Tonga Room SF (Not) to be demolished?

Great news, Mauirose.
The Tonga Room could survive.

On 2011-02-15 18:21, dangergirl299 wrote:
It sometimes takes a while for minutes to be posted online after a public meeting.
I poked around the SF commission website and it looks like they postponed the decision to April:

No news about a purchaser?

I would not be surprised if the supervisors approve the staff recommendation, which would enable the owners to demolish.
However, the local supervisor, David Chiu, also has to carve out an exception to enable the hotel to convert rooms to condos, as the city policy allowing some hotel rooms to convert to condos expired last fall.

The owners are playing hardball by threatening to sell the hotel and by actively targeting supervisor David Chiu with glossy fliers aimed at his voters.

Unfortunately, both of the other Nob Hill hotels are up for sale, too.

I don't see why putting a hotel up for sale is a bad thing. Why not get a new owner who is less financially strapped that will not try to demolish the Tonga Room to make way for a parking garage for unnecessary overpriced condominiums?

On 2011-03-09 18:29, dangergirl299 wrote:
I don't see why putting a hotel up for sale is a bad thing. Why not get a new owner who is less financially strapped that will not try to demolish the Tonga Room to make way for a parking garage for unnecessary overpriced condominiums?

Unfortunately new owners tend to like new, shiny things. Not old things.

Case in point: When The Palmer House Hilton was sold ~5 years ago in Chicago, one of the first things they did was give walking papers to a very old & historic Trader Vic's that we still miss tremendously :(

I'm not a negative-nelly type.
But I am a realist.

On 2011-03-09 18:52, croe67 wrote:

On 2011-03-09 18:29, dangergirl299 wrote:
I don't see why putting a hotel up for sale is a bad thing. Why not get a new owner who is less financially strapped that will not try to demolish the Tonga Room to make way for a parking garage for unnecessary overpriced condominiums?

Unfortunately new owners tend to like new, shiny things. Not old things.

Case in point: When The Palmer House Hilton was sold ~5 years ago in Chicago, one of the first things they did was give walking papers to a very old & historic Trader Vic's that we still miss tremendously :(

I'm not a negative-nelly type.
But I am a realist.

Unfortunately, the Beverly Hills Trader Vics was closed after the property was sold to a developer for a huge hotel project. The real issue is that a new buyer is an investor who would only purchase to increase the revenue output.

Looks like the Tonga Room is off the chopping block, at least for a while.
http://sfist.com/2011/04/18/tonga_room_gets_another_reprieve_as.php

On 2011-04-18 15:32, JenTiki wrote:
Looks like the Tonga Room is off the chopping block, at least for a while.
http://sfist.com/2011/04/18/tonga_room_gets_another_reprieve_as.php

Quote from the above article:

"We'd love to see a Tiki aficionado like Martin Cate at Smuggler's Cove take over the drink program and revive the place to its former glory."

Me too!

On 2011-04-18 15:32, JenTiki wrote:
Looks like the Tonga Room is off the chopping block, at least for a while.
http://sfist.com/2011/04/18/tonga_room_gets_another_reprieve_as.php

EXCELLENT NEWS!

On 2011-04-18 15:46, Hakalugi wrote:

On 2011-04-18 15:32, JenTiki wrote:
Looks like the Tonga Room is off the chopping block, at least for a while.
http://sfist.com/2011/04/18/tonga_room_gets_another_reprieve_as.php

Quote from the above article:

"We'd love to see a Tiki aficionado like Martin Cate at Smuggler's Cove take over the drink program and revive the place to its former glory."

Me too!

Sounds like the gauntlet has been thrown. Martin? Suzanne?

Woohoo!!
That would be amazing to have Martin or Suzanne behind the bar... And maybe The Smokin' Menehunes or The Martini Kings out on the floating raft stage-thing... Would there be any way to have an event there? I'm sure you nor Cal-ers have tried, right?

Super happy to hear that The Tonga gets more time!

Condo conversions stalled at San Francisco's Fairmont hotel

Checking in: With city visitors switching to hotels near the Moscone Convention Center, Fairmont owners say their current business model is not sustainable. (Examiner file photo)
Mayor Ed Lee’s plan to allow the Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill more time to convert 23 stories of hotel rooms into luxury condos has stalled along with talks between hotel workers and the owners.

