Nathan: Anytime I am spending with my family. 

PH: If not yourself, who would you be?

Nathan: I would be a philanthropist, giving money out all day long, doing fun and cool projects all the time.

Matt: I think I’d be a helicopter pilot, a ski helicopter pilot so I could just hit the best trails all day long.

Trip: I’ll be the first California Powerball winner and then I’d do both of those things!

PH: What is the natural talent you would like to be gifted with?

Trip: The ability to play an instrument.

Nathan: If I could teleport that would be pretty awesome!

Matt: I would like to remember names better.

PH: What is your present state of mind?

Nathan: Eager

Matt: Happy, content.

Trip: I am a little overwhelmed these days.

PH: What is your favorite Motto?

Trip: Mine is “think of the story”, whenever you are facing an opportunity in life think what choice will make a better story later.

Matt: I would say “When you wake up, get up and when you get up, do something”.

Nathan: “Whatever you do, take care of your shoes.”  

Foggy, windy, rainy, and cold- neverless a beautiful day in San Francisco! Why you might ask- well it is OPENING day for our World Series defending Champs, the San Francisco Giants! 

This is no April fools prank, the long awaited date for all Giants’ fans has finally arrived. Yes, San Francisco was a little spoiled this off season, being that we were able to host the World Baseball Classic Finals, and cheer on a couple of our players, like Pagan, Torres, Panda, Affeldt, Vogelsong, Romo, Scuataro, LaTorre, Mijares, Casilla and coach Meulens, but still these past months, we have all been eager to see our boys back on the field. Everyone is eager to cheer on perfect games, like the one from Matt Cain, awesome catches from Gregor Blanco, the cheering and mentoring of Hunter Pence, the photobombs of Sergio Romo, those lifetime scenes like the one left forever in our hearts from Marco Scutaro, and the talent and good looks of George Kontos, what can I say, our boys are full of Giant Personalities! 

With the extension of general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy, as well as the return of our lovable Andres Torres, and the good news that we will have nine seasons full of Posey, the Giants have made all fans enthusiastic to begin their 2013 journey with the boys. 

So why not get the party started?

The Giants will face off the LA Dodgers today at Dodger Stadium at 1:10pm, but no need to worry if you can't fly out to LA within the next ten minutes.  If you're in San Francisco today, the Giants will be showing the game, on the big HD scoreboard at AT&T Park, free of charge, and hurry, for the first 5,000 fans will receive a free hot dog, and foam fists! However if it's to late to call in sick, you definitely have some time to ask your boss for an early dismissal for the opening game in San Francisco, this Friday, April 5^th, when the Giants take on the Cardinals. Now, with dynamic pricing, it might be a bit difficult to catch some games without leaving your wallet empty, so here are some fun promotion games you might want to save up for:

• April 6^th, for a Buster Posey NL MVP Bobblehead, 

• April 7^th, for a Giants World Series Ring Ceremony Replica 

• May 5^th for a Sergio Romo Gnome 

• May 26^th for a Barry Zito Bobblehead

• June 22^nd for a Ryan Vogelsong Bobblehead 

• August 10^th for Virgin America 2 for 1 Flight Vouchers

• August 25^th for Tim Lincecum Gnome and Dog days of Summer. 

Or, you can always watch a game from the Burger Bar at Macys on Union Square, or Jillian's in the Metreon.

And if you want to keep the spirit going all night long, spend the night in our Dugout Suite in Hotel Union Square. You will be sure to have Giant dreams.

Whichever your choice may be, make sure you sport your orange and black on game days.

Lets play ball! 

Today our Personality is a real life adventurer. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raised in Scotland, Keith Bellows has visited more than 98 countries all over the world and is a legend in his line of work. Appointed Editor in Chief of National Geographic Traveler Magazine in 1998, Mr. Bellows has won numerous awards and recognitions including 60 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards.

This week Personality Hotels had the honor to have him as a guest at Hotel Diva, where he was signing his new book "100 Places That Will Change You Child's Life".

Let's see what Mr Keith Bellows can tell us about San Francisco and himself, time for Lounge Confessions:

Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, here is a set of 10 questions that we like to ask the personalities staying with us to get to know them a little better.

PH: What is your favorite food and drink in San Francisco?

