The drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco always seems a little shorter and a little easier. When I finally arrived there I was a little frazzled from the traffic and having anticipated a few less hours at the wheel. Making matters even more challenging was navigating downtown on a busy Saturday night before I could finally get to the hotel.

I’ve come to expect good things from the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts over the years and tonight I was going to need those expectations to be met.

When I walked into the lobby and saw a long concourse to a lounge awaiting me. The first shade of road stress easily peeled away. The check in was quick, courteous and welcoming, another layer gone.

As the elevator dropped me off at the 19th floor I looked down at my key to see that I was in a corner suite, how exciting. The door opened to a warm, colorful expanse of striped drapes that covered the floor to ceiling windows on two of the walls. I jettisoned my bags to be hands free on the grand tour.

The bathroom was the size of your average hotel room with a separate bathtub and shower, which tempted me to take both. The mirror was situated in a bank of glass tile squares that made the man in the mirror appear all the more…presidential.

I peeked through the curtains to see the pulse of downtown San Francisco and had to immediately rip open all the drapes. I was surrounded by the electric glow of the city and I felt like I was connected to the current.

My night on the town put me in a conversation with some locals who all voiced the same gripe about how small their apartments were and how that’s just the way it is in San Francisco. All the while I just laughed on the inside as I thought about how enormous my suite was.

Once I got back to my room I sunk into a very comfortable bed and let the city skyline lull me to sleep.

While the gym impressed me, so did being very close to the bay bridge so I went for a run outside. However, I did follow up my run with a swim in the heated lap pool. The pool area had a restricted view from the rest of the gym, which gave me a feeling of privacy and comfort. I wound down in the sauna, which offered a number of smaller areas to sit alone and decompress.

In a city with so much history and fantastic amenities, InterContinental San Francisco made me feel like never stepping outside the building. My time spent there was a treat that I look forward to having again soon.

InterContinental San Francisco 888 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103