However, finding an appropriate accomodation in Unions Street could prove to be a tedious task for visitors. There are so many options available and this is matched by a never-ending demand from tourists and business travelers. Therefore, it makes sense to know about accomodation options at both ends of the bargain game when searching for a hotel in Union Street, San Francisco — both the budgeted and the luxury option.

San Francisco’s Best Luxury/Boutique Hotel:

Galleria Park Hotel
(Part of the Joie De Vivre Boutique Hotel)
191 Sutter Street, San Francisco

Though the Galleria is among the most sought-after hotels in San Francisco, it is precariously located in the busiest hubs of San Francisco, i.e. the Union Street’s bustling downtown area. However, you would have to get over the traffic and the snarling to appreciate the fact that it is just a few steps away from shopping havens like the Crocker Galleria, east block of Union Square and Chinatown. Even the Moscone Convention Center is just about four blocks away. This makes the Galleria, the most exclusive of San Francisco’s boutique hotels in terms of its central location.

You can literally grab a sandwich and walk down to the Museum of Modern Art or get any of the numerous Cable Cars running on California Street. Come inwards and the décor will dazzle you with its Art Nouveau presentation in the background of crystal skylights and the polished marble stairways. Speaking of luxury, consider this — every evening the lobby hosts a complimentary wine reception for its residents! Featuring in the list of San Francisco’s topmost luxury establishments, each room is equipped with CD players, MP3 stations and consoles for video games and the bathrooms have silken, fabricated robes.

San Francisco Budget Hotel at its best:

The Super 8 at Union Square
415 O Farrell Street, San Francisco
Location pointer: it is about three blocks from the Theater District

This is your typical San Francisco budgeted alternative that has all the basic facilities like complimentary breakfasts and business services provided on request. Each of the rooms has a coffeemaker and you can have a refrigerator for a token fee. It is comfortably located near the main shopping malls of Union Square but is a bit distanced from the eateries of Chinatown.

The Downtown area of San Francisco has a distinct appeal to it, having many buildings from the 1870s that have been converted into modern showrooms. There is still a very perceptible hint of the Art Deco period of the 1930s among its many shopping districts. The area is famous for its ethnic shops and accommodation options offered in the form of Downtown San Francisco Hotels.

The Downtown area is an unmatched blend of ethnic heritage, contemporary music scene and a wide range of housing options. Among the many Downtown San Francisco Hotels, some have been able to garner a lot of attention by consistently maintaining appreciable quality standards:

Traditional Downtown San Francisco Hotels:

The Orchard Hotel (665 Bush Street)
The Orchard is a bit different from the conventional Downtown San Francisco Hotels, since it still maintains its roots with history and the interiors, though lavishly done, do not overwhelm you with the abundance of modern-day amenities. The service standards are of the highest orders, but again, the service is more personalized as there is an emphasis of communicating more through the human interface.

It is comfortably located near the Union Square and the San Francisco Financial District, making it ideal for both business and vacation travelers. Compared to other Downtown San Francisco Hotels, the rooms are humongous in size and literally exude old-world charm through the furniture engravings and this effect is carried out on the walls and the ceilings as well.

Luxury-oriented Downtown San Francisco Hotels:

Hotel Adagio (550 Geary Street)
The Adagio is unarguably the hippest of Downtown San Francisco Hotels, though it has a very distinctive, historic (Spanish) influence. It can be best described as a luxury boutique hotel and has been at the forefront of re-inventing its sophisticated décors that include exotically-designed ceilings and Colonial-era furniture. This is amongst the more luxurious of Downtown San Francisco Hotels and is best suited for those who are looking for a lavish living experience.

The Deluxe Rooms have two massive queen-sized beds that have hand-crafted Egyptian linen and the bathrooms are loaded with the most fashionable of bath amenities. The Adagio also offers the best in dining facilities in the form of Cortez Restaurant that is renowned for its Mediterranean cuisine and the Cortez Bar magnetizes the trendiest of San Francisco’s evening crowds.

