Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [41]
Moderate
Hotel Beresford Arms The bargain prices are the main reason I recommend this dependable, if unfashionable, hotel. On the plus side, suites have bidets, whirlpool bathtubs, and a wet bar or fully equipped kitchenette—an advantage for families—and a continental breakfast is included in the price of all rooms. All accommodations include plenty of in-room perks, including an afternoon “Social Hour” with wine, tea, and snacks. The location, between the Theater District and Union Square, in a quieter section of San Francisco, is ideal for visitors without cars, and the price for what you get is hard to beat. Tip: Rooms that face Post Street might be a bit noisier than others, but they’re also larger and sunnier, and some have window seats.
701 Post St. (at Jones St.), San Francisco, CA 94109. www.beresford.com. 800/533-6533 or 415/673-2600. Fax 415/929-1535. 95 units. $99–$289 double. Extra person $10. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. Rates include pastry, coffee, afternoon wine and tea. Senior and AAA discounts available. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $20. Bus: 2, 3, 4, 27, or 38. Cable car: Powell–Hyde line (3 blocks east). Amenities: Access to nearby health club ($10 per day); free Internet access in lobby. In room: TV, hair dryer upon request, minibar.
Hotel Frank ★★ Only a block from Union Square, this former Maxwell Hotel is the new darling among hip business travelers and serious shoppers. A major renovation was finished in the spring of 2009, bringing the hotel to an even more upscale, boutique-hotel standard. A clever interior makeover by one of the country’s most cutting-edge designers incorporates a blend of popular design trends through the decades; check out the Art Deco light fixtures and bold color scheme throughout. The guest rooms exude a custom-designed look: houndstooth-patterned carpeting, elongated emerald green headboards in crocodile-patterned leather, sleek white leather couches, vintage 1930s artwork. Even the bathrooms are outfitted in floor-to-ceiling Carrara marble. The hotel’s 28 roomy junior suites offer excellent value despite the slightly audible elevator noise, but best of all are the pair of one-bedroom penthouses that offer separate living rooms and exceptional views of the city.
386 Geary St. (at Mason St.), San Francisco, CA 94102. www.hotelfranksf.com. 877/828-4478 or 415/986-2000. 153 units. $169–$399 double; $209–$469 junior suite; from $699 penthouse suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $35, an additional $5 for oversize cars. Bus: 2, 3, 4, 30, 38, or 45. Cable car: Powell–Hyde or Powell–Mason lines (1 block east). Amenities: Concierge; room service. In room: A/C, flatscreen TV w/pay movies, hair dryer, minibar, MP3 docking station, free Wi-Fi.
Hotel Metropolis ★ On a slightly sketchy block just off of Market Street, a few blocks from Union Square, the Hotel Metropolis is ideal for people who dread staying at a boring, corporate McHotel. As with most downtown hotels, the rooms are on the small side, but all are vibrant and cheery, with vivid colors, custom African Limba-wood furnishings, and comfy beds with wave-shaped headboards with portholes. The six Executive Rooms on the 10th floor are upgraded with feather beds and pillows, iPod alarm clocks, and robes, while the three-room Urban Explorers Kids Suite, which sleeps up to six adults and three children, is filled with pint-size furniture, bunk beds, a computer, a chalkboard wall, toys, and rubber ducky decor in the bathroom.
25 Mason St. (at