Where to Stay
Lodging in San Francisco varies depending on the location and season you choose to visit. It's however no secret that San Francisco is one of America's most expensive cities and it often leaves visitors wondering how to choose a hotel that fits into their budget.
SF Neighborhoods
San Francisco has many different neighborhoods to choose from such as: Financial District (downtown), Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Mission District, Union Square, Tenderloin, Castro, Presidio of San Francisco, Haight Ashbury, Japantown, NorthBeach, Sunset District, Noe Valley, Marina, Russian Hill etc. If you are the type of tourist that prefers staying in downtown which will put you within easy access of many of the "must-sees" such as Chinatown, Union Square, North Beach etc, then I will recommend the newly renovated Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel.
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Grand Reopening Event on behalf of Dave's Travel Corner and enjoy a stay at this boutique hotel. The newly renovated lobby leads you into the iconic Redwood Room lounge. The elevators next to the lounge lead up to the guest rooms. I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious my room was. Splurge and stay in a Junior Suite if you're celebrating a special occasion. The room felt large yet cozy, elegant and stylish, with its own sitting area. Views are through moderately sized windows looking toward downtown.
The Redwood Room Lounge
A stay here must include a visit to the big chair located adjacent to the newly renovated modern lobby. It's a social media worthy shot for sure! The highlight of this hotel however, is the updated Redwood Room, a lounge with a sexy vibe. I walked into the evening's reception and was greeted by servers handing out champagne in a dimly lit festive atmosphere. The Art Deco style interiors still feature the original redwood paneling, which legend has it, was carved from a single redwood tree, as well as an enormous bar made from an 800-year-old redwood tree. The original artwork on the walls by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt was restored and re-hung. The original Redwood Room opened the day after Prohibition was repealed in 1933 so the hotel isn't kidding when they say this is a historic and iconic lounge. It really is! The bar offers exquisite and artisanal cocktails as well as top shelf liquors, wines, beers, and gourmet small plates, some of which incorporate honey from the hotel's rooftop bee sanctuary.
The Accommodations
There are a few different categories of rooms available right now on the website, such as the The Clift Reimagined which offers 15% off as part of their Grand Reopening in 2020. You can sign up for the Sonesta Travel Pass rewards program and get the exclusive rate for members only. Then there's the Drive in Package if you have a car. There's also a special AAA and CAA rate for members so that's another option as well. Be sure to check out the different categories on their website.
Nearby Attractions
The hotel is a 6 minute walk from upscale shopping at Union Square and 4 minutes' walk from a Muni Metro station. The hotel is also within walking distance from Chinatown, the world-famous Ferry Building, and NorthBeach. Overall, this boutique hotel just might suit your budget and location needs the next time you're visiting San Francisco.
Please drop me a note if you end up staying here and let me know how your stay was! As always all opinions are my own.
