Choosing where to stay in San Francisco (or, any city) shapes your experience considerably. San Francisco has miles of beautiful bayfronts, blocks of towering downtown buildings, and a wild ocean coastline, so there’s lots of options when it comes to where to stay.
Narrowing down the sights you want to see can help you pick the perfect location to stay in San Francisco. Read along for our top recommendations and top tips on where to stay in San Francisco while discovering the different neighborhoods that constitute the city.
Insider’s Tip: Maybe you want to see both the bustling city and more walkable, quieter neighborhoods. If your schedule and budget permits, consider mixing it up and staying in a few different places while you’re here. Or, simply into the San Francisco public transit which will help you easily discover the city.
Where to stay in The Embarcadero
The Embarcadero, San Francisco’s beautiful bayfront thoroughfare, is the perfect place to walk or hire a pedicab to cruise along the City’s eastside.
Inhale fresh Bay air while watching boats, seagulls, and the occasional sea lion enjoying the water. With its giant bow and arrow sculpture, Rincon Park is a perfect spot to view the Bay Bridge’s sparkling nighttime light display.
The Ferry Building
Visiting the historic Ferry Building is a must for any trip to San Francisco. Get on the water with a ferry boat ride to a nearby location like the wild Angel Island or the quaint North Bay village of Tiburon. Check out the fun places to eat and shop inside the Ferry Building—hello, Hog Island Oyster Company and chocolaty handmade confections from Recchiuti.
Want to see more of San Francisco from your Embarcadero location? No problem. Walk west along Washington Street past the Financial District’s towering buildings, including the iconic Transamerica Pyramid, to the intersection of Columbus Avenue. Continue on Washington into Chinatown or take Columbus into the historically Italian neighborhood of North Beach.
Hyatt Regency
Even if you’re not staying here, the Hyatt Regency’s atrium lobby is a San Francisco must-see. The hotel’s floor levels are open to the triangular-shaped building’s interior, so you can see all the way up to the top floor and watch the glass elevators speed from floor to floor. Rooms have a modern urban feel, offering a spectacular Bay or City view. The waterfront is right outside, and so is the cable car turnaround ready to whisk you up the City’s hills. Ding, ding!
Hotel Griffon
The boutique Hotel Griffon is all about luxury with hints of European elegance. Change into a plush bathrobe and snuggle onto a new Beautyrest pillow top mattress.
When it’s time to eat, Perry’s restaurant is right downstairs, serving classic American food with a fully stocked bar. The glittering Bay Bridge across the way is the perfect backdrop for enjoying crab cakes, grilled artichokes, and a bowl of Perry’s chili.
Where to stay in Union Square, San Francisco
Union Square, an urban park, is surrounded by high-end retailers in architecturally impressive buildings. Storefronts of runway favorites like Valentino, Gucci, and Burberry reside in a mix of Victorian and modern architecture. Besides shopping, the Union Square area has art galleries, live theater venues, and nightclubs.
Ride a cable car up Powell Street to the top of Nob Hill and be rewarded with an incredible view of the City. Or walk Grant Street into Chinatown or go south across Market Street into the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood to discover some of the City’s best museums.
When considering where to stay in San Francisco, Union Square has the highest density of hotels in the City. It’s got whatever vibe you’re looking for, from upscale trendy to historic boutique.
Golden Gate Hotel
Go back in time with a stay at the Golden Gate Hotel, built in 1913. Find a claw-foot bathtub to relax in and watch the city bustle below from your room’s bay window.
Antique furnishings throughout and a perch in the front parlor with a warm pastry and coffee will transport you back in time.
The Westin St. Francis
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square is where the action takes place.
Union Square is directly across Powell Street from the hotel, and the cable car stops right outside.
The hotel dates back to 1904, and its wood-paneled lobby, stately gathering places, and sparkling chandeliers bring the past alive. Its guest rooms are a modern respite full of airy luxury.