San Francisco has always been renowned for its hospitality and it lives up to this reputation by providing an array of accommodation options. However, what makes San Francisco truly remarkable in this regard is the sheer volume of San Francisco luxury hotels that are on offer.
The Palace Hotel (2 New Montgomery Street)
The Palace has been a permanent member in the list of San Francisco Luxury Hotels and it is easy to understand the reasons. The Palace had a historic beginning in 1875 and even today, it is regarded as one of the most lavish accommodations across the world. In fact, it is now included among the numerous city tours that are arranged for first-time San Francisco visitors.

To be considered among San Francisco Luxury Hotels, the Palace has seamlessly blended its historic origins with more contemporary tastes and thus, it emerges as the most exclusive hotel offering unrivalled grandeur that has antiques arranged in the background of avant-garde modern amenities. It is located near the San Francisco Downtown area and has been the first choice for state-level conferences and international gatherings hosted in San Francisco.
The Palace Hotel

Le Méridien (333 Battery Street)
This is regarded as the most contemporary among the stylish and upmarket San Francisco luxury hotels. The Méridien is perfectly located, with neighboring areas like the Bay Bridge, the Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square and Chinatown that are ideal for exploring the incredible shopping options that the city presents. Being situated in the Embarcadero district, the Le Méridien is just minutes away from accessing the city’s famous Cable Cars for touring the city.

Each suite within the hotel provides a remarkable view of the city’s skyline. There is a reason that the Le Méridien has always been counted amongst the most elite of San Francisco Luxury Hotels — the attention to detail in creating the perfect ambience for guests and the fact that it can be further personalized to suit different individual preferences. Apart from the landmark interior décor and the instantly-recognizable, exceptional personal service standards, the Le Méridien offers one of the most comprehensive dining experience, along with options like the popular Bar 333 that is perfect for a casual cocktail.

Le Méridien

I should confess at the very outset that for me staying at the Hyatt Regency hotel was more of a last-minute decision. The fact is that I always imagined that the Hyatt Regency as an over-priced accommodation for those who do not value their money the way I do. To my utter surprise, the Hyatt Regency hotel is nothing of the sort and you realize that what you pay for is redeemed in form of the finest service and facilities that San Francisco has to offer. From the moment I stepped towards the reception of the Hyatt Regency, it was apparent that the staff here would re-define what service really means. I was greeted by courteous and suave-looking men and women, spread all across the hotel lobby, the valet parking and every space that came in the way of approaching my room.

On the second day of my stay, I explored the Hyatt Regency hotel and loved the revolving, roof-top restaurant that gives an unbelievable view of the San Francisco skyline. The Eclipse Café serves multiple cuisines as a part of the breakfast fare and it is surprisingly different from the food I have eaten at other San Francisco hotels. The food served here is remarkably fresh and you can literally smell the ingredients from a mile away.

I would personally recommend the Hyatt Regency to folks who want to explore San Francisco on foot. Being situated at the meeting point of the Market and the Drumm Street, the Hyatt Regency is conveniently located for every kind of activity you want to pursue, i.e. both business and pleasure. The California Street Cable Car line, the never-ending service of inter-city buses and the BART rail are literally just steps away from the Hyatt Regency’s hotel doors.

The nearby San Francisco destinations that can be reached on foot from the Cova include the Civic Center and the Union Square. This might just be the kind of exclusiveness that the Cova could benefit from and create a niche for itself. Other sites worth a visit that are close to this SF Hotel include the Asian Art Museum, the Davies Symphony Hall and the War Memorial Opera House.

Cova: An SF hotel with a difference
Secondly, the pricing too is a bit difficult to comprehend, as it begins from $120 a night and can easily go beyond $340. Those who want to start-off with a basic suite and then upgrade to the ‘Deluxe’ room of this SF Hotel can simply request for an accommodation upgrade and this starts from $20 extra per night, which again offers unbelievable flexibility for visitors in San Francisco who to test their options.

