Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 best luxury hotels in San Francisco (California, USA)
No other metropolis in the USA is as loved by its inhabitants as the Bay City, which ranks among the world’s most gorgeous cities. Artsy, bohemian and stunningly beautiful, San Francisco’s main draw is it spectacular bay, which is surrounded by 43 hills ranging upward from 200 to 938 ft (60 to 285 m). With an abundance of attractions, such as bell-ringing cable cars, spectacular bridges, infamous Alcatraz, the Ferry Building (a foodies paradise) and of course the sea lions at Pier 39, it’s best to explore this magnificent city on a bike. Here’s my selection of the 10 best luxury hotels in San Francisco, although none really matches the grandeur of the city.
There is more information (with reviews & YouTube videos) below my slideshow. Which hotel is your favorite? Or do you think I missed a property? Leave a comment.
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10. INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO
Located in San Francisco’s South of Market Area (SOMA), InterContinental San Francisco is at the corner of Howard and Fifth streets, adjacent to the Moscone West Convention Center and steps from Union Square. The translucent glass 32-story high-rise strikes a fine balance between business and leisure. The modern hotel features 550 rooms, with state-of-the-art technology and floor to ceiling windows in all accommodations (rooms on floors 25 and above). The hotel’s signature restaurant Luce, a Tuscany meets California wine-restaurant, consistently held a Michelin star for a decade, but lost its star following a major renovation. Hotel facilities include a full-service spa, a health club (complete with an indoor lap pool), and a spacious outdoor terrace.
- Hotel website: InterContinental San Francisco
- Review: read my review of InterContinental San Francisco here.
9. PALACE HOTEL, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL
Encounter the luxury of the Gilded Age at Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Located in downtown San Francisco – just blocks away from Union Square, cable cars and Chinatown – this historic hotel features authentic elements paired with classically inspired, modern decor. Its famous Garden Court (the city’s only indoor historic landmark) recently got a fresh new look, with contemporary furnishings and a daring color scheme complementing its plentiful marble and crystal chandeliers. The property boasts 556 rooms, featuring new flooring, dark woods, layered textiles, and massive, tufted headboards – all while keeping the original 1909 details. Facilities include two restaurants with a distinctive setting for any occasion, and a heated, indoor pool with a sky-lit ceiling.
- Hotel website: Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
8. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO AT EMBARCADERO
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero was designed to frame the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. The luxury hotel occupies the top 11 floors of 48-story skyscraper, which rises above the city’s many hills. With its footprint firmly downtown, it’s only a matter of seconds to travel from celestial heights down to the neighborhoods where the city works, innovates, and enjoys itself. Guests experience the height of modern luxury in 155 luxuriously appointed rooms & suites, featuring bespoke furnishings and carefully chosen textures. Later this year, the hotel will introduce an all-new street level restaurant showcasing California’s bountiful produce and world-renowned wines. Also on the horizon, an open-air Sky Deck on the 40th floor features unique pop-ups and other events.
- Hotel website: Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
7. TAJ CAMPTON PALACE
Taj Campton Place, the quintessential boutique hotel on Union Square, is adjacent to the Financial District, art galleries, museums, and the city’s best-known stores. The European ambiance and personal attention offered ensures an elegant and comfortable stay for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel has 110 guest rooms, 24 hour room service, complimentary house-car service, complimentary PressReader hotspot, complimentary morning coffee, tea and pastries in the lobby, in-house laundry and dry cleaning, in-room safes, in-room espresso makers and complimentary turn-down service with bottled water. The hotel’s cozy and intimate Bar & Bistro is a favorite of guests and locals, who drop in this “see and be seen” bar in San Francisco to enjoy Taj’s elevated comfort food, beautifully paired with a menu of craft cocktails and fine wines.
- Hotel website: Taj Campton Place
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
6. FAIRMONT SAN FRANCISCO
The world-class Fairmont San Francisco, perched atop Nob Hill, is centrally located in the heart of the city, and just a short cable car trip from the bustling Downtown, Financial District, Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf. In fact, it is the only spot in San Francisco where each of the cities cable car lines meet. This landmark crown jewel of the City by the Bay offers 606 guest rooms and suites with stylish furnishings and updated interiors, revitalizing the already stunning, classic yet contemporary accommodations. The hotel’s two dining venues feature exciting menus: Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar highlights family-style meals and Polynesian-fusion plates, while Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar emphasizes fresh, seasonable California coastal cuisine.
