80 Best Hotels in San Francisco, California

Behind a cheery 1910 Beaux-Arts facade and with smartly designed public spaces, the Marker delivers a comfortable experience amid the theater district hubbub, plus one of the area's better restaurant/bars with the Italian-themed Tratto. Some guests find standard rooms too small, but they're cleverly laid out. The hotel's amenity fee includes morning coffee and tea and late-afternoon wine, plus access to a 24-hour fitness center.

In a 1926 Florentine Renaissance–style structure that once housed banks and other financial enterprises, this upscale chain draws travelers seeking historical flavor and a prime downtown location right on the California Street cable car line. The lobby's glittering crystal chandeliers, dark mahogany paneling, and iron-and-marble staircase recall a bygone era of gentility. Meanwhile, the ample, immaculate guest rooms, with their high ceilings, crown molding, San Francisco–theme imagery, carved-mahogany furniture, and bathrooms with marble vanities, reinforce the period feel while being contemporary with the usual tech amenities.

Unlike many of the area's other boutique hotels, which occupy century-old buildings, the Orchard was built in 2000—though the marble lobby, with dramatic architectural embellishments like arched openings, vaulted ceilings, and stone floors, evokes another era. Rooms done in a soft palette of relaxing colors create a soothing refuge, and with just 12 per floor, an intimate feeling prevails. Like its green sister property, the Orchard Garden, this hotel is also LEED-certified.

Situated at the foot of the Stockton Tunnel, this beautiful property is now under the careful, hip eye of the Palisociety boutique hotel group, but its strong suits continue to be food and drink, a prime location, and a modern-meets-vintage aesthetic. Patrons enter the small lobby before ascending in a caged elevator to guest rooms and suites or going up a set of stairs to the second floor, where Fisher Loft serves complimentary coffee and pastries mornings. Rooms have exposed white-brick walls that contrast with the chic furnishings (small, café-style round tables in most rooms) and high-end touches like rainfall showerheads and Nespresso machines.

One of the largest hotels in town, the Parc 55 (a Hilton hotel) brims with activity, but its size is by no means overwhelming, thanks to features like the acclaimed Kin Khao restaurant and spacious but dated standard rooms with flat-screen TVs, handsome desks, and ergonomic chairs. Love seats placed by picture windows offer a comfortable respite to take in city and bay views. A FedEx business center and other amenities for professionals are provided, along with full concierge services, and the well-equipped 1,500-square-foot gym is open 24 hours.

Reliable and slightly refined, this chain property is a good choice for families and business travelers wanting to be on the fringes of Fisherman's Wharf, highlighted by a sleek lobby (more hip-looking than the typical Marriott) and smartly designed rooms with tech amenities. Rooms feature very comfortable beds topped with an abundance of pillows for leisurely lounging on foggy mornings; they also have a desk with an ergonomic chair. Ask for a room on floors three and above for a quieter night's sleep.

The distinctive upper window design of the 39-story Marriott Marquis has been compared to a parking meter and a jukebox (it's probably the third most recognizable building in the city skyline), but the guest rooms, decorated in tasteful neutrals, satisfy the business set with spacious desks and a host of technological amenities. Techies gather in the lobby's bar, restaurant, and strategically placed seating areas that all look simultaneously bland-corporate and modern-chic. The top-floor View Lounge has huge, fan-shaped windows revealing stunning city vistas and quickly fills up with guests and nonguests alike.

Business travelers appreciate the 30-floor Marriott's easily accessible plugs, movable desks, ergonomic chairs, and laptop connectors to flat-screen TVs—and its prime location near shopping, restaurants, nightspots, and public transportation. Some rooms have views of the bay, city lights, and Union Square. Guests are encouraged to bring their laptops or newspapers to the Great Room lobby where you can sit on autumn-hued couches at the picture windows and watch the cable cars go by.

Railroad baron Leland Stanford's mansion once stood at the top-tier location where the Stanford Court is today, and the warm tones and handsome leather chairs are reminiscent of a grander time. Reopened in 2022 after nearly two years of renovation, the hotel marries classic style with modern accessories and attention to technological detail, from the strength of the Wi-Fi signal to the laptops, iPads, and Bluetooth speakers available on loan. Interior rooms are smaller and quieter, while larger exterior rooms provide splendid views but come with a bit of cable-car din (earplugs available). The lobby and hallways display a striking collection of local art, including the beloved sculpture of penguins by Beniamino "Benny" Bufano outside the lobby entrance. Blackout shades, a modern fitness center with Pelotons, day use of regular and e-bikes, and the Mixing Room bar and lounge are among the amenities.

Recently rebranded as part of Hilton's boutique Curio Collection, this art-driven hotel draws creatives and tech workers with its effortlessly chic design, central location, and rooftop bar. Tiny local artworks composed of found wood, metal, clay, and moss lead into the white-washed, high-ceilinged registration area; more art awaits around the corner in the modern but comfortable lobby, done in white, light blue, and gray. Oversize windows onto city views dominate the roomy guest rooms—soothing in earth tones and blues with exposed-cement touches—which come equipped with 55-inch LED TVs, high-speed Wi-Fi, Grind-brand Nespresso machines, and fun local art accents. Bathrooms have vertical tiles in green hues and walk-in showers (suites have deep soaking tubs); Cowshed bath products, robes, and slippers come standard. On street level, Spoke Coffee & Cafe offers morning coffee and light meals, and rooftop bar Rise Over Run draws a trendy crowd.

