San Francisco has always done things its own way — from the counterculture of the 1960s to today’s tech-driven change — and locals still prefer hotels with personality over cookie-cutter chains. As someone who’s watched the city’s hotel scene evolve, I keep returning to independent, design-forward properties for their character, intimacy, and the chance to support small businesses.
Below are two boutique hotels that capture different sides of San Francisco style: a cozy Presidio inn with old-world charm and a bold, modern downtown hideaway that’s unapologetically colorful. These are the spots I’d recommend to friends who want a distinctly San Francisco stay, away from the convention-center crowds.
Inn at the Presidio
Tucked in the Presidio, this proper bed-and-breakfast occupies a restored Georgian Revival building with long porches and rocking chairs that look toward the upper reaches of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Inn at the Presidio feels deliberately removed from Fisherman’s Wharf bustle, offering a full morning breakfast and complimentary wine and cheese each evening. The beds have a devoted following for comfort, and the three-story brick house has a peaceful, residential atmosphere. Outside the front door are miles of trails for hiking and running, the Walt Disney Family Museum, and an 18-hole golf course that rolls through the park’s hills — all part of what makes the Inn a perennial local favorite. —Elise Craig
San Francisco Proper
Opened in November 2017, San Francisco Proper arrived as a statement hotel. The lobby, styled by Kelly Wearstler, quickly became a social hub, and Charmaine’s rooftop bar draws crowds with firepits and sweeping skyline views. Guest rooms ditch the city’s usual beige in favor of bold pattern and color: bright florals on furnishings and rugs, mirrored accents, eclectic wall groupings, and dramatic black-and-white prints. The result is exuberant, lively design that makes a stay here feel playful, modern, and unmistakably of this city. —K.L.