The Mayor’s Office called for the legislation to be continued at the Planning Commission last week after a March 30 meeting between hotel-union representatives and the Fairmont’s owners ended without any agreement. The Fairmont’s ownership group includes ovserseas interests and SPO Partners, a Mill Valley-based private investment firm.

“Mayor Lee wants to make sure that both groups have ample time to come to some agreement because it could mean jobs in San Francisco for people who need them,” said mayoral spokeswoman Christine Falvey.

Adding to the intrigue are amendments introduced by the Planning Department that would allow not only the Fairmont another chance to approve its plans, but would give the Palace Hotel, the Grand Hyatt Hotel and the Mark Hopkins Hotel a chance to convert to condos as well.

Hotels atop Nob Hill have been struggling as tourist traffic has shifted toward the convention centers South of Market. The Mark Hopkins is already up for sale, while the owners of the Fairmont — home of the famed Tonga Room — across the street are threatening to sell if they can’t convert to condominiums.

“We support the mayor’s legislation because what we’re really hoping for is a chance to discuss a plan to build an economically viable and healthy Fairmont Hotel,” said Chuck Finnie, a spokesman for the Fairmont. “The current business plan just doesn’t work.”

A 2005 law designed to retain a minimum number of hotel rooms in The City restricts the ability of hotel owners to convert to condos. But in 2008, the opening of the Intercontinental San Francisco created a surplus of 550 hotel rooms, opening the door for other hotel owners to apply for a condo-conversion waiver from the Planning Commission. The Fairmont and other hotels did just that.

But the Fairmont’s application hit a bureaucratic snag back in October when it brought forward an environmental review of its proposal to the Planning Commission. That review was continued and the Fairmont’s deadline to convert passed.

Lee said he introduced the legislation to revive the Fairmont’s waiver request because The City made a “mistake.”

The hotel is in Board of Supervisors President David Chiu’s district, but Chiu has refused to rubber stamp the extension until an agreement is reached.

[email protected]
http://www.sfexaminer.com/print/local/development/2011/04/condo-conversions-stalled-san-franciscos-fairmont-hotel

Back story: Unions save the Fairmont!

Union Nixes Fairmont Hotel's Hope For Condos
Monday, April 18, 2011, by Sally Kuchar

The Farmont Hotel's quest to go part-condo has come to an end. After many, many setbacks, including Tonga Room preservationists and Fairmont neighbors who weren't fond of the idea of two years of demolition and construction, the investment group that's spent two years trying to win approval is calling it quits. The investment group, which includes Oakland A's managing partner Lew Wolff, have been trying to come to an agreement with the politically powerful hotel workers union, which was concerned that converting up to 286 of the hotel's rooms to condos would cost some workers their jobs. After months of talks, the workers have voted against the plan.
http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2011/04/18/union_nixes_fairmont_hotels_hope_for_condos.php

The coverage in the media continue to say that the Tonga is frequented by "the stray hipster and occasional tourist" or words to that effect. Whenever I'm there, the place is packed.
Let's hope this is all good news.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/15/BUL71JTSDF.DTL&tsp=1

They are trying to sell the hotel now instead of renovating.

[ Edited by: SandraDee 2011-06-15 08:13 ]

This really sucks. I wonder how long its got left at this point. The article doesnt say whether or not they'll remain open while waiting for a new buyer.

Tonga Room now appears to just be a footnote in the big $$$$$ picture @ the Fairmount. Sad because the Tonga Room is way cool Tiki room inside a very elegant old hotel!

On 2011-06-15 08:12, SandraDee wrote:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/15/BUL71JTSDF.DTL&tsp=1

They are trying to sell the hotel now instead of renovating.

Hotels get bought and sold all of the time.
The good news is that any sale would further delay efforts to remove the Tonga Room.

I was at the Tonga Room a few weeks ago on a Saturday night, and it was packed with a $7 cover. But it was essentially functioning as the hotel disco--the band playing in the boat was a disco band playing Michael Jackson, Bee Gees, etc. We paid the cover, had shots of bourbon and scotch (knowing the drill about their tropical drinks from previous excursions over the years) and just enjoyed the atmosphere and each rainfall (while aurally trying to filter "Night Fever" out of our ears).

However, there is a bigger picture at the Fairmont beyond Tiki: the entire original part of the hotel--the bars (including Cirque), the ballrooms, the hallways, the lobby--are such a great and rare surviving artifact of the Victorian era, those areas need to be kept intact and not remodeled as much as the Tonga Room. It seemed like the whole hotel was pretty busy--I'd hope that new owners would keep it as a hotel (rather than a luxury condo conversion) and keep the unique elements from a place that lived through the 1906 earthquake.

