Union Square has been at the heart of San Francisco’s shopping, dining, and entertainment scene for decades. It’s the neighborhood with the most abundant opportunities for retail therapy and a delicious meal, while it also offers an impressive number of outstanding hotels, many of which are near the 2.6-acre square. It’s no wonder Union Square is one of the top areas to stay in San Francisco, and these properties are some of the very best hotels near it.
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
One of the best family-friendly hotels in San Francisco, The San Francisco Marriott Marquis is only a 5-minute walk from Union Square. It offers many amenities, including a lavish spa, beauty salon, barbershop, rooftop bar, an outstanding restaurant, and several shops. One of the highlights is a new and unique offering, thanks to the brand’s partnership with idea engine TED and their award-winning educational arm TED-Ed. Interactive and mind-bending activities are featured in The Curiosity Room by TED, with the entire room acting as a “puzzle box” waiting to be solved with a series of surprises and rewards for those who solve it. The activities are customized to the destination, making it a fun way to learn about local landmarks and culture. Of course, you’ll get the usual plush and comfortable bed, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a mini-fridge.
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
Only a block from Union Square, the stylish Grand Hyatt San Francisco offers spacious rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that feature fabulous city or bay views. All rooms include comfortable pillow-top beds, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen SmartTVs that can be used to order room service and to surf the web, iPod docks, and bathrooms with shower-tub combos. There’s a 24-hour gym with high-end equipment where you can work out with a view from the floor-to-ceiling windows, a coffee bar, and a bistro with an open kitchen that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Taj Campton Place
Set within two adjoining century-old buildings in the heart of Union Square, Taj Campton Place is a luxury boutique hotel with its top-floor rooms offering a view of all the activity below. All include upscale amenities like pillow-top beds with Frette linens and goose-down pillows, Nespresso makers, BoseWave radios, flat-screen HDTVs with pay-per-view movies, and minibars with premium alcohol and various snacks. There’s an excellent fitness center on-site, along with the top-rated Campton Place Restaurant, a destination in its own right with two Michelin stars and a menu that features a delicious mix of Californian and Indian fare, with Asian, French, and Mediterranean influences.
Hotel Zeppelin San Francisco, a Viceroy Urban Retreat
Located in a seven-story building just a block from Union Square and one of the best boutique hotels in the city, Hotel Zeppelin San Francisco offers unique accommodation with a psychedelic, vintage meets modern design. It has a rock ‘n roll vibe with rooms that include hand-painted murals, retro band posters, lava lamps, vintage record players, 48″ to 55″ flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines with complimentary capsules, free bottled water, mini-fridges, and free Wi-Fi. Every morning donuts and Sightglass coffee are available in the lobby, and there’s also a game room/lounge with seating areas and games like foosball, pool, old-school skeeball, and more. The on-site restaurant is popular with hotel guests and locals alike, serving Californian fare with locally sourced ingredients that can be enjoyed with cool craft cocktails.
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square
The only hotel located right across the street from Union Square, The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square is an iconic hotel that opened in 1904, known for its impressive lobby with crystal chandeliers, marble columns, and a historic Magneta grandfather clock. A variety of rooms are available, many with magnificent views, particularly in the Tower Building, where the rooms feature large bay windows. All rooms come with signature Heavenly Beds and Baths. Right on-site, there’s a tasting room for wine sampling, the romantic Clock Bar, which offers cocktails and light bites, and two restaurants that serve American fare. The hotel is known for going all out for Christmas.
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco is a legend, known worldwide as one of the finest hotels in the city. It’s located at the crest of Nob Hill, just minutes from Union Square, and at the crossing of three cable car lines. Guests can enjoy an unforgettable experience that includes some of the best views of San Francisco from its famous in-house restaurant, the Top of the Mark. Its sky lounge provides panoramic views and some of the best live entertainment in the Bay Area. All of the rooms are luxurious, featuring spectacular views and amenities like pillow menus, flat-screen TVs, and Keurig coffeemakers. Suites have separated bedrooms and living rooms and DVD players, while the upgraded options come with a fireplace, whirlpool tub, or glass-enclosed terrace.
