San Francisco abounds with hotels, and for the unitiated, the number of choices can be overwhelming. You can always stay at one of the major chain hotels and do fine, but I hope that by digging into my own experiences I can steer you to something more memorable.
On that first trip to San Francisco 500 years ago, my folks and I stayed at the Hyatt Embarcadero. Seen through the eyes of a teenager, I thought it was just about the most impressive place I'd ever seen, what with all the glass elevators shooting up and down the atrium walls. I haven't stayed at this hotel since then, but recently I did stop by and it looked exactly the same as it did when I was a wee young 'un. If you're an art fan, there's an impressive sculpture in the lobby done by Charles Perry. It's too big for your living room, but it makes for a nice Kodak moment.
Nowadays, I tend towards hotels with a bit more uniqueness, and my favorite in San Francisco is the charming boutique Hotel Rex. It's located right near Union Square, which is one of the absolute "musts" on your list of places to go in SF. The Rex has some fun quirkiness to it (all dolled up in red, for example), but it still has enough class that you could bring the grandparents along. They've got a health club on site, and they even have those little refrigerators in the room. Best of all, their prices are great.
If you were smart enough to buy stock in Patterson-UTI before they went stratospheric, then you might want to splurge on the Four Seasons. Everyone knows what to expect from this brand, and their SF location won't disappoint: From the minute you walk in the door, you'll be treated like royalty. No detail is overlooked, not a single need remains unmet. Their concierge told me their policy is to never say 'no' to a guest request, which set my mind to wandering about certain 'wishes' of dubious legality. . . but I digress.
That covers both the medium and the high ends of San Francisco lodging, but there are of course dozens of others. Here's a list of some of your best bets for lodging in San Francisco.
As far as dining goes, I could write all day about the zillions of eateries in SF. One thing I will point out: Despite my fond memory of that chowder in an edible bowl, I would recommend steering clear of Fisherman's wharf for dining. It's not that the food there is bad, it's just that places tend to be a bit touristy there, and consequently more expensive. You get more (and better) for your money if you venture out into other neighborhoods. One of my favorites is Zuni Cafe, which is a fun mix of traditional-type foods and the 'locavore' phenomenon. They're famous for their wood-grilled chicken, and you really should try it. I'll admit I was skeptical when I placed my order (it takes 45 minutes to prepare!), but the wait was well worth it . . . the bird was succulent and tender, and the bread stuffing to die for!
Another excellent destination is the Slanted Door. They're largely known as a Vietnamese restaurant; but in reality they're more 'nouveau pan-Asian.' I recommend going for lunch, because the place is located right on the water at the ferry terminal and the views are fantastic. Plus, the interior is right out of Architectural Digest (be sure to check out their bathrooms!), and my fellow diners tended towards the 'sleek and beautiful' set. Don't miss the glass noodles with crab. . . deelish!
More on this later. All this talk of food has got me hungry. . .
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