A Tale of Two City Inns

The best things come in pairs, and far be it from us to ignore this rule. Once upon a time, an eccentric aunt from the Old World married well in San Francisco and bought two little inns in the heart of Nob Hill, just two doors down from one another. She gave our White Swan Inn a English Country makeover. And the other – called Petite Auberge – got a French Provencal look. She made her mark in 1950’s San Francisco with her own distinct brand of hospitality, spoiling guests with great homemade breakfasts, fresh baked cookies daily, and evening wine hours complete with pleasing appetizers. Upon her death, her two nieces inherited the inns.

The niece who inherited Petite Auberge lived in Paris, loved to travel to the Orient, and over the years, assembled a collection of artifacts from her travels. She redecorated the inn to suit her taste. And thus Petite Auberge’s distinct melange of French-meets-global style was born.

The second niece lived in London and worked as a model during the height of the Mod era. She put her touch on the White Swan with all the bold prints, bright colors, and fantastic flair that defined the distinct time. Both sisters kept the tradition of taking care of their guest with the copious food and beverage offerings, and we’ve continued that tradition today (with a few contemporary updates, like complimentary WiFi). Because after-all, why ruin a good thing?