Where to stay in The Castro
Known as a home and hub for the LGBTQ+ community, The Castro is full of rainbow flags and party atmosphere. The Castro has a neighborhood feel with favorite local eateries, boutique shopping, and music-pumping bars. Visit during one of The Castro’s many festivals, like SF Pride or The Castro Street Fair, to explore the area’s vibrant diversity.
The Castro is centrally located in San Francisco, with easy access to other points in the City. Make your way east into the Mission District or take the vintage F-line street cars on a scenic ride downtown and along The Embarcadero to Fisherman’s Wharf.
Beck’s Motor Lodge
Beck’s Motor Lodge does retro right. Its recently renovated guest rooms sport retro stylings with attention to comfort. Enjoy California vibes on the sundeck because, well, the sun actually shines in The Castro.
The Hotel Castro
At The Hotel Castro, The Lobby Bar replaces the stuffy check-in counter experience, welcoming guests with high-style hospitality. The hotel’s 12 guest rooms are individualized with 70s style décor inspired by LGBTQ+ heroes. Each room has a private outdoor terrace for relaxation.
Where to stay in Fisherman’s Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf attracts visitors from around the world for its waterfront sights and activities. Spend a day eating fresh seafood and checking out souvenir shops along The Embarcadero, Pier 39, and Ghirardelli Square.
This area is rich in cultural experiences, from visiting the historic ships docked at Hyde Street Pier to ferry boat rides leaving Pier 33 to the infamous Alcatraz Island.
Be careful, though. If you have a car with you, heed the warnings not to leave items in your car. Smash-and-grab break-ins happen around the clock, especially in this part of San Francisco.
Pay to park at a secured parking garage with a guard on site. Or go carless and take a historic cable car or trolley to Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s more fun than looking for parking.
Argonaut
Inside what was once a cannery warehouse, the 1907 redbrick building now houses the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park Visitor Center and the Argonaut Hotel.
The hotel’s décor pays homage to San Francisco’s rich nautical history, with some rooms overlooking the vintage ships docked across the street. There’s even a treasure chest of toys and a scavenger hunt on deck to inspire young sailors.
Hotel Caza
There’s plenty of room for lounging at Hotel Caza. Lobby couches and armchairs, dining nooks to enjoy self-serve food items or drinks from the bar. Also, a spacious pool deck at the year-round outdoor heated pool are ideal for unwinding.
Hotel Caza’s bright and spacious modern rooms are perfect for getting work done or recharging for another exciting day on the Bay.
Where to stay in Presidio of San Francisco and Lands End
The forested wilderness and sandy beaches of northwestern San Francisco are a far cry from urban city life.
Lands End’s rugged Pacific Ocean coastline boasts unique views of “the other side” of the Golden Gate Bridge and the ruins of Sutro Baths. The Presidio is a former military post-turned-upscale housing, unique office space for businesses and recreation against a breathtaking natural backdrop.
This area is a touchpoint for exploring the Golden Gate Bridge by car, foot, or bicycle. You can get a unique perspective of the bridge from underneath with a visit to the Civil War-era Fort Point.
Getting to Crissy Field, a stretch of bay front marsh and beach, is a snap crossing the Presidio Tunnel Tops Park over busy Highway 101.
Seal Rock Inn
The windswept Sutro Heights Park and Lands End trailheads are just across the street from Seal Rock Inn, perfect for exploring where the Pacific Ocean meets land.
The hotel’s sun deck and sheltered patio help guests enjoy whatever weather the ocean brings, sun or fog. Guest rooms have a retro vibe and ample windows for enjoying the spectacular view.
Lodge at the Presidio and the Inn at the Presidio
The Lodge at the Presidio was part of the Montgomery Street Barracks, and the Inn at the Presidio is housed in Pershing Hall, where bachelor U.S. Army offers used to stay.
Which one do you want to book? Both are Historic Hotels of America properties in prime locations for enjoying what San Francisco offers—history mixed with modern comfort.
