Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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left o ver for luggage. I n addition, the “junior suites, ” which ar e r eally one big r oom,
combine a king-size bed and a queen-size pullout sofa bed. Some of the junior suites also
have bigger bathrooms with even more counter space.
The ex ercise r oom is spacious and w ell-equipped, and the business center has fr ee
high-speed wireless Internet access, as do all the guest r ooms. The lobby serves compli-
mentary coffee in the morning and lemonade and cookies in the afternoon. Although the
on-site restaurant, Cortez, is excellent, it's not ideal for a family meal.
550 Geary St. (btw. Taylor and Jones sts.), San Francisco, CA 94102.
&
800/228-8830
or 415/775-5000.
Fax 415/775-9388. w ww.thehoteladagio.com. 171 units, including 2 penthouse suit es. From $169 dou-
ble; from $329 suite. Kids under 18 stay free in parent's room. Rollaways and cribs $20. AE, DC, DISC, MC,
V. Valet parking $39; oversized vehicles up to $75.
Amenities:
Restaurant; exercise room; courtesy car;
business center; room service (limited hours); massage (in-room); babysitting; laundry service; same-day
dry cleaning; executive-level rooms.
In room:
Portable A/C, TV w/movies and video games, dataport, free
high-speed Internet access, minibar/fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe, CD player, iPod dock.
Hotel Bijou
Movie-loving families can check out the 10-seat scr eening r oom, “Le
Petit Theatre Bijou,” off the hotel lobby. A double bill of films shot in San Francisco plays
every evening at 7 and 9:30pm. The hotel will also featur e kids' movies on r equest at
other times of the day. There's even a candy counter at the front desk, and coffee available
any time of day.
The Joie de Vivre hotel gr oup livened up this 1911 building with plenty of vibrant
paint: think burgundy , y ellow, and purple. B ut the guest r ooms, named after locally
made films, remain tiny, and the bathrooms are especially small. Given its location on a
less savory section of M ason Street, the B ijou is best left to experienced trav elers with
savvy kids who want an inexpensiv e, but fun, hotel.
111 Mason St. (at Eddy St.), San F rancisco, CA 94102.
&
800/771-1022
or 415/771-1200. Fax 415/346-
3196. www.hotelbijou.com. 65 units . $129-$179 double . Kids 12 and under sta y free in par ent's room.
Rollaways $15; cribs fr ee. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park ing $28; o versized vehicles $35.
Amenities:
Continental breakfast; concierge; laundry service; dry cleaning.
In room:
TV, dataport, wireless high speed
internet hair dryer, iron.
Hotel Metropolis
The Metropolis is the only hotel in S an Francisco that boasts a
suite just for kids. Designed by the hotel's president, who is also a mother, the kids' room
of the suite has a bunk bed, a child-siz e desk, a huge chalkboar d, and loads of to ys. A
bedroom for parents is connected to this miniature play land, as is a living room that can
accommodate the nanny or mor e siblings. The suite is fr equently booked and the hotel
is considering adding another. If you can't get the suite, ask if any of the interconnecting
doubles are available; more adventurous kids may pr efer staying in a guest r oom that
actually feels like a hotel, rather than another IKEA-furnished kid 's room. All rooms are
compact and the bathr ooms tiny, but the decor is light and fr esh. You'll find free coffee
in the mornings and a complimentar y wine r eception Fridays and S aturdays from 4 to
6pm.
Unfortunately, the hotel is located at the south end of M ason Street, on one of the
grittier blocks ar ound Union Square, and I might feel uncomfor table returning late in
the evening (although a security guar d is on duty o vernight and the r eception desk is
staffed 24 hr.). Even 1 block nor th is an improvement, so just use caution and consider
taking a cab if you're out late.
25 Mason St. (btw. Eddy and Turk sts.), San Francisco, CA 94102.
&
800/553-1900
or 415/775-4600. Fax
415/775-4606. w ww.hotelmetropolis.com. 105 units , including 6 suit es. $99-$200 double; fr om $250
suite. Kids under 17 stay free in parent's room. Rollaways $10; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking
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