80 Best Hotels in San Francisco, California

Business travelers patronize this centrally located Hilton for its airy guest rooms and large work desks with an ergonomic chair. But even in high season, the weekend rates drop significantly, luring leisure travelers who will appreciate the giant TVs, chaise lounge, and blackout curtains. The third-floor Sky Bridge over Kearny Street connects this giant hotel with Chinatown's Portsmouth Square, and the Financial District and North Beach are steps away. Constructed in the early 1970s, the Hilton is nothing to look at but occupies a plot of land whose history dates back to gold-rush days.

This is the largest hotel in California—sometimes the lobby feels like downtown at rush hour—and many rooms in the silvery tower enjoy views that rank among San Francisco's finest. The rooms have sleek earth-tone furnishings and soundproof windows; some of the bathrooms have glass shower stalls. The hotel borders the sometimes-dicey Tenderloin area, but the 46th-floor Cityscape lounge offers panoramic views and good cocktails, so you should stay in at least one night.

Near Union Square shops, theaters, and restaurants, this appealing hotel has small but tastefully appointed rooms with smart TVs, device docking stations, comfortable bedding, and fancy bath products. The lobby's fireplace and warm wood and stainless-steel accents lend a modern feel.

The Spanish-colonial facade of this 16-story theater-row hotel complements its chic interior with good-size rooms that have beautiful sea-blue carpets and plenty of tech amenities. Half the rooms have city views, and two penthouse suites have terraces overlooking the neighborhood. Behind a geometric wall of mirrors and glass bottles is the popular lobby bar, the Mortimer. Additional amenities include large HD flat-screen TVs and docking stations with good sound.

Located in the heart of North Beach, this small hotel takes you back in time with cast-iron beds, large mirrored armoires, and memorabilia recalling the Beat generation—whose leading light, Allen Ginsberg, often stayed here (legend has it that in his later years he could be seen sitting in a window, typing away). Rooms have a bistro table and two chairs; bathrooms have cheerful yellow tiles and small showers.

The Castro has been waiting for this 12-room hotel, designed for travelers who appreciate smart design and embrace self-service. There’s no staff on-site—upon reserving, guests receive simple instructions for accessing the building, followed by a code for the front door, elevator, and room just before check-in. The five-story property is close enough to the action to be convenient and just far enough away to blend in with this lovely residential area. Done in crisp whites with colorful splashes, the small rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, a terrace, and clever details that maximize space (like under-the-bed luggage compartments and drawers) and Nespresso machines. In place of headboards, rooms have murals made up of tiny photographs of LGBTQ+ life that together form images of gay icons. Snug bathrooms have black fixtures and blue hexagonal tiles in cool designs; the marble-top sink is in the sleeping area. The hotel’s Lobby Bar next door and a rooftop lounge with fire pit overlooking the neighborhood add hangout spaces.

This rejuvenated, beach-theme 1950s motor lodge with nicely appointed rooms and a fun, heated outdoor pool is all alone in a higher, hipper class of Cow Hollow/Marina boutique hotels. Blown-glass bedside lamps, a bright orange accent wall, and tufted white and silver headboards set an effervescent mood in the guest rooms. The Del Sol is nicely situated halfway between Union Street and Chestnut Street, with easy walking access to both.

Inspiration is everywhere at this intimate hotel, with a prominent literary theme that celebrates San Francisco’s Beat poets, from its lobby wall of books and poetry-laced carpet to in-room libraries and typewriters. Ranging from spacious to smallish, rooms are smartly decorated with gray carpets and splashes of color; some overlook the street, others the tree-filled courtyard. Photos of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac preside over the lobby Obscenity Bar and Lounge, and a small café offers breakfast, snacks, and coffee. The Union Square location is hard to beat.

