Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [33]
• Best Public Space in a Historic Hotel: The Palace Hotel, the extravagant creation of banker “Bonanza King” Will Ralston in 1875, has one of the grandest rooms in the city: the Garden Court. Equally eye-catching is the magnificent lobby at Nob Hill’s the Fairmont San Francisco.
• Best Trendy Scene: If you want to shack up with the tragically hip, head to Clift Hotel, which promises upscale flirting at its bar, the Redwood Room. Less chichi and funkier in style and location is the Phoenix Hotel, where guests lounge poolside or hang at the too-cool Bambuddha Lounge.
• Best Service: As usual, the Ritz-Carlton corners the market in ultimate luxury, from its stunning ground-floor bathrooms to its fabulous restaurant to everything in between. Of course such pampering comes at a cost, but if you can afford it, it’s worth the splurge. While it doesn’t have quite the number of perks that the Ritz has, the St. Regis Hotel is a fabulous place to stay. From its state-of-the-art rooms swathed in browns and creams to its huge spa, gym, hopping bar scene, and destination-restaurant Ame—not to mention its location next to the Museum of Modern Art—it’s one of my favorite hotels in the city.
UNION SQUARE
This area is the Times Square of San Francisco and a shopper’s delight: Macy’s, Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany, and more.
Best For: Travelers who enjoy the hustle and bustle of a big city, walking everywhere, shopping, and riding the cable cars.
Drawbacks: Noisy, crowded, difficult street parking, outrageous hotel garage rates, panhandlers, and premium-location hotel rates.
Very Expensive
Campton Place ★★ This luxury boutique hotel offers some of the most exclusive accommodations in town—not to mention the most expensive. Rooms are compact but comfy, with limestone, pear wood, and Italian-modern decor. The two executive suites and one luxury suite push the haute envelope to even more sumptuous heights. Discriminating returning guests will still find superlative service, including California king-size beds, exquisite bathrooms, bathrobes, top-notch toiletries, slippers, and every other necessity and extra that’s made Campton Place a favored temporary address. A recent change in ownership also brought a new chef to the restaurant, which now offers local California cuisine with Mediterranean and Indian inspirations. The bar/bistro in front is a chic clubby spot for a dry martini.
340 Stockton St. (btw. Post and Sutter sts.), San Francisco, CA 94108. www.camptonplace.com. 866/332-1670 or 415/781-5555. Fax 415/955-5536. 110 units. $250–$685 double; $490–$3,000 suite. American breakfast $18. AE, DC, MC, V. Valet parking $45. Bus: 2, 3, 4, 30, 38, or 45. Cable car: Powell–Hyde or Powell–Mason line (1 block west). BART: Market St. Amenities: Restaurant; concierge; outdoor fitness terrace; room service. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi ($13 per day).
Clift Hotel ★ Ian Schrager, king of such ultrahip hotels as New York’s Royalton and Paramount, L.A.’s Mondrian, and Miami’s Delano, renovated this classic old luxury property a few years back. Young trendsetters now flock here for overpriced monochrome lavender streamlined rooms with often-minuscule bathrooms, glamorous atmosphere, and a heavy dose of attitude. Its best attribute is the renovated historic Redwood Room, complete with sexy redwood walls (all made from one tree!) and Deco lighting from 1933 and a luxurious and rather uncomfortable interior designed by Philippe Starck. The equally trendy, expensive, and mediocre Asia de Cuba restaurant adjoins the swank lounge. If you ask me, the only reason to pay the high prices here is if you’re interested in being surrounded by the young and hip. Otherwise, there are far better rooms around town at a similar or lower price.
495 Geary St. (at Taylor St.), San Francisco, CA 94102. www.clifthotel.com. 800/697-1791 or