Where to Sleep in San Francisco? – The Complete Guide
It's important to know which area to book a hotel or apartment in San Francisco to enjoy what the Golden Gate City has to offer.
The five most popular areas for tourists visiting the city are:
- Union Square (+ Nob Hill and Chinatown) – The entertainment hub in the heart of the city
- Fisherman's Wharf – The best attractions in San Francisco
- SoMa district – Boutique hotels in the heart of the city
- The Embarcadero – Luxury adjacent to downtown
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – Modern and large hotels with easy access to the city
Click here to check availability and prices at San Francisco hotels…
It's recommended to avoid parts of the city center and south of it due to relatively high crime rates and limited tourist infrastructure. We'll elaborate on that soon.
Map of accommodation areas in San Francisco
Here's everything you need to know about the neighborhoods and lodging areas in San Francisco – to choose the perfect base for your stay.
San Francisco is the most urban city on the West Coast of the United States. The large downtown area, including Chinatown, Union Square, and the SoMa district, offers an incredible tour among towering modern buildings, beautiful Victorian architecture, elegant squares, and important museum institutions. The heart of San Francisco also boasts a vast array of accommodations, hotels, apartments, and more, enhancing the travel and leisure experience in this beautiful city.
- Staying in San Francisco doesn't rely on a car, but rather on accommodations in the city center and traveling with the city's well-developed and friendly public transportation. The iconic cable cars cross the tourist districts, climbing the hills over the bay.
- The city is a paradise for shopping, dining, entertainment, nightlife, sports, and everything that makes a vacation and trip perfect
- San Francisco boasts a huge number of hotels of all types and levels. The tourist area is generally divided into two – the downtown districts and the Fisherman's Wharf and northern districts area
- Staying in downtown hotels is an important and significant part of the travel experience in the beautiful city, and it's highly recommended to stay in its center
- Near the city center, there are also quite a few motels rated one or two stars, offering affordable accommodation in a very convenient location
The cost and location of hotels in San Francisco are important factors that influence how you plan your trip and experience the city in a positive way. On this page, we'll help you understand the ins and outs of San Francisco and its surroundings, where it's worth staying and where it's really not, and how to find great deals on the city's top-quality hotels.
5 Areas You Should Definitely Book a Hotel in San Francisco
Union Square (including Nob Hill and Chinatown)
The heart of San Francisco’s hotel industry, the area north and west of Union Square boasts hundreds of hotels and accommodations, across all levels and a wide price range. It is the most vibrant and attractive part of the city, bustling both during the day for shopping and in the evenings for entertainment and dining. The cluster also includes adjoining districts such as Nob Hill and Chinatown.
Click here to check availability and prices of hotels near Union Square…
Pros – Location, location, location – shopping, nightlife, the peak of San Francisco day and night
Cons – Not cheap and the area has seen some decline in recent years
Overall Hotel Standard – Good to high level, but there are some bad ones too
Hotels in Fisherman’s Wharf
The delightful tourist area of northeast San Francisco also offers great accommodation options. It's a different vibe from downtown hotels but with plenty of sightseeing and visiting opportunities, and of course, breathtaking views of the bay and piers. In the streets behind the piers, on the northern slopes of Russian Hill, there are three and four-star hotels, mainly from large chains like Marriott and Holiday Inn (IHG).
Click here to check availability and prices for hotels in Fisherman's Wharf…
Advantages – A very fun and inherently touristy area of San Francisco
Disadvantages – Expensive and a bit disconnected from the bustling downtown beyond Russian Hill
Overall hotel standard – Good to excellent hotels, some less good ones so be attentive to reviews
Hotels in the SoMa District
SoMa district is well connected to Union Square both by walking (a bit uphill) and the iconic Powell Street cable car line. The vibe in SoMa differs from the bustling urban atmosphere of Union Square; it's more established and less active in the evening hours. Still, there are great hotels in the district, especially near the San Francisco Centre mall and the Moscone Convention Center.
Click here to check availability and prices in the SoMa district…
Pros – Very central location and excellent hotel facilities
Cons – Area is not so interesting in the evening (but offers an impressive cityscape of skyscrapers) though not far from Union Square
Overall hotel quality – Includes both large hotels under international chains and smaller privately owned hotels. Generally good quality
Hotels in the Embarcadero
In the Embarcadero of downtown San Francisco, you'll find some great hotels, including the luxurious Four Seasons. This area combines the Wall Street-like business vibe of American San Francisco with emerging tourist attractions such as the Ferry Building and Embarcadero Plaza.
Click here to check availability and prices at Embarcadero hotels…
Advantages – Excellent hotels under the shadow of the tallest towers
Disadvantages – The evenings are quite calm in the area
Overall Hotel Quality – Not a lot of hotels, but most are really good
San Francisco International Airport
The most efficient area for accommodations outside the center of San Francisco is the airport. Along Highway 101 near the airport, there's a wealth of hotels and motels from all major international chains. These include large business hotels with four-star ratings offering very appealing deals relative to their quality. These hotels have convenient parking, and from the airport, it's easy to reach downtown with the city's public transportation system, less than a half-hour ride away.