Both homey and innovative, the Hotel G has tiled lobby floors, large windows, and high ceilings (giving even the smallish standard rooms an airy feel) that pay homage to the building's century-plus history, while smart TVs, Bluetooth radios, Nespresso machines, and Wi-Fi keep it firmly in the present. Rooms have woven Indian rugs, denim headboards, black-and-white wallpapered closets, floating light fixtures, and throw pillows shaped like the Golden State. The on-site gym is well equipped and open 24 hours.

Fans of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo will want to grab a room---specifically room 401---at this remodeled and rebranded hotel on the edge of Lower Nob Hill, where Kim Novak's Carlotta lived. The character's face in a tile mosaic overlooks the lobby, and the view up the stairwell invokes the movie's title. Comfortable, good-size rooms in restful blues and grays with a splash of gold come with amenities like Keurig coffeemakers and robes. The lobby bar/restaurant Carlotta's (of course) offers waffles and breakfast sandwiches in the morning and cocktails and light fare in the evening.

Opened in 1902, the five-story Majestic is the city's oldest continually operating hotel; its elegant lobby is a graceful haven of antique chandeliers, plush Victorian chairs, antiquarian French books, and Edwardian architecture. Rooms are just as noteworthy for their early-20th-century design, featuring pillow-top beds with soft duvet covers as well as claw-foot tubs and other period touches. Modern notes include flat-screen televisions in each room and complimentary Wi-Fi. The hotel, which survived both of San Francisco's major 20th-century earthquakes, is said to have a friendly ghost. At the Butterfly Lounge, you can peruse the collection of exotic butterflies over a glass of wine or a specialty cocktail.

Known for impeccable service and satin-smooth style, this youngish grande dame takes its visual cues from traditional kimonos and Japanese calligraphy, with rooms that soothe upscale business and leisure travelers with muted colors offset by judicious splashes of stronger hues. Rooms have smart TVs and other high-tech amenities, and deep soaking tubs and oversize showers in the marble bathrooms. The 10,000-square-foot Club Nikko fitness facility has dry saunas and steam rooms and a glass-enclosed, 16-meter rooftop pool.

A high-style haven on the top five floors of the green-tiled Pacific Building, the Zelos offers an upscale-hip oasis above the busiest part of town, with spacious rooms decked out with modern art pieces, eye-catching textured carpeting, and sleek furniture echoing a 1930s sensibility. The hotel's softly lighted lounge area with plush sofas gives way to the Dirty Habit restaurant and bar, renowned for its outdoor patio and creative menu. Additional amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, luxury bath products, and a spacious desk for in-room working.

Directly facing Alcatraz with (mostly) unobstructed bay and island vistas on one side, this Fisherman's Wharf hotel pays tribute to San Francisco's shipyard past and features an impressive outdoor courtyard playground with firepits, giant interactive games, and a periscope, along with a large indoor game room. The lobby has vibrant 3D art and makes use of metal shipping containers as walls and street signs as chairs. Some rooms have portholes framing Alcatraz, and the most premium water-facing rooms have balconies.

With a playful lobby lounge, London-style brasserie The Cavalier, and slick-yet-homey tech-friendly rooms, this trendy spot behind a stately 1913 neoclassical facade is a leader on the SoMa hotel scene. The location, near most SoMA museums, restaurants, and attractions, is a major plus (though its immediate area can be dicey at times). The lobby is outfitted with all sorts of reclaimed materials and the S&R Lounge, and the fun continues in a game room with a pool table and shuffleboard. Room amenities include smart TVs, a Bluetooth docking station, pillow-top beds with tufted leather headboards, and a quirky central photograph made of floppy disks. 

A little removed from the heart of the wharf area craziness, this smart-looking boutique hotel with guest-room interiors inspired by luxury Mediterranean yachts aims for subtle contemporary elegance in the form of lightly stained woods and soft-brown and golden fabrics and walls. The rooms facing the courtyard are quieter than street-side ones but lack bay views. The on-site Italian restaurant Pescatore serves family-friendly breakfast and dinner, and the daily s'mores offered by the hotel are arguably the most popular amenity.