Caltiki Brent

http://www.facebook.com/dingdongdevils
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dingdongdevils

[ Edited by: congawa 2011-06-16 10:23 ]

[ Edited by: congawa 2011-06-16 10:27 ]

You bet the Fairmont needs to preserve the ornate elegance of the main (old) building to become
once again an economically viable grand hotel! The Tonga Room can contribute to a Fairmont
revival (no hotel in the Moscone Center area will ever build anything like it), but nobody imagines
that the Tonga Room has any viability if the Fairmont becomes a second-rate hotel for people
who can't afford the room rates in the Moscone area.

A few facts about the situation that have not been emphasized in this thread:

{}The tower section in question, plus the Hollywood Arabian pavilion beside it, were not built to
anything like the elegance and construction quality of the original building, nor in the same style.
(If you're a long-time San Franciscan, think Jack Tar Hotel.)

{}The tower is an add-on that could be torn down and hauled away without damaging the Tonga
Room. The hotel's owners were eying the Tonga space because they wanted to replace the
existing grand ballroom with a smaller one in order to free up space. The lower-level areas
of the Fairmont have always been a warren of spaces for miscellaneous businesses without
the Fairmont cachet: a radio station, the Muzak studios, a Canlis restaurant come to mind.

{}Adjacent to the Fairmont are three other hotels that are nearly as high-toned as it is: the Mark
Hopkins, the Huntington and the Stanford Court. All three of them are currently for sale, to
anyone who cares to make an offer. And that's the neighborhood--excepting the quaint
brownstone home of the very-old-line Pacific Union Club, the concrete gothic towers of
Episcopalian Grace Cathedral, the University Club in red brick, and a none-too-busy
auditorium (not one of them a big draw) it's all medium-high priced residential.

{}As several members of this forum have pointed out, the current Tonga Room is doing a
booming business despite high prices, poor drinks, poorer food and music that's utterly
non-tiki. Any new owner who buys without a specific agenda is not likely to want to
tear out this gold mine.

{}The present owners are selling out only because they can't get permission to renovate as
they want, and the controlling opponent is the hotel workers union, which objects mostly
to a loss of union jobs if the tower becomes condos.

These facts should clarify the Fairmont/Tonga problem. I have my own ideas as to what
can be done to preserve (and greatly improve) the Tonga Room, but first I'd like to hear from
other members reacting in the light of the actual situation.

On 2011-06-16 10:23, congawa wrote:
I was at the Tonga Room a few weeks ago on a Saturday night, and it was packed with a $7 cover. But it was essentially functioning as the hotel disco--the band playing in the boat was a disco band

Was that a one-night only event, or is this a new Saturday night promotion?

I've seen that band there before too. I was having dinner there and they tacked on the $7 'cover charge' to my dinner bill. I told them that I wouldn't pay it. The bill was already eighty-something dollars and the band was effing horrible. They shoulda paid me for sitting through that horrible crap.

Otherwise, the place is amazing...

On 2011-04-19 09:03, Luckydesigns wrote:
Woohoo!!
That would be amazing to have Martin or Suzanne behind the bar... And maybe The Smokin' Menehunes or The Martini Kings out on the floating raft stage-thing... Would there be any way to have an event there? I'm sure you nor Cal-ers have tried, right?

Super happy to hear that The Tonga gets more time!

I've been thinking the same thing about an event there. Point me to the thread if it's already been discussed. It would be wonderful to have something like an indoor Oasis/Hukilau there during the bad months of winter. Lot's of ballroom space. And to actually have a real, upscale dinner show in the evenings would be so cool.
I've got a little start up money laying around here somewhere.:wink:

[i]On 2011-07-04 16:15, Okolehao wrote:

I've been thinking the same thing about an event there. Point me to the thread if it's already been discussed. It would be wonderful to have something like an indoor Oasis/Hukilau there during the bad months of winter. Lot's of ballroom space.

Nice idea!

On 2011-06-30 09:12, Luckydesigns wrote:
I've seen that band there before too. I was having dinner there and they tacked on the $7 'cover charge' to my dinner bill. I told them that I wouldn't pay it. The bill was already eighty-something dollars and the band was effing horrible. They shoulda paid me for sitting through that horrible crap.

