The Fairmont
The Ritz-Carleton
There are so many wonderful hotels to choose from in San Francisco, each with its own personality and style.
The Westin St. Francis
Sir Francis Drake
Hot Hotel Recommendations!

All three of these are in the thick of world-class theatres, stores and restaurants, just two blocks up from Union Square,these two contrasting hotels have alot to offer: Ian Shraeger has finally come to San Francisco with his brand of swank hotels decorated in the imaginative and provocative style of Philippe Starck. If you are a fan of other Shraeger hotels such as the Delano in South Beach Miami and The Mondrian in LA, you will be pleased with his latest makeover of the venerable San Francisco hotel, The Clift. As is in keeping with their vision of what hotels should be, The Clift, which has always had an elegant, old-world panache, is now a dramatic stageset with surprising props, finishes and furnishings that somehow work together in an intriguing Dali-esque fashion. The lobby and the bar, which happily retains the original redwood walls (said to be cut from one tree) and Art Deco light fixtures, is abuzz with drama and fun expectations. People go there to see and be seen. The restaurant Asia de Cuba (415-929-2300) is a continuation of the stylish drama scene and features a fusion of (surprise!) Asian and Cuban cuisine. A delicious menu of sizable appetizers is available for grazing in the bar, The Redwood Room. Try the delicious tuna tartare, "Tunapica"! Everyone who works there from the doormen to the waitstaff, is incredibly, positively enthusiastic and helpful. The hotel rates start at $325 for guest rooms and go up to $2000 plus for deluxe one bedroom suites. 495 Geary Street @ Taylor Street. Reservations: 415-775-4700. www.clifthotel.com and www.ianschragerhotels.com .

For a more low-key experience that is also easier on the wallet, right across the street from The Clift is the Warwick Regis Hotel. This 80- room hotel offers classic European-style elegance and features a lovely, intimate restaurant called La Scene Café & Bar (Phone: 415-292-6430), replete with the mellowing tonic of live piano music. Offering an elegant dinner menu with a good wine list and a very nice staff, it's an excellent place to go before heading to the theatre, or for a drink afterwards. The rates for rooms offer an exceptionally excellent value, starting as low as $129 per nite. Phone: 415-928-7900, 490 Geary Street. www.warwickregis.com

Another excellent choice for very comfortable, European-style elegance at very reasonable prices comparable to the Warwick is the Chancellor Hotel, which is actually right on Union Square! The cable car goes right by the hotel. Their motto is "Tradition, Service & Value Since 1914", yet it is completely updated. For reservations call 1-800-428-4748. Local phone: 415-362-2004. Address: 433 Powell Street on Union Square. Their website is www.chancellorhotel.com.
There are the "grande dames" such as my favorite: The Westin St. Francis,(3335 Powell St. 415-397-7000) which is located right on Union Square, which has world-class stores and restaurants, and cable cars stop right in front of the hotel, which take you up and over the hills to Fisherman's Wharf. The lobby is luxurious in a grand classic luxurious Old World tradition, and The Compass Room is a wonderfully elegant place to have high tea in the afternoon and also a very popular place to go to for drinks in the evening, while listening to live music. Nearby is the Sir Francis Drake (450 Powell St., 415-392-7755) ,which is also a good choice, with romantic dining at the Scala Bistro next to the lobby, and Harry Denton's Starlight Ballroom on the top floor for those who like to party and dance in an elegant room with great views. The venerable Clift Hotel (Geary @ Taylor, 415-775-4700) is very popular with Hollywood royalty, such as Joan Collins, Micheal Caine and others, is getting a make-over from Ian Schraeger, of The Delano Hotel fame in South Beach Miami, but the original classic Deco look will be retained. The Redroom Lounge, with its redwood walls supposedly cut from one redwood tree, the Gustav Klimt paintings and the piano bar make it a popular place to sip a martini. You never know who might end up playing the piano there--once Stevie Wonder played a few spontaneous songs! It's convenient to Union Square and the theatres as well.

