The hotels below have been divided into four pricing categories:
$$$$ (over US$300)
$$$ (US$200 to US$299)
$$ (US$100 to US$199)
$ (under US$100)
The prices quoted here are the starting prices for a double room, excluding room tax and breakfast, unless otherwise specified.

Hotel prices in San Francisco are subject to a room tax of 14%. This is not normally included in the listed or quoted prices but added to the bill upon checkout. Note that the room tariffs given here are likely to fluctuate with the economy and special packages and discounts are often available. Check rates with each establishment prior to booking.

Doubletree Hotel - San Francisco Airport
Just 10 minutes from San Francisco Airport with views of scenic San Francisco Bay, this Hilton hotel is popular for business travellers and conventions. Complimentary 24-hour airport shuttles link travellers with the airport BART station for direct transport to Downtown. The spacious European-style rooms and suites have coffee makers, cable TV, CD players and Wi-Fi. Guests have complimentary use of the business facilities and neighbouring pool and fitness centre, and can enjoy the Chutney Lounge and Bay jogging trail. The meeting and banquet space will accommodate 10 to 250, with an outdoor courtyard popular for receptions. The hotel is pet friendly.

835 Airport Boulevard, Burlingame
Tel: (650) 344 5500.
Website: www.doubletree.com  
Price: $$

Harbor Court Hotel
Perched on the city's eastern coastline, the Harbor Court offers an unrivalled view of the Bay Bridge. Its 131 rooms contain an entertainment centre, a fax machine, a two-line telephone, a modem point and a moderately sized sitting room with a small table. Rooms combine traditional and contemporary furnishings, and some beds are canopied. Windows are double-glazed to block out traffic noise. Guests receive complimentary use of the adjoining athletic facilities. Two local convention and business venues can be reserved through the hotel. The Ozumo Japanese restaurant next door offers room service. Valet parking is recommended.

165 Steuart Street, Embarcadero
Tel: (415) 882 1300 or 1 866 792 6283.
Website: www.harborcourthotel.com
Price: $$

Hyatt Regency San Francisco
Regarded as one of San Francisco's premier conference centres, the Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero Center is centrally located near upscale restaurants and local transportation. The Hyatt's business facilities include more than 35 meeting rooms with telephones and audiovisual support, banquet facilities and high-speed Internet access. The 802 rooms are similarly well equipped with dual-line telephones with conferencing capabilities, modem points and workstations with ergonomic chairs. Some suites have balconies. Waterfront rooms and suites feature breathtaking views of Alcatraz Island, the Bay and San Francisco's bridges. Continental breakfast is included. The Hyatt also boasts the city's only revolving restaurant, Equinox.

5 Embarcadero Center, Embarcadero
Tel: (415) 788 1234 or 1 800 233 1234.
Website: www.sanfrancisco.regency.hyatt.com  
Price: $$$

Cavallo Point
Located in historic Fort Baker on the Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge, near Sausalito, Cavallo Point seamlessly incorporates luxury and historic preservation within natural surrounds. Sixty-eight rooms are in National Historic Landmark buildings, formerly officers' quarters. The remaining 74 rooms and suites are contemporary with high wood ceilings and panoramic vistas of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. All rooms have organic bedding and linen, flatscreen TVs, Internet, a fireplace and daybed for reading or relaxing. The Healing Arts Center & Spa has 11 treatment rooms, a heated outdoor basking pool and Tea Bar. Murray Circle restaurant specialises in Bay Area cuisine.

Fort Baker, Marin County
Tel: (415) 339 4700.
Website: www.cavallopoint.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

Hotel Monaco
The epitome of romantic indulgence, Hotel Monaco features hand-painted ceiling domes, a marble staircase, a soaring two-storey fireplace and a front desk reminiscent of an old steamer trunk. The 201 guest rooms (including 24 luxury suites) are lavishly decorated and include plasma screen TVs, whirlpool baths, luxury toiletries, bathrobes, DVD and CD players, Internet and bar fridges. The hotel's spa is fully equipped and the business centre includes Bloomberg 24/7. Meals are served in the Petit Café, or the adjacent Parisian Grand Café. Alternatively, indulge in cheese and wine by the fireside in the cosy living room. The Monaco is pet friendly.

501 Geary Street, Downtown/Theatre District/Union Square
Tel: (415) 292 0100 or 1 866 622 5284.
Website: www.monaco-sf.com  
Price: $$$

Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco
Guests here, in the city's third tallest building, stay for work and pleasure. All rooms have panoramic views of San Francisco (in-room binoculars for cable-car spotting are provided), modern décor with sophisticated Asian touches, 260-thread-count Frette Egyptian cotton sheets, and marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs. Business facilities include a personal computer workstation and modem point, as well as a business centre and conference facilities. Guests may also rent laptops or cellular phones. The health club has flatscreen TVs with headphones for those who wish to work while they exercise. There is also an upscale California-Asian restaurant, Silks.