In a way, this gives the Cova another advantage over the conventional SF Hotels, as it could address the accommodation needs of both the mid-level, budgeted travelers and those who are looking for luxurious decors. This is exactly the reason why this SF Hotel is fast emerging as the best choice for those who are looking for a combination of modern amenities, a comprehensive price range and an exclusive location.

The Cova is among the few SF Hotels that combine every practical amenity across the entire pricing range, such as a refrigerator, a hair dryer, an ironing board and a coffeemaker. From a technological viewpoint too, the Cova is among the best in SF Hotels as it offers the standard stuff like high-definition television sets and free Wi-Fi connections, along with an iHome alarm system that is compatible with every standard iPod configuration.

Located at 655 Ellis Street, the Cova is among the fast-emerging names in the list of luxury-oriented SF Hotels. There are many features that make the Cova unlike the conventional SF Hotels. For starters, the location itself that borders on the Larkin Street, around the Tenderloin San Francisco neighborhood, is not the most obvious location that would have a modern-day and visibly hip hotel. The nearby San Francisco destinations that can be reached on foot from the Cova include the Civic Center and the Union Square. This might just be the kind of exclusiveness that the Cova could benefit from and create a niche for itself. Other sites worth a visit that are close to this SF Hotel include the Asian Art Museum, the Davies Symphony Hall and the War Memorial Opera House.

Cova: An SF hotel with a difference
Secondly, the pricing too is a bit difficult to comprehend, as it begins from $120 a night and can easily go beyond $340. Those who want to start-off with a basic suite and then upgrade to the ‘Deluxe’ room of this SF Hotel can simply request for an accommodation upgrade and this starts from $20 extra per night, which again offers unbelievable flexibility for visitors in San Francisco who to test their options.

In a way, this gives the Cova another advantage over the conventional SF Hotels, as it could address the accommodation needs of both the mid-level, budgeted travelers and those who are looking for luxurious decors. This is exactly the reason why this SF Hotel is fast emerging as the best choice for those who are looking for a combination of modern amenities, a comprehensive price range and an exclusive location.

The Cova is among the few SF Hotels that combine every practical amenity across the entire pricing range, such as a refrigerator, a hair dryer, an ironing board and a coffeemaker. From a technological viewpoint too, the Cova is among the best in SF Hotels as it offers the standard stuff like high-definition television sets and free Wi-Fi connections, along with an iHome alarm system that is compatible with every standard iPod configuration.

However, many of them are unable to cater to the demand of the quality-oriented accommodation that is often sought by travelers coming to San Francisco. There is one exception to this scenario in the form of the Closest Embassy Hotel. It is located just about two miles from the San Francisco International Airport and is about 9 miles away from the famous San Francisco Downtown.

I have to confess that I favored the Closest Embassy Hotel from the very beginning knowing that it was situated just a few paces away from the 3Com Park (of the San Francisco 49er’s) and the main quarters of the San Francisco Giants. However, my stay at the Closest Embassy Hotel made me realize that I was mistaken for thinking that this was the only advantage I was paying for. For starters, I have always complained about the lack of personalization when it comes to food served by an average San Francisco hotel.

The Closest Embassy Hotel is in stark contrast to this norm and I had the luxury of ordering my own combination of breakfast and often dictating the extent to which I wanted by eggs and breads roasted. The staff at the Closest Embassy Hotel was very approachable and never complained about the small things that I picked upon and should be applauded for their generosity.

Talking about the charges — it would be fair to say that you get a suite at the Closest Embassy Hotel for the price of an average San Francisco hotel room. Further, my room at the Closest Embassy Hotel had everything I could have asked for a five-day stay, including a microwave, a coffee maker with fresh beans, a refrigerator, voice mail and Internet connectivity.

