Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
83
of you can share a room pretty comfortably. Moreover, rooms are big enough to fit your
luggage and still leav e y ou space to walk. F inally, the bathr ooms may hav e outdated
decor, but they ar e large enough to accommodate a fe w people tr ying to get their teeth
brushed and hair combed at the same time. The 60 “J acuzzi” suites all featur e Jacuzzi
tubs, and half have full kitchens, while the other half have kitchenettes with no stove. All
have refrigerators, which come stocked with minibar items. There's also a small gr ocery
store across the street for other items you may need. At breakfast time, you'll find coffee,
pastries, and fresh fruit in the lobby, where you can also enjoy free Wi-Fi. Cats and dogs
are welcome, but usually only in the smoking r ooms.
701 Post St. (at Jones St.), San F rancisco, CA 94109.
&
800/533-6533
or 415/673-2600. F ax 415/929-
1535. www.beresford.com/arms. 95 units . $119-$129 double; $140-$159 Jacuzzi suit e. Kids under 12
stay free in par ent's room. Rollaways $15; cribs fr ee. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $24, o versized
vehicles $35.
Amenities:
Access to nearby health club ($10/day); laundry services; free Internet access in
lobby.
In room:
TV/VCR, dataport, minibar, hair dryer (upon request), iron.
Hotel des Arts
This may be the only place downtown where you can find both a hip
vibe and a r oom with queen-siz e bed for under $100. The key to the hipness—besides
front desk personnel donning cool duds and funky glasses—ar e a fe w pieces of sleek
furniture combined with the contributions of sev eral emerging artists. Your kids will be
impressed by the lobby and hallways, which are essentially gallery spaces jampacked with
artwork. The permanent works are displayed in the many painted guest rooms, where the
walls are literally covered in ambitious and unr estrained paintings. Some room art may
be inappropriate for kids, so please tell the staff whether little ones will be in your group.
(You should in any case call the hotel to specifically r eserve a painted guest r oom and
even to request a particular artist.) One impressive room featuring red and black imagery
that may be too bold for young ones is the work of Shepherd Ferry, whose Obama cam-
paign posters have received much attention.
The best configurations for families are the eight suites; half of these have two double
beds in one room and the rest have a queen-size bed. The second room in each suite has
a pullout full-sized sofa sleeper. All have private bathrooms, but not all hav e tubs (only
showers). All suites hav e micr owaves and small r efrigerators, but no air conditioning.
Additional pluses include complimentar y continental br eakfast and a winning location
just 2
1
/
2
blocks from Union Square. But remember: While it may be hip, this is a two-star
hotel. Rooms are small and the building is old. At an off-peak rate of $149 the suites are
a good deal for do wntown San Francisco. But suite prices hit $279 during high occu-
pancy; they aren't worth that much.
447 Bush St. (bt w. Grant and Kearny sts.), San Francisco, CA 94108.
&
800/956-4322
or 415/965-3232.
Fax 415/956-0399. www.sfhoteldesarts.com. 43 units. $75-$250 double; $110-$279 suite. Kids under 18
stay free in parent's room. No rollaways; no cribs. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Self-parking $26.
Amenities:
Con-
cierge, non-smoking rooms.
In room:
TV, complimentary high-speed wir eless access, fridge, iron (most
rooms).
4
2
SOUTH OF MARKET (SOMA)
Hotels here are close to shopping, museums, and gr eat family entertainment, including
the Yerba Buena Center. As an up-and-coming par t of town, SoMa enjoys some of the
city's newest restaurants and attractions. The downside to the ne wness is constant con-
struction. Also, some sections of the neighborhood hav e not yet emerged, and the unsa-
vory 6th and 7th streets should definitely be avoided.