222 Sansome Street, Financial District
Tel: (415) 276 9888 or 1 800 622 0404.
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com  
Price: $$$$

Hotel Diva
Travellers who associate contemporary hotels with stark white décor and a surgical air may be surprised by the Hotel Diva. Rooms have the hotel's signature cobalt carpeting and such furnishings as stainless-steel accent tables and headboards. For the romantically inclined, the hotel will shower the bed in rose petals and provide a range of specially made alluring bath products. If work calls, the hotel has all of the standard business amenities. It also maintains a listing of all the hottest entertainment and dining establishments in town. The California Pizza Kitchen provides room service. Valet and self-parking are optional.

440 Geary Street, Union Square
Tel: (415) 885 0200 or 1 800 553 1900.
Website: www.hoteldiva.com  
Price: $

Orchard Hotel
One of San Francisco's smaller boutique hotels, the Orchard has 104 guest rooms, including nine suites. Luxuries include quality linens and toiletries, Balinese wood, black granite bathroom countertops, plush bathrobes, surround-sound DVD and CD players, Internet and mini-bars. Complimentary European breakfast buffet is served downstairs. Vaulted ceilings, arched windows and a marble lobby are enhanced by the doorman's friendly welcome. Owner Mrs SC Huang also owns the Orchard Garden, a few doors down on Bush Street. This is a true ‘green' hotel, the third in the USA to be awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

665 Bush Street, Union Square/Nob Hill
Tel: (415) 362 8878 or 1 888 717 2881.
Website: www.theorchardhotel.com  
Price: $$

Super 8
This popular American motel chain caters to travellers who want clean, comfortable accommodation but are not concerned with personalised hotel services. All rooms and suites are furnished in a simple style and have the same basic facilities, including complimentary local telephone calls, coffee maker and hairdryer, the difference being the suites are larger. Jacuzzi rooms are available. A continental breakfast is included in the price, as well as in-room tea and coffee. Situated a short walk from the Presidio and Fisherman's Wharf, the hotel is close to dozens of restaurants. Parking is free on a first come first served basis.

2440 Lombard Street/Fisherman's Wharf
Tel: (415) 922 0244.
Website: www.super8.com  
Price: $

Clift Hotel
Nearly a century old, the Clift is a quintessentially local landmark set amid the characteristic theatre district. Once known for its striking red panelled interior, it is now adored for its Philippe Starck makeover. The designer waved his creative wand in 2001 and turned the Clift into one of the city's must-see hotels. Proof lies in the Redwood Room bar where locals fond of a little luxury gather after work. The 363 guest rooms are small but elegantly decorated in shades of violet and grey. Egyptian cotton sheets, Internet and an in-room massage and spa service add to the luxury. Union Square is nearby.

495 Geary Street
Tel: (415) 775 4700 or 1 800 697 1791.
Website: www.clifthotel.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

MacArthur Place
In the heart of northern California's Sonoma and Napa Valleys, MacArthur Place Inn is a charming and luxurious getaway. Originally built in the 1850s, the estate was transformed into a romantic country inn in 1997, and today features 64 spacious guest rooms, cottages and suites on 2.4 hectares (6 acres) of lush garden. Every room is individually decorated with custom fabrics, furniture and local artworks. Four-poster beds, open fireplaces, whirlpool baths and locally produced organic grape seed bath products complement the on-site Garden Spa treatments. Saddles Restaurant, a superb steakhouse in the estate's century-old barn, also serves complimentary buffet breakfast.

29 East MacArthur Street, Sonoma
Tel: (707) 938 2929 or 1 800 722 1866.
Website: www.macarthurplace.com  
Price: $$$$

White Swan Inn
A crackling fireplace in each of the 26 guestrooms and suites adds to the warmth and charm of this English-style B&B. Complete with dark wood panelling, rich floral carpets, plush furniture and enchanting art and collectibles, the White Swan offers many extras that encourage guests to relax and let the world go by. Complimentary treats include home-cooked gourmet breakfast buffet in the dining room, evening wine and hors d'oeuvres served fireside in the cosy parlour, library, mini-bar with complimentary drinks, bathrobes and coffee maker. Breakfast in bed is an option, and valet parking is available. Plan on at least a couple of nights.

845 Bush Street, Nob Hill/Union Square
Tel: (415) 775 1755 or 1 800 999 9570.
Website: www.whiteswaninnsf.com  
Price: $$