The Closest Embassy Hotel does take care of a customer’s private needs and to my delight, I was provided with an iron and an ironing table without any extra charges. In fact, the staff at the Closest Embassy Hotel said that these services were a part of the complimentary package! This was just the opposite to the norm of hotels in San Francisco that insist upon getting your laundry/ironing done at steep prices

Embassy Suit Hotel

The first impression was made by the spacious parking spaces. The usual clutter of pricey garage services or being stuck with paying tips to the valet services was removed. The Residence Inn also provides a complimentary shuttle service that operates to all the nearby offices, parks, shopping malls and dining options and this was a great money-saver for me. However, the one thing that literally made me fall in love with the Residence Inn was the way in which each room was packed with every conceivable amenity. I had a one-bedroom suite and still, the size of the bed was incredibly huge. It also had a king-sized bath along with a separate living room, a furnished dining area and sofa bed.

To be honest, I have visited San Francisco before but I have never come across so much space and provisions provided for the price that Residence Inn charges. I had heard some murmurs at my office that the Residence Inn was ideal for long business trips since it keeps you connected with your home through its unique layout. I really did not believe this but to my surprise, the Residence Inn does this with remarkable ease. My room had a fully-equipped kitchen that included a coffee maker, basic utensils, cook-top stove for some basic cooking, microwave, refrigerator and a dishwasher. Further, the walkway behind the Residence Inn is unrivalled among other San Francisco hotels as it gives you an exotic view of the entire bay.

Upon my arrival at the Larkspur Landing, I had made it clear that I was looking for a spacious accommodation and to my surprise, the suite offered at Larkspur Landing was incredibly huge. It had a neatly-laid workstation and a very handy kitchenette that became so useful over the next five days. My room at Larkspur Landing also had a cordless phone with voicemail facility and high-speed Internet connectivity which never presented any kind of operational issues. Talking about personalized attention, the Larkspur Landing even has a selection of pillows on offer. This San Francisco hotel is perfect for the more demanding folks like me. I have always put an emphasis on a hotel being able to provide a plethora of choices when it comes to maintaining your daily fitness regimen. However, most of the budgeted options in San Francisco have failed me in this respect.

On the other hand, Larkspur Landing was unbelievably cooperative in this respect as it has a huge fitness center along with an elegantly-designed spa. I often navigated from the spa to the business center where I could conveniently spend some time on my laptop and fill-up the company template regarding my work schedule. What I am trying to emphasize upon is that though the Larkspur Landing is perfect for all sorts of visitors in San Francisco, it is best suited for the business travelers who are ready to spend just a tad bit extra for enjoying the best in hotel décor and personnel service. And yes, the Larkspur Landing has one more exclusive offering in the form of a very educated list of classic films that have been assembled as a part of its library and I often picked-up the free-of-charge CDs and books.

Larkspur Landing

Since my trip was basically business oriented, I was looking for a place to stay that could provide a comforting environment for working late in the night after having spent the day making sales presentation. This is where the utility of Hilton Garden Inn comes to the fore — it is among the few hotels in this part of San Francisco that provides complimentary Internet access to its guests along with add-ons like free printing services that are very handy for business travelers.

During my short stay of about four days, the convenient access from the Hilton Garden Inn to the downtown area via the 24×7 availability of San Francisco’s complimentary BART shuttle was a big help. Besides the ease of commuting, it also helped to save upon a considerable amount on daily traveling expenses. Those who are planning to explore southern San Francisco over a short period to time should definitely use the services of the Hilton Garden Inn since other major local San Francisco attractions like the 3Com Park, the Bay Meadows Race Track, Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Coliseum too are located just minutes away from the Hilton Garden Inn and it really doesn’t hurt to catch a cab over such short distances.

What is even more impressive about the Hilton Garden Inn is the detail that has been taken to make each room appear like a luxury suite-cum-working station, as it is equipped with snug beds, large work-desks and a two-line phone access. Another aspect that impressed me at the Hilton Garden Inn was the extravagant buffet breakfast that was laid out each morning. And yes, the staff, though very disciplined, often lets you carry the food to your room to snack at your convenience!

Hilton Garden Inn