Chic, urbane, and nicely laid out, the W's colorful guest rooms (and unique Spectacular Studio indoor-outdoor suites with a heated patio) come with an abstract Gold Rush theme (both the 1800s one and the current tech wave) and include such comforts as upholstered window seats, pillow-top mattresses, Nespresso machines, and sleek baths with MOMO amenities by Davines. Upper floors have excellent views of SFMOMA, Yerba Buena Gardens, and the Bay Bridge. Business guests dominate during the week, but on weekends the hotel attracts families with children and pets are always very welcome. This is the first LEED-EB (for large brand hotels in existing buildings) Platinum-certified building in North America. As far as W Hotels go, this one feels a little more grown-up.

The handsome, if small, rooms at this 1913 theater district hotel evoke an aristocratic feel with geometric wallpaper, black-and-white framed historic photos curated by the San Francisco Public Library, and ornate wooden furnishings. Designed by Arthur Brown Jr., also responsible for City Hall and Coit Tower, this classic retains the original chandelier in the lobby, carved griffins in the hallways guarding guest rooms, and antique headboards and armoires, all accented with contemporary light fixtures and furnishings.

The survivor of two major earthquakes, some headline-grabbing scandals, and even an attempted presidential assassination, this richly appointed and superbly located grande dame dating to 1904 is comprised of the landmark building, renovated in 2018, and a modern 32-story tower whose glass elevators reveal Union Square views from the upper floors. Regulars debate the virtues and drawbacks of the older and newer sections—the former historic with sometimes small rooms, the latter with great views and larger rooms but less atmospheric. Either way, it is undoubtedly one of the city's most famous hotels.

On the southern edge of SFO's runway, this Starwood-branded property has comfortable, compact rooms with triple-paned windows and blackout curtains that help diminish the noise. The glass-front lobby is the place to be, as guests can take advantage of the live music, well-made cocktails at the W XYZ bar, and a pool table and other house games. Throw in Re:fuel, the hotel's grab-and-go eatery, the Re:mix lounge, a heated pool, outdoor sun beds, and a state-of-the-art fitness center (Re:charge, of course) open 24/7, and this funky property starts to seem attractive to those not wanting to trek into the city. Another added bonus: A popular jogging trail runs parallel to the bay.

The European-country style of this airport hotel—think poster beds and heavy wooden furnishings—is pleasant enough, but the selling point is the bayfront address, promising unsurpassed views out of the double-paned windows. In the entrance hall, guests play chess or read before the crackling fireplace, looking up from time to time to photograph planes that pass close by (strangely quiet) as they approach the runway.

Utilizing quintessential California landscaping standards like redwoods, bougainvilleas, and palms sets this well-maintained inn's exterior apart from its peers. Paintings of retro California postcards enliven the otherwise smallish quarters, each with a work desk, wingback chairs, and tiled baths with showers. The on-site Terrace Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the subterranean lounge features a wall of windows that peek into the depths of the outdoor swimming pool. Other perks include an airport shuttle, Continental breakfast, a hot tub, an exercise room, laundry facilities, and free Wi-Fi and parking.

Located 2 miles south of SFO, the Hyatt Regency is one of the largest airport convention hotels in Northern California, but the spectacular 10-story, 29,000-square-foot lobby atrium sets it apart for those seeking more than the typical business-center ambience. Following a top-to-bottom renovation in 2016, the services and amenities include free Wi-Fi, double-pane windows, roomy workstations, comfortable beds, 49-inch flat-screen HD TVs, and spacious bathrooms. The hotel provides numerous 24-hour business center kiosks, a 24-hour gym, and a heated outdoor pool. A free trolley whisks guests to downtown Burlingame for shopping and dining, and a shuttle services SFO, where you can catch a BART train to San Francisco.

This 1930s art-deco motel lures families, dog lovers, surfers, and locals wanting to escape the hustle of the city and retreat to these quiet, spacious, wood-paneled rooms in the Outer Sunset neighborhood. The retro exterior hugs two landscaped courtyards, one with a Monterey pine and the other with a wooden play structure. Interiors are simple, though many units offer kitchens with sitting areas. The enclosed hot tub, free parking and Wi-Fi, and proximity to Muni and the San Francisco Zoo up the ante.

A palm-lined entrance and sparkling fountain welcome you to this bay-front airport hotel that caters mainly to business travelers and conventioneers. Uncluttered, soundproof accommodations have cream-colored walls, simple furnishings, and decent-sized work desks. About a hundred rooms have bay views, and all bathrooms are outfitted with double showerheads. An atrium with skylights encloses the pool and hot tub area, and the fitness center has circuit, free-weight, and yoga equipment. The Grill & Vine restaurant serves straightforward dishes like Black Angus New York strip steak and salmon with a miso-mustard glaze. The 24-hour business center has public computers, copiers, printers, a fax machine, and, for a fee, high-speed Internet access. The hotel provides complimentary dog beds for pets.