Four Points Finds Nine Lives
This renovated Sheraton property is Nascar’s home away from the track
By Patricia Kutza
It was one of those rare balmy August nights in Sausalito
when the fog takes a holiday.
Great
for hanging by the Bay, soaking in the views, people watching and enjoying the
soothing sounds of a saxophone’s notes streaming out of a nearby café. My home,
although less than an hour’s drive away, seemed much further. I decided to
catch some zzzs at a hotel near Highway101 before heading north. I turned off
101 at Freitas Parkway and within five minutes arrived at the Four Points by
Sheraton Hotel, in San Rafael.
Given a great location, hotels can have the equivalent of
nine lives. I had known this hotel from its former life as a Holiday Inn, so I
was interested in discovering how it would morph under Sheraton’s Starwood
brand. My timing was perfect as Four Points general manager Albert Tran was
still on the premises and I bent his ear with questions about the Four Points
reincarnation.
Tran
says that Sheraton has poured $4.5 million into renovating this 235-room
property. It’s been a thorough overhaul, from installing new guest room
furniture and amenities, such as 32-inch high definition televisions and granite
tiling in the bathrooms, to wireless internet access (complimentary) and new
meeting facilities, business and fitness centers.
Four Points is located on a hill, and I like the fact that,
as conveniently located as it is, it still feel secluded with 360-degree views
of the lush Marin County woodside. I wondered just who else finds their way up
that hill. As it turns out, an eclectic and interesting mix of customers, says
Tran.
There are the wine-lovers who ply the Highway101
thoroughfare during their pilgrimages north to the bucolic vineyards of the
Sonoma and Russian River Valleys. There’s also the business crowd, typically
during the week, and families using the Hotel for their base on weekend
get-a-ways.
The
growing popularity of NASCAR events is luring out-of-town visitors who make
their way up 101 from San Francisco Airport, exiting at Vallejo where it is then
just a short distance to Infineon Raceway. These race car aficionados and race
crews are becoming a very important segment of business for Four Points, Tran
says. Infineon’s jam-packed calendar of events keeps the hotel buzzing on
weekends.
I’m not attracted to racecar events but I do love an
attractive outdoor pool. I like Four Points pool size, a generous amount of
real estate more typically found at a larger-sized hotel. Both the bar and
dining areas are a short distance from the pool, smart planning for families who
like to split their down time between the pool and the restaurant.
“This is a young, fun brand” says Tran, a veteran of the
hospitality trade. “We want visitors to remember their experience here as
honest, uncomplicated and comfortable.”
His adjectives also fit Four Points’ new on-site
restaurant, Marin Steak and Spirits Company. It occupies a relatively small
footprint and menu descriptions are straightforward, devoid of any overblown
descriptions. With steak and chophouse items being its specialties, I tried a
filet mignon dish with port blue cheese sauce that was prepared according to my
preference, medium-rare. Salad/soup bar privileges come up with all entrée
choices, with steak and chop orders qualifying for two side dishes For all its
white-table-cloth–and candles ambiance I was pleased that the servings were far
more generous and the service far less pretentious than the portions and
attitudes of similar type restaurants in the Bay Area.
When You Go:
Four Points by Sheraton – San Rafael
1010 Northgate Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903, United States
Phone: (415) 479-8800
Fax: (415) 479-2342
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1260 |