Plan Your Stay in San Francisco

Wharton West Center

Wharton West Center (map), located on the 5th floor of the Folger Building (view virtual tour), is closely related in functional design to Wharton's Steinberg Conference Center in Philadelphia. The Center is a state-of-the-art educational facility and includes two 60-seat, tiered classrooms, dining space, team breakout rooms, and faculty and administrative offices.

Address:
101 Howard Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94105
+1.415.777.1000 phone

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Getting To San Francisco

All of the major airports have websites from which you can check all airlines' arrivals and departures and ground transportation. See below for ground transportation options to and from each of the major airports in the Bay area.

  • San Francisco International Airport
    (about 20 miles to Folger Building and Omni Hotel; estimated driving time 30 to 35 minutes): Go to San Francisco International Airport, and click on "Parking and Ground Transportation Guide" for a list of transportation modes and providers. You may also call the SFO transportation hotline at 1.800.SFO.2008 to speak with helpful information agents.
  • San Jose International Airport
    (about 48 miles to Folger Building and Omni Hotel; estimated driving time 45 to 60 minutes): Go to San Jose International Airport, and click on "Ground Transportation" for information on rental cars, taxis, commercial shuttles, hotel shuttles, limousines, busses, rail services, and inter-terminal shuttles. The administrative offices at the SJ Airport can be reached at +1.408.501.7600 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST.
  • Oakland International Airport
    (about 20 miles to Folger Building and Omni Hotel; estimated driving time 30 to 35 minutes): Go to Oakland International Airport, and click on "Ground Transportation" for information on BART, bus, train, rental cars, shuttles, limos, taxis, and driving directions. The administrative offices of OIA can be reached at +1.510.577.4000 between 8:00 a.m. and Midnight PST.

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Accommodations

Please note that the program tuition for Wharton Executive Education programs in San Francisco does not include hotel accommodations. Participants are responsible for reservations and charges related to their hotel stay.

Omni San Francisco Hotel
The Omni San Francisco Hotel (map) is located in the city's downtown financial district. Wharton Executive Education has reserved a block of rooms at a discounted rate. Participants are liable for all guest room and incidental charges at the hotel. Early arrivals and stayovers are subject to availability and charged at prevailing hotel rates. Participants should contact the hotel directly to reserve accommodations 5 weeks prior to the program's start date. After this time, the hotel cannot guarantee availability, and participants will be charged at prevailing hotel rates.

Individuals may call the hotel's reservation office directly at +1.415.677.9494 or 1.800.THE.OMNI. Participants should identify themselves as Wharton Executive Education participants, including the name of the program. Check-in time is 3:00 p.m. on the day your program begins. Check out time is 12:00 p.m. on the last day of the program.

Please visit the website for The Omni Hotel for information about the amenities and services at the hotel, as well as driving directions.

Omni San Francisco Hotel
500 California Street at Montgomery
San Francisco, CA 94104
+1.415.677.9494 phone
+1.415.677.4108 fax

Other Hotel Accommodations
We suggest you contact the hotel as soon as possible to make arrangements for accommodations prior to or after a program. If rooms are not available or you prefer a different hotel, you may ask the hotel concierge for recommendations, or visit either of the following websites: San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau or The San Francisco Hotel Hotline. You can also call the San Francisco hotel hotline at 1.800.361.1029.

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Parking

Self-parking is available within a two-block area of both the Wharton West Center and the Omni San Francisco Hotel. All parking fees are the responsibility of the participant. If you are traveling from out of town and do not require the use of a car for other reasons during your stay, it may be most convenient to avoid the use of a personal car.

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Transportation

To/From Wharton West and the Omni San Francisco Hotel
The Wharton West Center, located at Howard and Spear Streets, is an eight-block walk (approximately 10 to 15 minutes) from the Omni San Francisco Hotel, located at California and Montgomery Streets. The walk is relatively level; the Omni is slightly uphill from Wharton West. A taxi stand is located directly across from the Omni, with taxis also available from the Wharton West Center. Ground transportation during the program is the responsibility of the participant.