Other "Grande Dame"-style, lavish hotels, can be found at the top of Nob Hill, including the world famous Fairmont Hotel, (950 Mason St., 415-772-5000) which houses many excellent restaurants and nightspots, including the Tonga Room, which features a tropical rainfall near the dance floor, and there's The Mark Hopkins,(1 Nob Hill, 415-392-3434) which has the famous Top of the Mark cocktail lounge with magnificent views and live music for dancing if you like. The Huntington Hotel (1075 California St., 415-4745400) can also be found on Nob Hill, and features a turn-of-the-century restaurant The Big Four, and an elegant piano bar. Down the hill on the other side of Market, still close to Union Square, there's the luxurious Palace Hotel, (2 New Montgomery St., 415-512-1111), famous for it's Garden Court Restaurant, with it's glass roof and luxurious, lush Victorian setting, a lovely place for Sunday brunch, and was featured in a scene from the James Bond movie "View to a Kill". Of course, there's the Ritz-Carleton Hotel (600 Stockton St., 415-773-6198) on the Nob Hill slope. The name speaks for itself! As for a very contempoary luxury hotel near Union Square there's the Pan Pacific Hotel (500 Post St., 415-771-8600). Tidbit: Paul McCartney stayed here not too long ago.

The fairly new, sleek W Hotel (181 Third St., 415-777-5300) in the hip SOMA area is a good choice for business trips since it is fully wired with computers for e-mail, etc., and caters specifically to the hi-tech crowd. It's right next to the Museum of Modern Art, and just around the corner from the Moscone Convention Center, and the Sony Metreon entertainment complex, which is full of diversion, from movies, including the huge IMAX theatre, to all kinds of stores and restaurants. Also in this area is thehuge Marriott Hotel (55 4th St., 800-228-9290). The building is known locally as "the jukebox in the sky". The cocktail lounge at the top has some of the most dramatic views around.

Perhaps worth mentioning for those who have their heart set on staying in a hotel at Fisherman's Wharf are The Sheraton at Fisherman's Wharf, (2500 Mason St., 415-362-5500), and The Holiday Inn at Fisherman's Wharf (1300 Columbus Ave., 415-771-9000).

For those wanting a more "boutique", small hotel experience, the Kimpton Group (www.kimptongroup.com) has many such elegant properties, that also house fine restaurants, for instance: The Prescott Hotel, (545 Post St., 800-283-7322) which features Wolfgang Puck's Postrio Restaurant near Union Square. Guests can go to the cozy second floor of the hotel for complimentary wine and hors d'oevres and low-key socializing in the early evenings. The Hotel Palomar , (12 Fourth St., 877-294-9711) near the Metreon and Moscone, is beautifully decorated in a contemporary, yet classic manner, and features the very popular, upscale Fifth Floor Restaurant. Hotel Monaco, (501 Geary St., 800-214- 4220) just steps away from many theatres and close to Union Square, features the elegant Art Nouveau-style Grand Café. The Kimpton Group has several other excellent hotels, with top-notch restaurants, that are worth considering.

The Joie de Vivre Hotels (1-800-SFTRIPS) are also worth considering. To mention one of their hotels there is the Maxwell Hotel (386 Geary St. , 415-986-2000) right near Union Square. The historic building's interior is decorated with an Art Deco Theatre flair , featuring a restaurant with a piano bar and is an excellent dining choice for a glamorous night out. For a more adventurous experience, there's the Costanoa,(650-879-1100) on the San Mateo Coast just south of San Francisco, for a unique luxury cabin/camping experience to get close to nature, such as elephant seals! There's hiking, biking, horseback-riding and various spa treatments available. Check out the Joie de Vivre Hotels website at www.sftrips.com for more information and ideas.

Personality Hotels (www.personalityhotels.com )also offers many stylish boutique hotels to choose from. The Kensington Park Hotel (450 Post St., 415-788-6400) is a warmly classic, sophisticated choice, while Diva ( 440 Geary St., 415-885-0200) is a very contemporary , sleek Deco Moderne spot that is popular with the fashion and music crowd. There are several others that all have their own appeal, so check out their website if you would like to contemplate them.

Across the bay, in the Berkeley hills, is the world-class Claremont Resort and Spa (41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley, 800-551-7266). It's housed in a beautiful, white, Edwardian-style sprawling building that can be seen across the Bay from San Francisco. It features an Olympic-sized pool and an outdoor hot tub, with great views of The City (as we call San Francisco), as well as a wide assortment of spa services that must be reserved well in advance, several restaurants, and many tennis courts. It's reminiscent of the Edwardian-style Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego. Tidbit: The Rolling Stones sometimes stay here when they're in town on tour.

Now's the tough part: which one to pick??

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