Otherwise, the place is amazing...

That's just not right. Given the fact that so many tikiphiles have expressed optimism in making this place actually better, it seems to me highly unlikely unless the present ownership sells the hotel to someone with a clearer vision. Current ownership hasn't a clue or a sense of history when it comes to marketing the Tonga Room and they've demonstrated this time and time again. The Tonga's management sees the place as a vehicle for sucking money from the hapless tourist from Omaha - nothing more or less. Their greed and contempt of its historical significance is reading loud and clear to me.

On 2011-07-05 00:25, christiki295 wrote:

[i]On 2011-07-04 16:15, Okolehao wrote:

I've been thinking the same thing about an event there. Point me to the thread if it's already been discussed. It would be wonderful to have something like an indoor Oasis/Hukilau there during the bad months of winter. Lot's of ballroom space.

Nice idea!

As some of you know, I have a weekly radio show of Hawaiian, exotica and jazz. (You can see my playlists in the music thread under Dr. Zarkov's Tiki Lounge). I also work for the International Warehouse Logistics Association, which will hold its 2012 annual convention next March at the San Francisco Fairmont. Last week I had an email exchange with a woman on the association's board who also sits on the board of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and who I am advising about the possibility of the orchestra holding an exotica or Tiki-themed concert event in some future season. In the email exchange, I told her I had hosted a logistics-themed radio show in early April and she suggested that our association hold an event during our convention for our members in the Tonga Room, with me DJing. My boss, the president of IWLA, who was included in the email exchange, replied that he thought that was a terrific idea -- assuming that we could line up sponsors to help pay the $40,000 buy-in the hotel requires!

[ Edited by: Dr. Zarkov 2011-07-05 08:54 ]

Aloha,

This is the Tonga Room calling all die hard tiki lovers!!!
We are gathering up all of the people who enjoy the Tonga Room and want to let you know how much we care about you all. Since you have been devoted fans of our establishment we have currently secured ourselves from the efforts to close us down; and that with your help we are still running strong. If any of you have any questions about drinks, food, music, or where to find good company, don't hesitate to reply!!! Keep in mind that there is a secret Tonga society in the makings that will be our way of giving back to loyal customers like you.

That is great news! My wife and I were just there two weeks ago and are looking forward to a return visit.

Mahalo Tonga Room! This is very great news!!! Speaking as a 4th Generation San Franciscan...You are special and we do love you!!! Please let us have a special event for the friends of the Tonga Room. Please let us bring in top notch exotica entertainment without charging exorbitant fees to replace the house band...Please take some of our advise concerning your drink menu...Right here in San Francisco you have some of the most knowledgeable people in the Tiki/Poly-pop world and they want nothing more than for you to be successful. Please take advantage of this amazing resource...

Long Live the Tonga Room!
There is no other place like you...

Whatever plans are in the offing, they can only be a good sign. Mahalo. Still have fun every time we go.

On 2011-07-29 00:01, TheTongaRoom wrote:
Aloha,

This is the Tonga Room calling all die hard tiki lovers!!!
We are gathering up all of the people who enjoy the Tonga Room and want to let you know how much we care about you all. Since you have been devoted fans of our establishment we have currently secured ourselves from the efforts to close us down; and that with your help we are still running strong. If any of you have any questions about drinks, food, music, or where to find good company, don't hesitate to reply!!! Keep in mind that there is a secret Tonga society in the makings that will be our way of giving back to loyal customers like you.

Aloha and welcome.

Thanks for recognizing us in the Tiki community... looking forward to joining your secret Tonga society :)

i'm all over that. as soon as i can afford it i'm flying to SF, seriously the tonga room is on my bucket list.

Hi again!!

In between the thunderstorms over here we have been brainstorming ideas on how to give back to our loyal friends. We have decided that for the entire month of August all of our fellow Tiki Central members will not have to pay the cover charge at the door, and will be given %15 off the tab at the end of the night. Just make sure to say the secret password upon reservation/walk in to the host, to ensure you get your discount. The secret password is (Tiki Paradise) just be sure to keep it a secret amongst the tiki community so that we can offer further perks to you all.

Mahalo,
The Tonga Room

happiness...long live the Tonga Room!!

On 2011-07-30 17:46, TheTongaRoom wrote:
Hi again!!