- Hotel website: Fairmont San Francisco
- Other accolades: Fairmont San Francisco also features in my top 10 list of the luxury hotels made famous by movies.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
5. THE LODGE AT THE PRESIDIO
The Lodge at the Presidio is not San Francisco’s most luxurious hotel and it does not offer a lot of amenities (there’s no pool, no gym and no spa), but it’s by far one of the city’s most charming boutique hotels, and it enjoys a stunning setting in the Presidio National Park on the northern top of the San Francisco Peninsula. Opened on June 28, 2018, the property is San Francisco’s closest lodging to the Golden Gate Bridge. The 42-room, three-story hotel is housed in former USA army barracks, built between 1895-97 and exemplifies the highest standards of sustainability. The majority of the guestrooms feature great views of the San Francisco Bay, the city skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, or a combination thereof. The beautiful and historic Lodge is the sister property to the Inn at the Presidio which opened in 2012.
- Hotel website: The Lodge at the Presidio
- Review: read my review of the Lodge at the Presidio here.
4. FOUR SEASONS SAN FRANCISCO
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco (the sister property of the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero) is located two blocks from Union Square and the Museum of Modern Art, with heart-of-everything proximity to all that San Francisco offers. Here, you’ll find 277 inviting rooms and spacious suites, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that provide dramatic views of the Financial District and Yerba Buena Gardens. Room amenities include Nespresso machines and complimentary L’Occitane toiletries. Guests can stay fit with complimentary access to Equinox Sports Club, which offers an indoor lap pool. Gourmets make their way to MKT Restaurant – Bar for handcrafted cocktails, small plates, and sustainable seafood – a true California dining experience.
- Hotel website: Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
3. THE RITZ-CARLTON SAN FRANCISCO
In one of the country’s best-loved cities, The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco is one of the city’s top hotels. Located in a 1909 Nob Hill landmark, the property is within walking distance to Union Square shopping, the Ferry Building and the Financial District. Each of the 336 guest rooms, which recently underwent a $7 million USD renovation, feature Italian marble bathrooms with double sinks, separate water closets, luxurious amenities and plush terry robes. Guest can enjoy world-renowned cuisine in the hotel’s signature restaurant, Parallel 37. There’s also a full-service spa, offering revitalizing facials, body treatments, and massage therapies. Additional amenities include a chic Club Lounge and stylish event space.
- Hotel website: The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
2. THE ST REGIS SAN FRANCISCO
This Forbes 5* hotel in the SoMa District offers personalized service, luxury amenities and elegant accommodations. Hotel guests are near area attractions, including Moscone Center, Oracle Park, SFMOMA and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Revealing views of downtown San Francisco, each of the 260 refined rooms and suites feature indulgent beds, ample bathrooms with soaking tubs and rainforest showers, large workstations and Wi-Fi. Exquisite suites offer generous layouts with separate living rooms and hardwood floors, exclusively serviced by St. Regis Butlers. Guests can savor the flavors of San Francisco at the Grill restaurant, experience the property’s signature afternoon tea in the lounge, or refresh in the 24-hour fitness center, indoor infinity pool and luxury spa.
- Hotel website: The St Regis San Francisco
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of St Regis San Francisco here.
1. CAVALLO POINT LODGE
Located at a former USA army post at the Golden Gate Bridge, award-winning Cavallo Point offers one of the most coveted stays on the West Coast, mere minutes from San Francisco. The exterior of the lodge has been beautifully restored, preserving Fort Baker’s original architecture. Many of its 142 historic and contemporary accommodations feature sweeping views of San Francisco Bay, the city’s skyline, and the bridge. Northern Californian cuisine at Murray Circle restaurant makes the lodge a top culinary destination, and an intimate cooking school has an ever-changing class roster. Relax at the spa with an array of massages, facials, healing arts services, and more. Miles of hiking trails in national parklands and dog-friendly housing make the lodge a great choice for families.
- Hotel website: Cavallo Point Lodge
- Other accolades: Cavallo Point Lodge also features in my top 10 list of the best hotels in the USA.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
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I live in the SF Bay Area. Many luxe hotels have gone up “south of Market” over the years. They’re gorgeous and probably offer fine service. As long as you don’t go outside in that area, you’ll be fine. I’m not concerned for my personal safety, I just don’t enjoy being confronted by bums, aggressive bums. The Palace is as far south as I go. We can research almost anything now … except the neighborhoods themselves. I pity the traveller who forks over $450 for a room in the ghetto. Such a disappointment.
sounds weird to say this, but San Francisco is one of the few places i can’t imagine you’d need to stay in a luxury hotel, for a place as interesting as it is, i’d value location over luxury, especially when the money saved from not staying in a luxury hotel on experiences. i’m visiting in less than two weeks, we originally opted for the fairmont San Fransisco seemed like a good option, however reviews made it out to be dated and old. we’ve instead opted for a hotel on the front, for much cheaper in a better location, we’re in a suite in the new hotel and it is still cheaper. We see it that you’re not going to be in the hotel much so what’s the point on paying so much to stay in such a fancy one? plus, with the money we’ve saved, we’re going to see a basketball game for no more cost! if luxury hotels are important to you, go for it, but sometimes location is key!
Glad to see such an informative article about the best luxury hotels in San Francisco.