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
The Hilton San Francisco Union Square is only two blocks from Union Square. A sprawling hotel that covers nearly an entire block, it hosts more than 1,900 rooms and has a wealth of facilities, including an outdoor heated pool, two restaurants, a bar, and shops. The Skybar, the highest in the city, is a highlight, offering a jaw-dropping panoramic view that can be enjoyed with a refreshing drink. Most rooms feature city views, and those on the higher floors can enjoy a view of the bay or the Golden Gate Bridge. All come with flat-screen TVs, Cuisinart coffeemakers with complimentary coffee, and work desks.
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco offers a glamorous option midway up Nob Hill, about a 5-minute walk from Union Square. It oozes elegance while offering magnificent views from a stately, century-old building. It features museum-quality art, lots of marble, sparkling chandeliers, and fresh orchids throughout, while the rooms and suites feature beds with high-thread-count linens, 46″ flat-screen TVs with premium channels, and marble bathrooms. On-site, you’ll find a lavish spa that’s a destination in itself, an indoor pool, and a Jacuzzi. In The Lounge, enjoy afternoon tea and occasional music, and you can enjoy a delectable seasonal menu at the on-site restaurant.
Palace Hotel
Only three blocks from Union Square, the Palace Hotel is a landmark built in 1875 – the largest and most expensive hotel in the world at the time. Today, it’s one of the best Marriott hotels in San Francisco. While it’s been restored, guests today enjoy modern amenities and the glamour of a bygone era. The luxurious rooms and suites still retain the original architectural details, traditional furnishings, and 14-foot-high ceilings, along with flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges. The suites boast floor-to-ceiling windows with city views and separate living rooms – one even includes a grand piano. There are multiple on-site dining options, all highly acclaimed with menus featuring California cuisine, and guests can also enjoy high tea on the weekends under a stained-glass dome in the Garden Court. Live jazz is offered at the Pied Piper Bar.
The Orchard Hotel
Steps from Union Square and less than a block from the Powell-Hyde Street cable-car line, The Orchard Hotel offers accommodation in what’s been named one of the top eco-friendly properties in the country. The first in California to be LEED-certified, it offers comfortable rooms at affordable rates. All include king-size beds with pillow-top mattresses, soft linens, flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, bathrobes, a stocked minibar, and even a Deep Sleep CD to help you get a good night’s rest. Bathrooms come with shower/tub combinations or showers only, along with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. There’s a small gym on-site and a restaurant/bar that serves delicious and fresh local and organic food.
Hotel Triton
The Hotel Triton is about a 5-minute walk from Union Square near the Chinatown Dragon Gate. It has a trendy, artsy feel and includes colorful standard rooms along with celebrity-designed and -themed suites like the Kathy Griffin “D-List” suite and the Häagen Dazs Ice Cream “Sweet Suite” that comes with a freezer full of ice cream. Each one includes a minibar, flat-screen TV, and free Wi-Fi. There’s a fitness center with cardio machines and free weights, free coffee and tea in the lobby every morning, and a complimentary evening wine hour with occasional live music and poetry readings.
Omni San Francisco Hotel
The historic Omni San Francisco Hotel at the foot of Nob Hill, just a short walk from Union Square, sits within a former bank building that dates back to the 1920s, complete with a lobby with Austrian crystal chandeliers. One of San Francisco’s most romantic hotels, it offers a mix of modern and Old World charm with sophisticated rooms and suites that include flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, minibars, coffeemakers, and robes. Bob’s Steak & Chop House is on-site, offering a menu that features outstanding prime cuts. You’ll also find a large fitness center on-site to work off those delicious meals.
Hotel Adagio
Less than a 5-minute walk from Union Square, the upscale Hotel Adagio is a member of the Marriott Autograph Collection. It’s set in a landmark building with an ornate Spanish Colonial-style facade. Standard rooms have large windows, flat-screen TVs, premium sound systems, mini-fridges, and marble bathrooms. Luxurious suites include separate living rooms with fireplaces; some have terraces, many of which feature city views. There’s a hip cocktail lounge on-site along with 24/7 fitness facilities and multiple dining options, like the theater-themed Mortimer Bar & Lounge, popular with locals and guests. It has a menu of entrees, small plates, specialty cocktails, and local wine and beer.