This perfectly located property near the Ferry Building has a dramatic 17-story atrium lobby that starred in several 1970s flicks, most notably the disaster epic The Towering Inferno, and is worth seeing even for nonguests. All the guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows revealing city or bay views, and many have balconies. While the public spaces are gorgeous, the actual room design is a bit of the typical generic urban business traveler-centric hotel style, with charcoal-colored carpets, plain white walls in suites (newly renovated standard rooms have splashes of blue and wood elements), and some gentle contemporary art on the wall (some of which features San Francisco landmarks). It's definitely a larger, busy hotel geared towards conventions and big events, but also manages to feel a bit charming.

Soaring 36 stories, this Hyatt anchors one of the most prominent areas in the city, between Market Street, Moscone Center, and SFMOMA. An extensive renovation and redesign during the COVID-19 pandemic has given a renewed sense of energy to one of the longtime anchor business hotels of the neighborhood. All guest rooms have large smart TVs, locally-produced Pharmacopia bath products, sleek white walls with artistic black-and-white photographs of the city, plenty of sunlight, and nicely sized bathrooms. Most rooms have striking city views. Blackout curtains help convention-goers get quality sleep before the next day's talks.

The circular redbrick drive of this towering 1926 architectural landmark leads to an opulent, mirrored, marble-floor lobby that's the gateway to luxurious rooms aglow with gold, cream, and yellow tones. Rooms on the upper floors have views of either the Golden Gate Bridge or the downtown cityscape; bathrooms throughout are lined with multicolor Italian marble. The rooftop lounge, the Top of the Mark, serves a lovely array of classic cocktails in the evening, but the real star is the breathtaking, nearly 360-degree city view that can also be enjoyed during an elaborate Sunday brunch.  The hotel oozes with history. Stroll around and learn about the rich past of San Francisco's Big Four railroad barons, including Mark Hopkins (Central Pacific Railroad).

The arctic-blue glass exterior and Zen-like lobby may mimic an airport concourse, but it's merely a prelude to generally expansive, nicely thought-out guest rooms supplied with all the ultramodern tech conveniences sophisticated travelers expect and striking floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel lies within shouting distance of the Moscone Center, so its business is geared toward the convention and corporate crowd, which sometimes results in lower weekend rates. Bar 888 specializes in craft cocktails, and Luce Restaurant, one of the grandest dining settings in the city, has earned recognition for its inventive modern cuisine and inspired wine list. 

As one of the few hotels to open in the downtown area in recent years, this Bonvoy branded property adds a very welcome jolt of energy to the city's flagship business district. Design firm powerhouse AvroKO created the sleek look that balances a sharp modern aesthetic with the original 1980's Brutalist concrete building by architect John Portman. The spiral staircase at the entrance and the unique diagonal floor-to-ceilings in rooms are the two most notable examples of this sleek contrast of different design palates brought together. Guest rooms feature great views, giant 65-inch flat-screen TVs, plush beds, and local food and drink artisans in the mini bar. 

Bullet elevators whisk guests skyward from the grand, third-floor marble lobby with a Matisse-inspired bronze sculpture to contemporary guest rooms that are outfitted with business-oriented clientele in mind and situated around a dramatic, 19-story atrium. Amenities include the on-site Level III restaurant and bar, a state-of-the-art fitness room, a full-service business center, and meeting rooms with up-to-date technology.

Built in the 1920s in a Moorish and Gothic style, this former Elks Club retains its period feel and features, with rich marble and dark-wood accents, crystal chandeliers, vaulted ceilings, and antique furnishings in the lobby and vintage touches in the comfortable guest rooms. Complimentary morning coffee and evening tea and sherry are served in the lobby. Convenience and service are highlights here; guests have commented that staying here is more like visiting a friend than being at a hotel.

