San Francisco, but make it Affordable & Adorable — our series highlighting the coolest boutique hotels in different locales with starting rates under $250/night continues. And this time, we’ve partnered with San Francisco Travel to bring you the best stays that don’t break the bank within the “City by the Bay’s” iconic 49 square miles.
The LINE Hotel (Mid-Market)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Address: 33 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94102 • Rooms: 236 • Airport: San Francisco Intl. Airport | Amenities: • Fitness center • Room service • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms • Free WiFi • Free Parking • 3 Bars & Restaurants |
The Line Hotel stands up straight on the busy corner of Turk and Market streets. Its curvaceous build and asymmetrical window matrix present a futuristic look. Lauded boutique hotel group LINE Hotels’ latest outpost pays homage to its urban environs: raw concrete ceilings, modernist trappings, and graffiti-inflected art hover above guestroom headboards. Indoor-outdoor lobby restaurant Tenderheart conjures a menu serving North Californian-inspired dishes via the culinary direction of praised chef Joe Hou. Los Angeles-based Alfred Coffee’s first Bay Area location pulls in the “cup of joe” connoisseurs from all over San Francisco.
Palihotel San Francisco (Union Square)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Address: 417 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108 • Rooms: 82 • Airport: San Francisco Intl. Airport | Amenities: • Free WiFi • Pet friendly • Free Parking • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
Boutique hotel empress Palisociety’s outpost in San Francisco brims with the brand’s Golden State pedigree. Right next to Union Square, the hotel is a love letter to California, from the lobby’s warm craftsman-style millwork to the classic and contemporary California-centric artwork adorning guestroom walls. When staying here, expect Nespresso machines, stocked minibars, Diptyque bath products, cozy bathrobes, and walk-in showers. For those unfamiliar with the Palisociety brand, they champion a laid-back, low-frills approach to luxury — and this stay is no exception. Hungry guests can dine at the second-floor French restaurant Fisher Loft, open all day. Visitors who want their fur babies to experience San Francisco with them can do so here via the hotel’s amicable Pawlisociety pet program.
Axiom Hotel (Union Square)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Address: 28 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102 • Rooms: 152 • Airport: San Francisco Intl. Airport | Amenities: • Fitness center • Room service • Free WiFi • Free Parking • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
Located right beside the cable car turnaround, the Axiom Hotel’s central location is hard to beat when it comes to a stay downtown. Built in 1908, the hotel presents a preserved edifice that mingles with the new: original crown moldings and high ceilings pair perfectly with the modern guestrooms, kitted out in restored dark wood floors, roomy walk-in showers, and modern-minimal furnishings. Those looking to grab a quick bite can visit Turn Café, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you ask us, the hotel’s most exciting feature is on its mezzanine level: you’ll find vintage arcade games, from Paperboy to Pac-Man.
The Hotel Castro (Castro District)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Address: 4230 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114 • Rooms: 12 • Airport: San Francisco Intl. Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor terrace • Elevator • Free WiFi • Free Parking • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
The 12-room Hotel Castro sits in the pioneering LGBTQ+ Castro District of San Francisco. Queer heroes fuel inspiration for the rooms here, with each one boasting a private outdoor terrace. Chromatic splashes, contemporary design elements, eye-catching jewel tones, and tributes to 1970s panache invoke a fun-loving atmosphere. The marble-topped cocktail-centric Lobby Bar is quickly becoming a local favorite. Hotel guests also get access to the private rooftop and one of San Francisco’s trendiest members’ clubs, The Academy. Locale-immersing packages pair stays with the opportunity to learn more about the neighborhood and its eventful history via Cruisin’ the Castro Walking Tours.
Hotel Zeppelin (Union Square)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Address: 545 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102 • Rooms: 196 • Airport: San Francisco Intl. Airport | Amenities: • Fitness center • Laundry • Free WiFi • Free Parking • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
A rock’n’roll theme permeates the interiors of Hotel Zeppelin. From rooms to common spaces, you’ll find purple carpets, artwork of John Lennon, velvet cushions, and black leather-tinged headboards. Check-in offers the opportunity to sip the hotel’s talked-about sangria from the lobby bar. The fun doesn’t stop there: the basement, decorated with comic book art, packs games such as Skee-Ball, pool, and basketball hoops. Those on the go can indulge in lattes and light noshes at the hotel’s lobby coffee shop, Zeppelin Café.
Hotel G (Union Square)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Address: 386 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102 • Rooms: 153 • Airport: San Francisco Intl. Airport | Amenities: • Fitness center • Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms • Free WiFi • Free Parking |
A block away from Union Square, the 153-room Hotel G stretches 12 levels up. Those at the helm gussied up the 1908-constructed building, retouching the façade and adding wooden and tiled flooring, among other features. Rooms pair antiques and earthy modern design, meshing Victorian chaise lounges with fog-tinged walls and natural fabrics. Small plates and seafood comprise the menu at the hotel’s restaurant, Ayala (you need to order the Nori Spaghettini). An unmarked entrance upstairs leads to the hotel’s old-fashioned speakeasy, Benjamin Cooper (you know we love a good unassuming speakeasy here at HAP).
San Francisco Travel x Hotels Above Par
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