has the most restaurants and farmers’ markets per capita in the U.S.
From the fog rolling under the Golden Gate Bridge to America’s only moving National Historic Landmark, San Francisco is home to some of the most iconic attractions in the world.
The main and generally best option is SFO San Francisco International.
Flying Private: There are many FBO options that are throughout the Bay Area.
► Information on SFO San Francisco International
The Embarcadero
Size: 155 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary / Sophisticated
Year Opened: 1987
Most Recent Renovation/Update: 2020
Interior Designer: Marzipan
Go behind the lens with award-winning photographer, Adam Jacobs during an exclusive experience where you’ll learn the art of shooting iconic locations like Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Occupying the top floors of a 48-story building in the Embarcadero, the newest Four Seasons is now the highest hotel in San Francisco. That means unparalleled skyline and water views, not to mention close proximity to the city’s best attractions. This 155-room urban retreat also offers all-day dining (a signature restaurant is set to open soon) and 24-hour fitness center. Plus, a fun feature on the Sky Bridge called Eye Spy from the Sky that lets you identify landmarks by scanning a QR code.
I AM A FOUR SEASONS PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in
• Daily full breakfast for two people per bedroom,
served in a hotel restaurant or through In-Room Dining
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Guaranteed late check-out at 4pm
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
Union Square
Size: 418 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary Classic & Lively
Year Opened: 1928
Most Recent Renovation/Update: 2023
The hotel formerly known as The Sir Francis Drake Hotel is back in business after a very thorough renovation; Beacon Grand, A Union Square Hotel is a welcome re-addition to a city that just doesn’t feel complete without a proper grand hotel presiding over the corner of Powell and Sutter. And while the updates are significant, they haven’t papered over the details that connect this hotel with San Francisco’s history — the lobby is as ornate as ever, the top-floor Starlite Room still offers its famous panoramic view of San Francisco’s hills, and there are still some Prohibition-era secrets if you know where to look.
In the guest rooms you’ll find a style that threads the needle between contemporary and classic; plentiful tribute is paid to the era of the hotel’s original opening, but there’s nothing at all dated about it; a large proportion of them have impressive views of Union Square or the surrounding city. Beacon Lounge, in the mezzanine above the lobby, is a restaurant and bar that features live music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. And beyond that, you’re lucky to find yourself in one of the finest restaurant towns in America; the Beacon Grand’s “Social Coordinators” are at your service with recommendations and reservations.
PART OF MY MICHELIN PARTNER PORTFOLIO
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
The Embarcadero
Size: 200 rooms and suites
Style: Contemporary Modern Design & Lively
Year Opened: 2023
Explore the city on one of the hotel’s complimentary e-bikes or ask the concierge team to recommend their favorite urban hike.
It wasn’t the first, but there’s perhaps no more natural home for the 1 Hotels group than San Francisco — the waterfront Embarcadero district is the perfect place for such a stylish, sustainable, and luxurious hotel. This specific address is perfect, right by the Ferry Building with easy access to the Financial District and the rest of the compact city center. And the hotel itself is an inspired mix of urban-rustic style and comforts that are luxe without feeling ostentatious. Terrene, the hotel’s versatile restaurant, is a fine introduction to modern Californian farm-to-table cooking (and modern Californian wines).
I AM A 1 HOTEL PREFERRED PARTNER
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
The Financial District
Size: 14 rooms and suites
Style: Modern Design & Lively
The Battery boasts a 14-suite luxury boutique hotel. All suites are open to the public and guests are considered Resident Members, and have access to, The Battery’s facilities during their stay.
If you’re expecting a private member’s club in today’s San Francisco to be a sort of ping-pong playground full of app-pitching tech hucksters, then you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by The Battery. And if the vibe, which is dark, moody, and bohemian, is more Hellfire Club than boys’ club, then so much the better. The only way into the club is by nomination and acceptance by the board — or by reservation, which earns you one of 14 stylish, tastefully luxurious suites and rooms (and makes you a Resident Member for the duration of your stay.).
In a world gone casual its sense of slightly old-fashioned decorum is what sets The Battery apart. As in other private clubs — Soho House is a frequent point of comparison — you’ll find dinner at The House Bar to be subtly star-studded, and the same goes for drinks in any of the club’s four bars. For members it may be a clubhouse, but for us it’s a full-on luxury hotel shrunk down to mini-boutique size, an equation that sums to the best of both worlds.
Sausalito
Size: 142 rooms and suites
Style: Classic & Quiet
Year Opened: 2008
Just minutes from San Francisco, Cavallo Point is a luxurious lodge at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 75,000-acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Once the site of the Fort Baker military base, the award-winning property has meticulously restored, turn-of-the-century officer’s quarters and sensitively designed new buildings to respect the site’s history and majestic natural setting. Serving as an enchanting and sustainable “base camp” for San Francisco, guests may choose from the 68 historic rooms or 74 contemporary-style rooms with breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay. Guests are invited to enjoy world-class dining, a tranquil Healing Arts Center & Spa and meditation pool, interactive cooking classes from the top rated on-site culinary school, and diverse meeting and events spaces, all crafted with an underlying green and socially responsible ethos. Cavallo Point enables guests to escape from it all while keeping the magic of San Francisco at their fingertips.
I AM A VIRTUOSO PREFERRED PARTNER
PART OF MY J.MAK PORTFOLIO
You get additional Amenities when I manage your reservation.
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
• $100usd (or more) F&B or Spa Credit
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
and more
21 Best Hotels in San Francisco
Just as tech money and business travelers have fueled its growth in recent years, San Francisco’s hotel scene has boomed right along with it.
► VIRTUOSO: San Francisco Information Page
Here is a good place to start for some additional information on quality Hotels, Water Adventures and Activities.
► WIKIVOYAGE: San Francisco Page
A great resource for all the basic information you need for San Francisco.
► SF TRAVEL: official San Francisco tourism site
Find out everything you need to know about the city’s most iconic sites.
Bay Area General Information Page
or leave a comment below
page updated: August 2024
images courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, San Francisco California Tourism Board
Please Note: All Hotel / Resort / Cruise / Services Amenities are subject to availability and may have changed since the date of this being originally published.
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