Located at Fairmont San Francisco, Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar has delighted guests with its tropical décor, decadent libations and Asian cuisine since 1945.

In 1929, The Fairmont added a 75-foot indoor swimming pool on its Terrace Level. Known as the "Fairmont Plunge," the elaborate tile pool attracted local crowds and celebrities such as actress Helen Hayes, actor Ronald Reagan and members of the Water Follies.

In 1945, Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s leading set director, Mel Melvin, was hired to transform the Fairmont Plunge into Tonga Room. The pool became a “lagoon” and a floating stage for the orchestra was added to entertain guests each evening. Not surprisingly, Tonga Room was an instant success.

The Tonga Room has dance floor built from the remains of the S.S. Forester, a schooner that once traveled between San Francisco and the South Sea Islands. The Tonga Room also features periodic tropical rainstorms, complete with thunder and lightning.