Click here to check availability and prices at airport hotels…
Advantages – Best value for what you pay
Disadvantages – Commuting to downtown
Overall hotel quality – Excellent hotels, ranging from business facilities of major hotel chains to motels
Where to stay with kids in San Francisco? – Motels on Highway 101 / Lombard Street
On Highway 101, between the Presidio and Russian Hill (Lombard Street, but not the picturesque parts), there's a continuous and large concentration of motels.
- On the main street, there are some facilities from big chains like Motel 6, but most are privately owned. A large part of the motels aren't anything special, but the great advantage of the central location within the city compensates for that.
- The stretch of West Lombard Street is an efficient lodging spot for visiting the city, connected by bus to downtown and Fisherman’s Wharf, about a 5-10 minute ride.
- This is a rather drab area and not very inviting, containing both good hotels and motels and some that really aren't.
- There are many additional motels on the 101 near the San Francisco International Airport, where there are also excellent business hotel facilities from large chains.
How to Find Lodging in San Francisco?
Important Tips for Getting to Know San Francisco
There aren't many cities in the USA where downtown is both the main attraction and a great place to stay. San Francisco is the Pacific coast's take on New York and Manhattan, with a lively city center packed with sites and attractions, a genuine urban vibe that doesn't rely on cars (a whole different world from Los Angeles), and a downtown that's just fun to wander around.
The city boasts an excellent public transportation system that lets you get around by trains, trolleys, or the city's famous cable cars, which are truly part of the experience.
It's highly recommended to stay in the heart of San Francisco, as close as possible to downtown, the SoMa district, and Union Square. The unofficial city center is the bustling Union Square, a lively area full of shopping and entertainment venues.
- On the boulevards and streets north and west of Union Square, there's a vast hotel area with over a hundred accommodations of all levels. It's undeniably the hotel hub of the city, with a very diverse range of facilities.
- Union Square is also the most attractive urban center in the city, with plenty of entertainment options, hangouts, shopping spots, department stores, and a classic urban atmosphere.
- If you're staying in the heart of San Francisco, there's no need to keep a car. It's better to rent the car after touring the city or return it before your city adventure begins. The most convenient place to rent a car is at San Francisco International Airport, where all major companies operate, and it's easily accessible by train from downtown.
- Staying at the airport is a very convenient option for those arriving in the city and not wanting to return the car. The airport has excellent hotels (with very reasonable prices), organized parking, and easy access to downtown.
- In general, motels in the city are not considered very good, so if you're booking a motel, especially along Route 101/West Lombard Street, you need to prepare thoroughly and ensure you don't end up in a really bad one.
- The roadside motels outside the city are almost an ideal lodging solution for families, featuring two large queen beds and parking.
Where should you avoid booking a hotel in San Francisco?
San Francisco is a city with a pretty pleasant downtown (though in recent years it has somewhat declined) and it's strongly recommended to stay there. There are a few less pleasant areas in the city, which are best avoided despite the attractive lodging prices.
- The motels along Highway 101 / West Lombard Street are often not great and not worth the price.
- There is no real need to stay outside the city limits, in places like Oakland or Marin County north of the Golden Gate Bridge (unless traveling there specifically).
- There are a few lodging options here and there in the western neighborhoods like Castro, Mission, and Haight-Ashbury. Generally, it's not recommended to stay there unless you want to partake in the fringe scenes characteristic of these residential areas.
Important information and tips for finding perfect accommodation in hotels and apartments in San Francisco
First, search for information about the hotel online
There are dozens of booking websites online, all of which offer review options for hotels. Whether you're booking on Booking, Kayak, or even through a local agency, take some time to learn about the quality of the hotel you are going to. It's essential to read reviews on Booking (reliable as only those who stayed can write a review) or TripAdvisor (less reliable – open to anyone who wants to write).
Click here to find accommodation in San Francisco…
- Look for reviews in your language – Most accommodations abroad won't bother faking reviews in a language other than English. If you see a review in proper language (not a Google Translate job), you can assume it's a genuine review. Reviews in any language will often focus on issues that concern all speakers of that language.
- How many reviews have been written about the hotel? – If there aren't many reviews, that's suspicious. Focus on hotels that have hundreds of reviews.
- Filter out suspicious reviews – The review faking industry is extensive. When you're reviewing a hotel, be skeptical of overly positive reviews (no hotel would write negative reviews about itself).
- Identify trustworthy reviews – The most reliable reviews are those that are balanced. If you see both positive and negative points combined in the same review, consider it trustworthy.
- Recognize recurring patterns – If many reviews mention that the hotel is noisy from the outside, then unfortunately, it probably is. Conversely, if many reviews mention that the bed is super comfortable, then great, it really is… Sweet dreams!
Guy's Hot Tip – Explore the hotel's street with Google Street View
Google Earth software has opened up the opportunity for us travelers to preview where we're heading. Take a dive into this cool tool, which lets you check the quality of the hotel and its surroundings. Are there windows that open or are the windows of the hotel dirty? Check the condition of the building from outside— is it renovated? Are there broken doors or windows, etc.
Also, check the nearby surroundings of the hotel. Is the street it's located on overly busy? Or on the other hand, is the street deserted or neglected? Are there homeless people around? Abandoned businesses? Piles of junk? Etc. In San Francisco, for personal safety, it's always better to choose a noisy hotel on a bustling street rather than a quiet hotel in a side alley, and it's always wise to know the exact location of the hotel.