KB: "Whenever I come to San Francisco I like to buy some good Brie cheese, French Bread, Salami and to go with that, a bottle of California Chardonnay." 

PH: What is the place you always go to when you are in town? 

KB: "San Francisco is a great launching pad to explore the surrounding area. I like to discover or re-discovering Sausalito, Muir Woods, Bolinas and Stinson Beach, ride in a convertible to Big Sur or Point Reyes. If I was to pick one neighborhood in SF my favorite would be Pacific Heights."

PH: What is your favorite street ?

KB: "I love to get lost so whatever street I end up on becomes my favorite."

PH: What do you most appreciate in SF?

KB: "San Francisco is one of the most real cities. There is sort of a dychotomy between this city manufactured by Silicon Valley and the real San Francisco which is about the people."

PH: What is you favorite occupation in SF? 

KB: "My favorite occupation in this city is people watching. There is so much going on in the streets of San Francisco; you learn a lot about a city, watching it's inhabitants."

PH: What is your idea of happiness? 

KB: "A day at the beach with my kids."

PH: If not yourself, who would you be?

KB: "I would have liked to be the right hand man of Winston Churchill during the war."

PH: What is the natural talent you would like to be gifted with?

KB: "Flying, that would save me so much time."

PH: What is your present state of mind?

KB: "I am happy."

PH: What is your favorite Motto?

KB:"Carpe Diem."

Can you feel it? The sun is setting later, the weather is getting warmer (in the limits of San Francisco weather of course) and the flora and fauna is reclaiming its wonderful colors.You are feeling an urge for sun on your skin and BBQs with friends. Spring is finally here and it means it is time for you to go out, smell the perfume of flowers and enjoy the beauty of San Francisco.

There are many ways to get your springtime flower rush; one of them is the Macy’s Flower Show. We are very lucky, as San Francisco is one of the few cities where Macy’s is having it’s Flower Show and even luckier as our hotels are located in the heart of Union Square just steps away.

From March 24^th to April 7^th they will be having their yearly Flower Show. If you have never had the chance to see it, you should not miss the occasion...and it's a great excuse to shop. The entire store will be transformed in a poetic garden and this year should be very colorful as the theme will be South East Asia. It’s free, so go and have a peek at this wonderful ephemeral work of art. 

Another great place to celebrate Spring, is in Japantown (at Post and Buchanan). I am personally fond of this area of San Francisco, as it offers you a nice change of scenery and during Spring the Cherry Blossom festival is in full effect. 

In front of the Japan Center (where you can find everything Japanese, from Hello Kiity goodies to Japanese tea pots) are some delicate Japanese Cherry trees or Sakuras. As soon as the trees start blossoming you can see flocks of young couples taking wedding pictures in front of their beauty. The Sakuras are very important in Japanese culture as the flowers are a symbol of ephemeral beauty. All over Japan the blossoming of these trees is monitored and celebrated. A great way of discovering part of the traditions surrounding the blossoming of the Cherry trees is going to the Cherry Blossom Festival to see all the great exhibits they have to offer.

The festival lasts just over two weeks with the main celebration being held on April 13^th and 14^th and April 20^th and 21^st,  with the Grand Parade happening on the last day. Between the pink flowery trees and the beautiful traditional costumes, it’s a great to expereicne a unique culture.

Of course your tour of blooming San Francisco would not be complete without a stop at the Conservatory of Flowers and the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. The Conservatoty is a beautiful piece of Victorian Architecture built in 1878 and is the oldest wood and glass conservatory in North America. Each of the Conservatory’s galleries focus on a different tropical niche, but if you want to learn more about indigenous plants visit there special exhibit running through April 14th: Boomtown: Barbary Coast at the Conservatory of flowers. This exhibit will take you back to 1848 and will give you a good idea of what San Francisco vegetation looked like at the time.  

From there you must go to the DeYoung's Bouquets to Art exhibition, held from March 19th to March 23rd the museum celebrates the return of spring with this annual event. 125 Bay Area designers show their personalities through their floral creations. Make sure to bring your cameras, as the musuem allows you to take pictures at this exhibit. 

Now that you are done with your visits don’t forget to take a walk in Golden Gate Park, enjoy the warm sun and the smell of Eucalyptus, while purposefully getting lost in the beauty.

 Come spend a week-end with us in San Francisco and take your time to smell the roses.