Few addresses in San Francisco carry the layered history and design ambition of 717 Battery Street. Inside a converted 1907 candy factory in Jackson Square, The Battery operates as a private members club, a 14-room boutique hotel, a dining and cocktail destination, and a philanthropic engine under one roof. Founded by Michael and Xochi Birch after the sale of Bebo, the property has become a fixture of San Francisco’s tech and creative elite while remaining accessible to travelers through its hotel program.
The Battery sits at 717 Battery Street in San Francisco’s Jackson Square Historic District, occupying a 58,000-square-foot former 1907 candy factory. Founded by Michael and Xochi Birch, it functions as a private club with a 14-room boutique hotel open to non-members, multiple restaurants and cocktail bars, a full gym and spa, and the Battery Powered philanthropic foundation.
At A Glance
| Address | 717 Battery St, San Francisco, CA 94111 |
| Hotel Accommodations | 14 luxury suites, open to non-members with temporary club access |
| Dining & Bars | The House Bar, Living Room, Musto Bar, seasonal restaurant menus |
| Philanthropic Arm | Battery Powered, directing member-funded grants to Bay Area and global causes |
| Neighborhood Highlights | Jackson Square antique galleries, historic alleyways, Financial District proximity |
Jackson Square Heritage and Ken Fulk Interior Design
Jackson Square survived the 1906 earthquake and fire largely intact, making it one of the few San Francisco neighborhoods with genuine pre-1900s brick architecture. The building that now houses The Battery began life in 1907 as a candy and marble storage facility, its raw industrial bones later stripped bare and rebuilt by designer Ken Fulk. Fulk’s approach across five floors mixes exposed brick and steel trusses with deliberately theatrical interiors: velvet-lined salons, custom taxidermy displays, oil paintings salvaged from estate sales, and reading rooms furnished like a private residence rather than a corporate lounge.
Rather than polishing away the building’s age, Fulk leaned into contrast. Raw structural steel sits beside gilded mirrors. Leather club chairs face floor-to-ceiling factory windows. The result reads as an eccentric private residence that happens to occupy an entire historic factory, and it has influenced a wave of similar clubs attempting the same mix of heritage architecture and maximalist decor.
Staying as a Non-Member
Membership at The Battery requires an application and annual dues, but the hotel component removes that barrier for travelers. The 14 suites and penthouse rooms are bookable directly by the public, and each reservation grants guests “Resident Member” status for the length of their stay. That status unlocks access to the gym, bars, restaurant, and lounge spaces normally reserved for dues-paying members, making an overnight stay one of the only ways to experience the full club without a membership commitment.
Rooms are individually decorated in Fulk’s signature style, with soaking tubs, antique furnishings, and views over Jackson Square’s low-rise rooftops. Given the limited inventory, availability during major tech conferences or holiday weekends can disappear months in advance, so early booking is recommended for anyone planning around a specific date.
Culinary and Cocktail Excellence
Food and drink service rotates through several distinct spaces inside the building. The House Bar operates as the main cocktail counter, staffed by bartenders producing seasonal, ingredient-driven drinks alongside a curated spirits list. The Living Room functions more like an evening salon, with lower lighting, plush seating, and a wine list drawn from a private cellar built specifically for the club. Musto Bar rounds out the drinking program with a more intimate, late-night setting.
Dining follows a California seasonal approach, with menus adjusted around regional produce, seafood, and meats sourced from Northern California purveyors. A garden courtyard provides outdoor seating when weather allows, giving the property a rare open-air option in a neighborhood dominated by dense, historic block construction. Private dining rooms are also available for members hosting events, adding a business-entertainment function to the culinary program.
Wellness and Spa
Beyond dining and lodging, The Battery maintains a full wellness floor. The gym is stocked with modern equipment and staffed by personal trainers available for private sessions. Steam rooms and a sauna support recovery after workouts, and locker rooms include amenities typically found at standalone athletic clubs rather than hotel gyms. Soaking tubs in select suites extend the wellness theme into guest rooms directly, letting hotel guests combine spa-style relaxation with their overnight stay without booking separate treatments.
Philanthropy in Action
Battery Powered operates as the club’s philanthropic arm, channeling member contributions and club-hosted fundraising events into grants for Bay Area nonprofits and select global causes. Over the years the fund has supported organizations working in education, housing insecurity, and health access, with member involvement extending beyond donations into volunteer days and hosted fundraising dinners inside the club itself. This philanthropic layer distinguishes The Battery from typical members-only clubs, positioning community giving as a core part of membership rather than an occasional add-on.
Jackson Square Walking Itinerary
A stay at The Battery pairs naturally with an afternoon exploring Jackson Square on foot. The neighborhood’s narrow, brick-lined streets hold one of the city’s highest concentrations of antique dealers and design showrooms, many occupying buildings that predate the 1906 disaster. Gold Street and Balance Street offer some of the best-preserved alleyway architecture in San Francisco, worth a slow walk before or after a meal.
- Start at Jackson Square Park and walk south along Montgomery Street to view restored 19th-century facades
- Browse antique furniture and design galleries clustered around Jackson and Sansome Streets
- Detour down Balance Street and Gold Street for some of the city’s oldest surviving brick alleyways
- Finish with dinner or cocktails back at The Battery before continuing toward the Embarcadero waterfront
Frequently Asked Questions
Can non-members book a room at The Battery? Yes. All 14 suites are open to the public, and booking one grants temporary Resident Member privileges for the stay.
How much does membership cost? Annual dues run around $2,700, with an application and approval process required before joining.
Is the restaurant open to the general public? Dining and bar access is generally reserved for members and hotel guests, though some events may allow outside guests with a member sponsor.
What is the closest parking or transit option? Jackson Square sits near the Embarcadero BART/Muni station, with several paid garages within a short walk of Battery Street.
