10 New Venues in San Francisco for Spring 2020 Meetings and Events

Napa Valley destination Carneros Resort and Spa debuted a new option for all-weather events this winter in its Carneros Courtyard. The resort added an event tent that spans 3,400 square feet and accommodates up to 215 seated guests or 320 guests for receptions. The courtyard is situated between two ballrooms, and Carneros Resort and Spa offers 27,000 square feet of event space.

A comic book-theme bar called First Edition opened in November from the team behind San Francisco bars Jackalope and Soda Popinski’s. The 4,000-square-foot space has an industrial look, with skylights, soaring ceilings, and steel beams. Naturally, Comic book-inspired art is a focus, while First Edition's lengthy drinks list includes cocktails with names like N.E.W. Gotham. First Edition spans a main bar and lounge, two mezzanine bars, and a rooftop deck.

Popular San Diego-based craft brewery Modern Times opened a Bay Area tasting room in Oakland in December. The House of Perpetual Refreshment is intensely colorful, with hot-pink tiles and a graphic paint scheme. A small area of the tasting room can be reserved for parties of 30 to 50 guests. The entire space can accommodate as many as 296 seated and standing guests. Full buyouts are available on a case-by-case basis, typically only during the week.

The Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero opens on May 1 in the Financial District, offering panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. The hotel replaces the Loews Regency Hotel and will offer 155 rooms and suites situated on the top 11 floors of a 48-story tower. Interior design firm Marzipan's revamp is inspired by the city's history, with natural wood floors and bright contrasting colors. There are 28 suites in the hotel, and select suites are ideal for entertaining, with 800-square-foot large terraces and living rooms with dining tables for six.

The new Palihotel San Francisco opened in February, along with a restaurant, bar, and special event venue called Fisher Loft (shown here) on the second floor. With retro-inspired decor that includes warm wood and floral wallpapers and mix-match decor, Fisher Loft offers classic American fare like burgers and salads along with afternoon tea service. The restaurant's private dining room and alcove space can accommodate as many as 30 guests. The sitting and dining room can accommodate as many as 75 seated guests, while the bar and lobby lounge can accommodate as many as 50 guests for receptions. There's also the Fisher Loft Banquet Room, located behind a secret door off of the lobby. The 82-room hotel is located in Union Square.

Ittoryu Gozu is devoted to wagyu beef, cooked using Japanese techniques including robatayaki (open-fire cooking). The restaurant opened in November 2019 in the SoMa District, with a minimalist design featuring a charcoal color palette. Ittoryu Gozu's 12-seat private dining room is paneled with cloth and separated from the dining room by a blackened steel wall. The Lounge Area seats 10 for pre-dinner drinks, and there's room for 25 seated guests around the hearth or six to eight guests seated at the Kitchen Table.

RASA, a contemporary Indian restaurant located in Burlingame, California, recently debuted a new private event space for small groups. The Michelin-starred Silicon Valley spot serves dishes like Bombay sliders with tangy tamarind chutney. The maximum capacity for the private space is 35 guests.

In late 2019, San Francisco Marriott Marquis debuted its refreshed meeting spaces, reimagined by Boston-based design firm Parker-Torres Design Inc. The 128,000 square feet of meeting and event space now boasts upgraded technology and a bright new look. The hotel's 39,000-square-foot Yerba Buena Ballroom can accommodate 4,380 guests for a theater-style event or 5,500 guests for standing receptions. The 22,563-square-foot Golden Gate Ballroom can accommodate 1,364 guests for a theater-style event or 2,375 guests for standing receptions. Other spaces include the Foothill, Pacific, and Sierra Conference Rooms, and the new Event Hub, an adaptable space for socializing and collaborating.

What was once California Pacific Medical Center's main Medical Library is now an event venue with its own garden and historic details, like murals and a grand staircase. The Library debuted as an event space in 2019 when Bond Events took over venue management. On the first floor, an art gallery space can host up to 200 standing guests, and the library space on the second floor can accommodate 200 seated guests or 140 standing guests with a dance floor. For smaller breakout groups, space is also available on the third and fourth floors.

W San Francisco completed the renovation of its guest rooms in October 2019, unveiling a makeover dubbed "gold fever," inspired by the city's historic gold rush. Skylab Architecture designed rooms with gold dust-covered wallpaper, a carpet inspired by cable cars, and bathroom tiles that channel the city's fog. The W boasts 17,246 square feet of event space that spans 15 event rooms. That includes a Great Room that can host 450 guests for standing receptions or 250 for banquets.