Bus, streetcar, and cable car service in the City of San Francisco

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Meals

All meals, unless otherwise noted in your correspondence, will be served in the Folger Building. This typically includes continental breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon breaks, as well as dinner when there is a scheduled evening program session. All meals will include a vegetarian option. Please contact your Program Coordinator if you have any other special dietary needs.

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Pre-program Prepatory Material

You will receive the detailed program schedule, pre-reading materials, and instructions about three weeks prior to the start of the program. Most pre-course work is delivered online via a secure website.

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Typical Schedule

Most Wharton West programs begin after 3:00 p.m. on Sunday and end in the afternoon on Thursday. Classes typically begin between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Most programs have after-dinner sessions and evening assignments to prepare for the next day. You should anticipate 1 to 2 hours of preparation per evening. You will receive a detailed schedule about 3 weeks prior to the start of your program.

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Dress Code

The dress code for class and all meals is comfortable and casual. We suggest that you include a sweater or light jacket that can be worn or removed during class, so that you can adjust to your personal preference for comfort during class sessions.

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Personal Computers

Participants are welcome to bring their personal laptop computers to the center to take notes during class and to check e-mail during breaks or meals. Please note that the classrooms are not wired for individual connections. However, each group break-out room has ports for up to six computers.

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Telephones

There is limited access to public phones within the Wharton West Center. Participants are invited to bring cell phones for use during breaks and meals. All cell phones must be turned off during class to avoid disruptions.

It is advisable that participants attending from outside of the United States confirm that their credit and/or calling card will be viable for placing calls while in the United States. Otherwise, phone company calling cards can be purchased in $10 and $20 denominations at many nearby locations. These cards are valid for both domestic and international calls.

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Fax, Mail, Messages

Please direct all fax, mail, and phone messages to your hotel, to avoid disruptions during the program day. (Note: Each guest at the Omni Hotel is provided with a unique personal telephone number during your stay, and you will be able to check your personal messages from the Wharton West Center.) Participants who wish to check their e-mail during the day may bring their own laptop to the facility or make use of a limited number of computers that will be made available for this purpose during breaks and meals.

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Emergency Contact Number

Please provide your family and office colleagues with your hotel number, cell phone number, or private phone mail number for all non-emergency messages. In the event of an emergency, you can also be reached at the Wharton West Center through the main phone line: +1.415.777.1000.

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Smoking Policy

In compliance with the University of Pennsylvania's smoking policy and the city of San Francisco, smoking is not permitted in the Folger Building. There is an outdoor terrace for the Wharton West facility, which will be made accessible to those who wish to smoke. Smoking is only permitted in designated guest rooms in the hotel. You may request either a nonsmoking or smoking guest room at check-in, subject to availability.

Please note that smoking has been banned in all San Francisco workplaces, restaurants, and bars. However, many establishments offer outside seating for those who do smoke.

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Security

The University of Pennsylvania, the Wharton School, and the Folger Building do not assume responsibility for the loss or damage of personal property. Safety deposit boxes are available at the Omni San Francisco Hotel (and most other hotels) and should be used, especially if participants travel with valuables or large amounts of cash.

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Post-program Shipping Of Materials

Over the course of the program, you will accumulate a significant amount of material. We offer the option of shipping materials to your office upon completion of the program. If your company has a preferred carrier (FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.), please bring the account number or two preprinted air bills. Otherwise, you will need to provide a credit card account number to which the shipment can be charged. You or your company is responsible for all shipping charges, duties, and taxes. You can also obtain assistance with shipping through the hotel's concierge services upon checkout.

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San Francisco Information

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Weather

Unlike most places, summers in San Francisco are unpredictable and often cool and foggy. The best weather months are April, May, and September through November. The rainy season is December through March. The best clothes to pack are things that can be layered. One part of the city can be basking in the sun while another part is covered in fog. For up-to-date weather information, please visit the National Weather Service's Bay Area Forecast.

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