I am looking for a 4/5 star hotel to stay at in San Francisco in September. Location is most important to me. I live in NYC so shopping and the theater district is not that important. Many thanks.

Mark Hopkins and Fairmont are renowned.

Mandarin Oriental, 4 Seasons, St. Regis, Westin St. Francis

St. Francis...by far.

Could you clarify in what way location would be most important to you? Proximity to businesses, ease of public transportation, other reason? The previous posters have offered some good hotels as suggestions, but the locations are somewhat diverse.

For transportation, near the Union Square area is iimportant. This is also near the theater districtand shopping, even if they are not important to you, and most of the hotels mentioned above work out to be fairly near. The Mark Hopkins and Fairmont are on Nob Hill, just a few blocks up from Union Square.

I would not necessarily say the "St. Francis by far". I was put on a light well in the older portion of this hotel once. Now I would insist on the newer "tower". I was also put in an older room of the Fairmont once, overlooking the roof. So ask for the tower there, as well.

If you have mucho bucks I would choose the Mandarin Oriental. Look at its website.