What is a centrally located, safe area of San Francisco.

Do any hotels/apts., etc. allow smoking in the room?

What kind of accommodation are you looking for? High rise, luxury, boutique hotel, apartment? Different safe, central parts of the City have some types and not others.

I believe it's against the law to smoke anywhere indoors in a public place, which I'm sure includes hotel rooms. But others may have a definitive answer on that one.

MmePerdu is right: Without some idea of your budget and preferences in lodging, recommendations are almost impossible.

But as far as in-room smoking: Most hotels forbid it and will charge a cleaning fee if they determine you've smoked in the room. If the room has a balcony, they may also forbid it there.

Apparently the Hilton on Union Square might still offer smoking rooms. That area is popular with first-time visitors to the City, so you might start calling hotels there to check on the smoking situation.

My husband and I typically stay in a B&B in the Castro when we're up in the City, and that place is absolutely 100% no smoking indoors. There is a back patio where guests can sit and chill and sip wine (we usually buy a bottle down the street as soon as we hit the City); one can smoke there (but since we no longer smoke, we haven't asked if it's still allowed).

Just an FYI: Yes, people still smoke in California, but no one likes it indoors. Not any more. Get used to the idea that you will always be running outside to grab a smoke, usually away from front doors in an all-adult Time Out zone. Sometimes I miss smoking, but since my brother-in-law is in the first stages of emphysema I have constant reminders of why I quit. Just a thought....

Hardly anyone smokes in San Francisco. Regardless, you can find out which hotels allow smoking on TripAdvisor.

"Central" is relative. I like the Marina district - and since SF is not that big - you can get to most places via the bus/cable cars, etc.

As for smoking - definitely discouraged in California.

I doubt you will find anyplace that will allow indoor smoking. California has many restrictive laws. You cannot even smoke in a bar. The only places that allow smoking are the Indian casinos.

We discriminate smokers. I am serious. By law, you can't even smoke close to entrances, on bus stops. People smoke at their own risk.

There are however some hotels that have "smoking rooms" -- the SF ordinance permits hotels to set aside a certain percentage for rooms in which to allow smoking and some hotels have. So you might be able to book such room, otherwise there won't be too many places, even outside in SF, where you can smoke.

I believe SAB is wrong. I am positive there is NO SMOKING regulation at all hotels in San Francisco period. If you do smoke there is a rather large fine. NO SMOKING in all restaurants too.

SAB is not wrong, the last time I checked the SF ordinance does indeed permit hotels to have up to 25% of rooms be smoking rooms. However, there are very few hotels that still do so, as noted above the Hilton Union Square may still be one of them

SAB is right.

Eventually, everyone stops smoking.

SAB is right. I was just looking at hotels in San Francisco on Booking.com and found some only had smoking rooms still available for when I wanted. Luckily for me there are plenty of no smoking rooms still available.