Hotel G, San Francisco review: Boutique experience in the heart of the city

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This was published 6 years ago

Hotel G, San Francisco review: Boutique experience in the heart of the city

By Andrea Black
Boutique in the city: Hotel G.

Boutique in the city: Hotel G.

THE PLACE

Hotel G, San Francisco

THE LOCATION

The mish-mash of styles seems to work.

The mish-mash of styles seems to work.

If you want to be smack bang in the tourist centre of San Francisco but prefer a boutique hotel experience with design touches then this is hard to beat. The newly refurbished (and named) Hotel G is on Mason and Geary, one block from Union Square. The 153-room resurrected hotel is a short walk from Fisherman's Wharf, the shopping hubs as well as museums and galleries. Taxis, Uber and cable-cars are easy to come by just steps away.

THE SPACE

The ethos behind the two-year transformation by New York-based design office Hun Aw Studio was to subtract from the 1908 building – that is, to highlight some of the hotel's original features. They stripped it back to show off the art deco exterior, original tiles in the lobby and the hardwood floors. Modern minimalist features abound like polished concrete, walnut finishes and fog-coloured walls, which sometimes blends in with the view from the window. There's a fitness centre on site.

THE ROOM

Opt for the corner rooms for optimal views and space. Original hardwood and concrete floors are softened with hand-woven rugs. Headboards are tufted, settees are Victorian-style and the desk is mid-century modern with original school chairs. Because of the sparseness, the mish-mash of styles seems to work.

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All artworks are original (and available for sale) from a partnership between Hotel G and Creativity Explored, a non-profit arts centre for adult artists with developmental disabilities. The bathrooms are all tile with wood and copper details as is the current trend in hotel design. There's a generous mini-bar, 19th-century apothecary C.O. Bigelow toiletries, a Nespresso machine and the all-important free Wi-Fi.


THE FOOD

On site is a French-inspired bistro, Three 9 Eight Brasserie, serving a great weekend brunch. They also offer a takeout menu service, and will deliver (in a brown paper bag) such delights as a croque monsieur or a charcuterie and cheese selection for devouring on your bed. There's also a cocktail and oyster bar called Benjamin Cooper.

STEPPING OUT

A "quintessential San Francisco" guide is placed in the room, listing well-trodden experiences such as Golden Gate Park, Chinatown and The Ferry Building. All are recommended as well as a visit to the recently expanded, and highly impressive, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), a 12-minute stroll away. San Francisco is a great walking city. Stroll through the Mission District for great Mexican, one-off boutiques and bookstores and to view the recently opened David Ireland House, San Francisco's first historic artist's home. On display is Ireland's conceptual art over his entire career. Another pleasant stroll is from the Lower Haight district toward Golden Gate Park.

THE VERDICT

It's a gorgeous restoration. If you want to stay somewhere central in San Fran but also enjoy design and a more boutique experience, this is the hotel to choose.

ESSENTIALS

386 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA, US, 94102. Look for their advance purchase rate where, if you prepay, you can save 25 per cent on your stay. See hotelgsanfrancisco.com

HIGHLIGHT

The location, the design and the unique artworks.

LOWLIGHT

Polished concrete and hardwood floors in the hallways are not always conducive to a good night's sleep. Late-night footsteps led this reviewer to have a nightmare about the bogeyman, a first since childhood.

Andrea Black stayed as a guest of Hotel G and San Francisco Travel

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