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Italian familia SFO Here we go yet again with our 5-year review of properties in the SAN FRANCISCO ‘Bay Area.’

“The Coldest winter I ever did spend, was a Summer in San Francisco…”

                     -Mark Twain, the author of  Huckleberry Finn 1868

Address Accordingly!

San Francisco has been one of our favourite cities for decades, and by now, we’ve learned enough to know to dress accordingly. Summertime temperatures during the day can be warm and wonderful, but if that San Francisco ‘blanket’ of mist and fog rolls in, the temperature drops swiftly and dramatically. Toting a sweater or warmer gear must be recruited to keep the troops cosy. Proper planning prevents frostbite.

Fairmont San Francisco.

Fairmont San Francisco.

Plucking a property to stay at is equally essential; address accordingly. Our choice of bed nights varies depending on which parts of the Bay area are of interest. For a seven-night stay, we often recommend trying two.

We’ve recently jumped on a Baker’s Dozen bedsprings (our survey extended over 16 weeks in the city) and have THREE Very Top Spots to Share!

Picking the proper bedsprings in this city by the bay can be daunting. San Francisco was built atop seven very steep hills. This is only one of the reasons the ‘fabled cable cars’ were invented here and are still the mainstay of getting around. They are supported by antenna-toting trollies and busses powered by overhead cables, making the city user-friendly without needing a car. The ups and downs of the city limits make accessing attractions and points of interest a challenge. Our answers lay in more than one-bed site when visiting; mixing and matching a bit when booking can make exploring easier. Variety is the spice of life while on the road.

These three soon-to-be-mentioned properties represent the diamonds in the San Francisco headdress. Because each ‘owns’ a different part of the San Francisco landscape. They all make good dollars and sense choices. Spread the word, but not too far…when our words get fully ‘out there’, we only discover later that there are no beds at the inn because these beds are ‘full to the brim with fellow countryman.’

The Handsome Handlery Hotel on Union Square

Handlery Union Square Hotel - exterior

Handlery Union Square Hotel – exterior

We first reviewed this family-owned and run hotel in the heart of Union Square over 4 decades ago, and our support has not altered in that entire time. This hotel boasts a brilliant location, with a staff that treats guests as property owners. We still have to find a hotel that rivals this level of service and commitment anywhere on the planet. The real perks of the Handlery include a fabulous pool, exceptional location access to MACYS and world-class shopping and eating.  Statistics don’t lie; shopping is still the highest on the International visitor’s list, and this property remains in the strike zone for the best shopping in the city. When was the last time you checked into any hotel where the manager or owner came to the front desk to say, Welcome!’?

The CAZA Hotel on Fisherman’s Wharf

We must admit we were pleasantly surprised. We’d booked through a massive booking platform and only alluded to the purpose of our visit. We pay for rooms to assure our readers don’t think we’ve been gifted a freebie.  To have the sales manager in the lobby, working their magic with other guests in the line to check in, was far more than refreshing. It was unheard of, actually, in other hotel circles. While we waited patiently in line, we enjoyed a free game of bean bag toss, called “Corn-holing’ in the USA, drank a pint of tap-drawn lager beer and signed up for a free bike for an afternoon pedalling.  Our hats off to the training team for this hotel; it seems they embedded exceptional service to everyone.

Cavallo Point Lodge & SpaAuthor car foc.

Just across the Golden Gate Bridge, nested in Fort Baker, is one of America’s best hotels and spas. The smart money visiting the ‘City by the Bay’ takes time to visit. Cavallo Point tops our listing with many visitor perks included in the location and nearby attractions. Don’t depart the planet before testing us out here.  The lovely LEXUS luxury cars at the front door are only a few great attributes of a stay here. Don’t have wheels? Just ask for the keys, and you’re free to explore nearby Muir Woods Redwoods, A shopping spree along the Sausalito waterfront of light-out for the nearby shopping malls surrounding one of America’s best-heeled communities in Marin County. If the thought of driving doesn’t suit you, enjoy one of the Inn’s many high-class electric bikes, helmets included ‘on the house’… with up to three hours of full-power, you can ride across the Golden Gate, explore nearby historic sites or catch the hourly ferry to Fisherman’s Wharf.

The Views from nearly anywhere on this property are spectacular, and room amenities are simply the best available anywhere. Settle down on a barstool, walk the grounds and view the galleries of vintage photos and artworks. This is not the cheapest bed site in the Bay area, but it’s the best value for a great return on your holiday investment.  We spent our evenings rubbing shoulders with celebrities on the Lodge’s comfy front porch rockers; when it gets a bit cool, a staff member kindly drapes your lap in a quilted blanket: A pure touch of luxury while rocking…

 An honourable mention or Two for Beds Should Be!

The Fairmont Hotel

Fairmont double double.

Fairmont double-double.

The Fairmont is part of the Accor Hotel Group on Nob Hill. It is slightly pricey, but if you want the grand lobby, views over ‘the city by the Bay’, and historic memories sprinkled throughout like museum pieces, it is THE PLACE to be nested while in Town.

Tony Bennett, the crooner, first sang his famed song, ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco,’ here. Plan a short stay here. Eatery options and walking-distance sights are slim. However, if you play your plastic correctly, you can match this historic venue with another closer to the action or head for Sausalito. Ask for the free postcards, stationery, and pens at the front desk. The rooms and views are strictly top-shelf.

The Four Seasons Hotel downtown is another high-end property that boasts the best service levels anywhere in San Francisco; even the ballpoint pens they give away at the front desk and in the rooms with monogrammed stationary are exemplary. Ask for a room on the top of the building where the seagulls soar over the city. We feel the same way here; mix and match this property with one of the others on our list! Variety is the spice of Life!

Travel Tip: San Francisco should be enjoyed from several perspectives, so we often suggest a balance of hotel and accommodation options when visiting.

San Francisco room view.

San Francisco room view.

Contacts:

Handlery Hotel, Union Square: www.sf.handlery.com

CAZA Hotel, Fisherman’s Wharf: www.hotelcaza.com

Cavallo Point The Lodge at the Golden Gate: www.cavalopoint.com

The Fairmont Hotel, Nob Hill: www.fairmonth.com

The Four Seasons Hotel SFO: www.fourseasons.com/sanfrancisco/

Airline thanks go to:

UNITED Airlines: www.untied.com

Delta Airlines: www.delta.com

And Ground assistance and advice.Thank You to:

California Tourism: www.visitcalifornia.com

San Francisco CVB: www.sanfranciscobay.com

Brand USA: www.thebrandusa.com

 

 

 

Written by: Mark William Sheehan

 

 

 

 

 

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