A breath of fresh air in touristy Fisherman's Wharf, the popular and approachable boutique hotel chain is hands down the leading hotel option for travelers on the waterfront between the Presidio and the downtown area. Like at every Kimpton hotel, there are plenty of winning amenities like the evening wine hour, no pet fees, in-room yoga mats, and loaner bikes that are perfect for journeys along the Embarcadero. Unlike many of its peers, there are extensive in-room spa offerings, rotating contemporary art exhibitions in the public spaces, and even Victrola record players in each room for enjoying tunes before bed. Guest rooms are a pleasant mix of functional and artistic with mostly white walls, colorful work desk chairs, navy blue carpets, and Frette linens.

With minimalist design and a nod to Zen serenity, this updated and rebranded Kimpton property named for the Zen circle of togetherness welcomes guests into its elegant lobby, lighted by fixtures reminiscent of Japanese lanterns and decorated with plants and a table made of reclaimed Japanese whiskey barrels. Spacious guest rooms are done in blond wood and neutral tones with blue and green accents, a nod to Japanese sensibilities and the natural world. Beds are plush and comfy, and bathrooms have green ceramic tiles and Atelier Bloom bath products.

With its compact yet thoughtfully designed rooms and its Mason Social Club—a lively, Union Jack–theme bar/living room/game room—the King George has upped its game to match its service and hospitality, points of pride since the hotel's 1914 opening. The front-desk and concierge staff cater to your every whim: they can book anything from a Fisherman's Wharf tour to a dinner reservation. Morning coffee, tea, and pastries are served in the lobby and are covered by the new $10 amenity fee. Online packages vary during the year but may include breakfast, reduced-rate parking, and other perks.

The blue-and-tan facade of this boutique Hyatt property, punctuated on two sides by garage entrances, hints at its 1963 motor-inn origins, yet the spacious rooms feel modern. Some rooms have fold-out sofas, and 18 rooms have kitchenettes. Accommodations in the rear have cityscape views and tend to be quieter. Guests can purchase discount day passes to the extensive exercise facilities at the Jewish Community Center across the street, and diverse shops and restaurants are one block away on Sacramento Street. Other perks include complimentary Wi-Fi, coffee, tea, and afternoon cookies. Laureate Bar & Lounge is a nightlife destination in its own right, with stylish mid-century furnishings, a fireplace with floor-to-ceiling terrazzo, and bartenders slinging creative cocktails.

The stylishly contemporary Le Méridien scores well on both form and function, with compelling artwork throughout the lobby and guest rooms outfitted with polished granite sinks, wall-size San Francisco maps, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Gray carpeting and fabrics and splashes of orange offset the warm earth tones of the rooms and suites, many of which have bay or city views. Pet owners take note—this is the exceptionally rare San Francisco hotel with no pet fee (limit one pet per room).

Located just over a block away from Oracle Park, the second-ever location of this emerging boutique hotel brand is the first hotel in rapidly growing Mission Bay. The hotel's flagship features are the stunning rooftop bar, Cavaña, and an in-room food delivery robot named Henry. However, the rooms and amenities themselves are well worth a stay on their own, nicely balancing sharp modern design with a refined touch. Frette bedding, robes, and slippers ensure a comfortable evening; guests will also enjoy a number of thoughtful amenities like handheld garment steamers, an expansive work desk, and motorized window shades that truly block out sunlight. Above all, travelers will be thankful that this is that increasing rarity in the hotel world these days—there is no destination or resort fee.

Bougainvillea, fuchsia, and other foliage—real and trompe l'oeil—add color and verve to this 1939 motor court operated by the granddaughters of the original owners, creating a magical mood when everything's in bloom and hummingbirds flit through the quiet courtyard. All the rooms have French country-style furnishings, thick windows, spotless baths, and small shower stalls; 17 units have full kitchens with eating areas. Street noise can be heard in the accommodations along Lombard Street whose bedrooms don't face the courtyard, but most rooms are off the street. The enclosed garages underneath the units are a boon in a neighborhood notorious for its paucity of street parking.