In between the thunderstorms over here we have been brainstorming ideas on how to give back to our loyal friends. We have decided that for the entire month of August all of our fellow Tiki Central members will not have to pay the cover charge at the door, and will be given %15 off the tab at the end of the night. Just make sure to say the secret password upon reservation/walk in to the host, to ensure you get your discount. The secret password is (Tiki Paradise) just be sure to keep it a secret amongst the tiki community so that we can offer further perks to you all.

Mahalo,
The Tonga Room

Wow! What a deal!

Beautiful!

Thank You Tonga Room - I will be planning a weekend getaway soon to return to San Fransisco to visit you and the beautiful Fairmont Hotel again...I'm so happy to anticipate a return visit without the anxiety of knowing the venue may be demolished soon (sigh.)

Best wishes for all concerned!

For the first time in my life, I will be headed to Frisco on a short visit...and to be completely honest, the only desire I've ever had to visit SF, was for a trip to the Tonga Room.(Well that, and the fact I'm a sucker for sourdough and chocolate!)

In any case, I am very much looking forward to visiting the Tonga Room, after being a "virtual fan" for oh-so long! It is one of my long overdue "bucket list" items that can finally be scratched off!
So glad everything worked out for the Tonga, as well!
(I was really worried and scared it was going to be demo'd before I'd have a chance to visit!)

On 2011-07-31 20:03, Tom Slick wrote:
For the first time in my life, I will be headed to Frisco on a short visit...

Dude, even though it's the fastest growing city in the U.S., and has received the designation "Tree City U.S.A." by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Frisco doesn't have a Tonga Room. :wink:

P.S. Lemme know when you're headed up this way, we'll do it up right.

haha! Fo-Sho!

On 2011-07-31 20:50, Mai Tai wrote:

On 2011-07-31 20:03, Tom Slick wrote:
For the first time in my life, I will be headed to Frisco on a short visit...

Dude, even though it's the fastest growing city in the U.S., and has received the designation "Tree City U.S.A." by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Frisco doesn't have a Tonga Room. :wink:

P.S. Lemme know when you're headed up this way, we'll do it up right.

There most definatly is a Tonga Room in San Francisco, here is the link for more information! :D
http://tongaroom.com/
Mahalo

On 2011-08-07 16:52, TheTongaRoom wrote:

On 2011-07-31 20:50, Mai Tai wrote:

On 2011-07-31 20:03, Tom Slick wrote:
For the first time in my life, I will be headed to Frisco on a short visit...

Dude, even though it's the fastest growing city in the U.S., and has received the designation "Tree City U.S.A." by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Frisco doesn't have a Tonga Room. :wink:

P.S. Lemme know when you're headed up this way, we'll do it up right.

There most definatly is a Tonga Room in San Francisco, here is the link for more information! :D
http://tongaroom.com/
Mahalo

Hello, TheTongaRoom,you are right- there IS a Tonga Room in San Francisco, and Mai Tai, you are right, there isn't a Tonga Room in Frisco (Texas, that is). And Mai Tai, you are right, San Francisco ain't FRISCO!
:wink:

Seems that the one, the only, aspect of today's Tonga Room that almost everyone
dislikes is the live music. Not that we're against a live band at all, and only a few
think they don't play well--the overwhelming objection is that their music is not
in the least suggestive of south Pacific islands and tiki.

Well, the management can easily fix that. But not, I hope, by bringing in Don Ho
wannabes to play bland, vaguely-Hawaiian stuff--IMHO that would be no better.
The glorious Tonga Room deserves authentic Pacific rim music: exotic if not
actually orgiastic, and eminently listenable and danceable.

Any advice for the management about this?

Holy #%@! I thought the Tonga Room was a goner! Let me dust off the fez and get on down there! Great news!

Also...more appropriate music would be appreciated.

Glad it remains so we can get to see it this Sunday!

On 2011-08-11 11:04, Swanky wrote:
Glad it remains so we can get to see it this Sunday!

Report back, we'll be there soon.

On 2011-08-11 11:04, Swanky wrote:
Glad it remains so we can get to see it this Sunday!

Are you going on a tiki bar crawl this Sunday?

Swanky,

I am going to be in San Francisco on Sunday on the way back from a wedding. Lets meet the Tonga Room. What time are you planning on going?

DC

Wait, what, the Tonga Room was saved?! Aww man that's great! All the more reason to get our butts back to San Francisco some day soon :drink: