Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [63]
Inn on Castro ★ One of the better choices in the Castro, half a block from all the action, this Edwardian-style inn is decorated with contemporary furnishings, original modern art, and fresh flowers throughout. It definitely feels more like a home than an inn, so if you like less commercial abodes, this place is for you. Most rooms share a small back patio, and the suite has a private entrance and outdoor sitting area. The inn also offers access to six individual nearby apartments ($155–$250) with complete kitchens. Note that rates include a full breakfast, and that the least expensive rooms share a bathroom.
321 Castro St. (at Market St.), San Francisco, CA 94114. www.innoncastro.com. 415/861-0321. Fax 415/861-0321. 8 units, 2 with bathroom across the hall; 6 apts. $115–$185 double. Rates include full breakfast, evening brandy, and hall fridges stocked w/free sodas and water. AE, DC, MC, V. Streetcar: F, K, L, or M. In room: Flatscreen TV, DVD/CD, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi.
The Willows Inn ★ Right in the heart of the Castro, the all-nonsmoking Willows Inn employs a staff eager to greet and attend to their mostly gay and lesbian guests. The country and antique willow furnishings don’t strictly suit a 1903 Edwardian home, but everything’s quite comfortable—especially considering the extras, which include an expanded continental breakfast (fresh fruit, yogurt, baked goods, gourmet coffee, eggs, and orange juice), the morning paper, nightly cocktails, a sitting room (with a DVD player), and a pantry with limited kitchen facilities. The homey rooms vary in size from large (queen-size bed) to smaller (double bed) and are priced accordingly. Each room has a vanity sink, and all the rooms share eight water closets and shower rooms.
710 14th St. (near Church and Market sts.), San Francisco, CA 94114. www.willowssf.com. 800/431-0277 or 415/431-4770. Fax 415/431-5295. 12 units, none with bathroom. $99–$140 double; $160 suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Bus: 22 or 37. Streetcar: Church St. station (across the street) or F. In room: TV/VCR, fridge, free Wi-Fi.
HAIGHT-ASHBURY
San Francisco’s summers of love are long gone, but open-minded folk who eschew touristy schlock and embrace eccentricity will dig the Haight.
Best For: Finding your inner hippie, eclectic array of shops and restaurants with plenty of visual stimulation, close to Golden Gate Park.
Drawbacks: “Got change?” Young squatters begging for change on Haight Street gets old real fast.
Moderate
Red Victorian Bed, Breakfast & Art ★ Still having flashbacks from the 1960s? Or want to? No problem. A room at the Red Vic, in the heart of the Haight, will throw you right back into the Summer of Love (minus, of course, the free-flowing LSD). Owner/artist Sami Sunchild has re-created this historic hotel and “Peace Center” as a living museum honoring the bygone era. The rooms are inspired by San Francisco’s sights and history, and are decorated accordingly. The Flower Child Room has a sun on the ceiling and a rainbow on the wall, while the bed sports a hand-crocheted shawl headboard. The Peacock Suite, though pricey, is one funky room, with red beads, a canopy bed, and multicolored patterns throughout. The clincher is its bedroom bathtub, which has a circular pass-through looking into the sitting area. Four guest rooms have private bathrooms; the rest share four bathrooms down the hall. In general, the rooms and bathrooms are clean and the furnishings lighthearted. Rates for longer stays are a great deal. A family-style continental breakfast is a gathering place for a worldly array of guests, and there’s a gift shop called the Meditation Room and Peace Center. Be sure to check out Sami’s website to get a sneak peek at the weird and wonderful guest rooms.
1665 Haight St. (btw. Cole and Belvedere sts.), San Francisco, CA 94117. www.redvic.com. 415/864-1978. Fax 415/863-3293. 18 units, 4 with private bathroom. $89–$99 double with shared