Sir Francis Drake Hotel

Walk in off Powell Street, and immediately feel that you're entering an era of unassuming elegance. The staff is cordial, engaging, authentic. There is something achingly lovely about the hotel. The lobby bar makes the best pomegrante martini ever--not too sweet, with a twist of lemon that looks like art in the glass. There are wispy palms, gorgeous chandeliers, and yes, the rooms are smaller, more intimate and humble in the 1920s elegant sort of way. Bed is cozy. Starlight Room is dreamy if you can grab a table by the window. It's a great place for wandering around, looking at the architectural elements, design, and wishing you could just once run your fingers across the baby grande, sit by the fireplace, and listen instead to Macy Gray and music just the perfect counterpoint for the beauty of a hotel where you'd at least expect to hear As Time Goes By. But happy that you don't because all in all, it's pretty hip.

Located at the heart of San Francisco's downtown shopping district, you really can't beat the location. There's Macy's next door, great clubs within walking distance, cable car station, great movie theater, many bars... what's not to like? Well, basically, you are paying for the location and not much else. The room is tiny and decor is pretty disappointing for the price.

The reservations and the accommodations were good and better than expected. The service was great. I would recommend it to anyone.

Sir Francis Drake bring out SF's charm!. I planned my best friends bachelorette party in San Francisco and chose to stay at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. The hotel is historic and very charming. We had a suite and an adjoining room for about 6 women. The location (near Union Square) made it perfect as we could walk to dinner and then out to a night club. I recommend this place when you're staying in SF - it really brings out the city's charm. Also, there is a very hip night club on the top floor.

It is a classic San Francisco destination with an unbeatable location between Union Square and Chinatown. The room was a tad smaller than expected with cozy decor, but the bathroom was in dire need of renovation. Sadly, the customer service agent at the front desk was merely a wage earner lacking in enthusiasm. However, the BeefEater doormen are great. Although the room was tired the hotel had the sterile decor usually associated with corporate chains and that gave the visitor an authentic San Francisco experience.

This hotel made me feel inspired: Because the view from the upper floors provided a stellar view of the city, I was constantly inspired to get out and explore. The hotel is such a classic I was inspired to imagine what it was like to stay there during different eras.