THE DASHIELL HAMMETT SUITE
AT HOTEL UNION SQUARE
Near the corner of Powell and Ellis Streets are three of the most important Hammett
sites in downtown San Francisco. One is the Flood Building, the massive structure
where Hammett worked as a Pinkerton Detective. Another is John’s Grill, a favorite
of both the fictional Sam Spade and the real-
In mid-
Then Hammett’s fate took a sudden left turn. He learned that Josephine Dolan, the pretty nurse he had met in Washington state during his recovery, was six months pregnant. Hammett quickly proposed marriage, and arranged for Jose to come to San Francisco.
In that day and age, it wouldn’t have been proper for the bride-
About 90 years later, Hotel Union Square (as it is now called) is still in business, and justifiably proud of their Hammett connection. In December 2005, work on the Dashiell Hammett Suite began.
In 2008, Hotel Union Square underwent a five million dollar retrofit, including the Dashiell Hammett Suite. Out were the beige walls and gold curtains, as well as some of the kitchier elements. These recent photos below show the DHS as it looks today.
Hotel Union Square, back when it was called the Golden West. In the foreground are the Flood Building, and the Powell Street cable car turntable.
The Hotel Union Square, on Powell Street, near Ellis.
The entrance to room 505, also known as the Dashiell Hammett Suite. Since the 2008
remodel, these striped lamps cast strange, noir-
SPADE AND ARCHER is stenciled on the fifth-
Looks like Dash forgot to take his hat and coat when he left...
The 2008 remodel added new paint, new carpets and new furniture, but the kept the "shadow of the Thin Man" on the wall.
When the Hammett Suite premiered in 2005, it featured twin beds. Later, they were
replaced by a single Olympic-
Want to read some Hammett during your stay? Here's a suitcase full!
It wouldn't be the Dashiell Hammett Suite without the elusive black bird.
The bathroom was totally redone in 2008, and it undoubtedly a lot spiffier than it was in the 1920s.
Not for the shy: the glass-