As San Francisco hosts the first Art Week of the year—marking the seasonal shift between winter and spring—the city prepares to welcome collectors, designers, and cultural insiders from around the world. With no shortage of exceptional places to stay, choosing the right hotel can be as considered as the art itinerary itself. Whitewall curates the best San Francisco hotels: Hotel Drisco Pacific Heights for a refined Edwardian experience, LUMA Hotel San Francisco for its forward-thinking design and robotic butlers, or W San Francisco for a wellness reset between gallery hopping. Each offers a distinct lens on the City by the Bay; choosing where to stay is part of the cultural experience.
LUMA Hotel San Francisco
Mission Bay
Courtesy of LUMA Hotel San Francisco.
San Francisco’s reimagined Mission Bay sets the stage for LUMA San Francisco, a 299-room hotel conceived for a new generation of travelers. Opened in 2022, the property reflects a forward-thinking approach to hospitality, with architecture by Hornberger + Worstell and interiors by Cole Martinez Curtis and Associates. At its heart is a glass-enclosed community gathering space and a podium wrapped in backlit, laser-cut cellular panels inspired by the crystalline structure of salt once found in Mission Bay. High-tech robotic butlers glide through the space, greeting guests and delivering amenities with quiet efficiency, making it one of the best San Francisco hotels
Type: Modern contemporary hotel.
Amenities: GLOW FIT fitness center, Robot Butlers, Bodega Meeting Spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, mechanized shades, chilled water stations, Frette terry and linens.
In-House: Twyne Coffee Bar, Cavãna, Trevino Wine Bar, GLOW FIT.
Atmosphere: Trendy and contemporary, with a distinctly modern sensibility that feels in step with Mission Bay’s evolving identity.
What we love: The seamless blend of design and technology—from the luminous architectural details to the robotic butlers—creates a hotel experience that feels both forward-looking and thoughtfully human.
Book your reservation HERE.
Hotel Drisco Pacific Heights
Pacific Heights Neighborhood
Courtesy of Hotel Drisco Pacific Heights. Photographed by Travis Watts.
Built in 1903, this Edwardian-era boutique hotel hosts 43 rooms that balance historic character with modern comfort and views of downtown San Francisco and Twin Peaks. Set near the Golden Gate Bridge, Mission Dolores Park, Golden Gate Park, and the Presidio, the location places the city’s shopping, dining, and cultural landmarks within easy reach. Street-facing Victorian mansions and former carriage houses set a distinctly local tone. Inside, original Honduran mahogany, pocket doors, and cove ceilings remain intact, paired with heated bathroom floors and an eco-friendly radiant hydronic heating and cooling system. This is one of the best San Francisco hotels, serving as an ideal base for travelers seeking classic Bay Area charm with the ease and efficiency of contemporary living.
Type: Edwardian boutique hotel.
Amenities: Continental breakfast, evening wine reception, chauffeur services on weekday mornings, e-bikes, morning newspaper, turndown services.
In-House: Complimentary continental breakfast buffet and evening wine reception with local California wines.
Atmosphere: Warm and residential, with an old-world sensibility that feels quietly refined.
What we love: The way period details are preserved and elevated with thoughtful, sustainable upgrades.
Book your reservation HERE.
St. Regis San Francisco
SoMa (South of Market)
Courtesy of The St. Regis, San Francisco.
Housed within the Williams Building, a 20th-century landmark that balances architectural excellence with contemporary refinement, The St. Regis San Francisco is situated in SoMa’s Yerba Buena district, steps from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Union Square, and Oracle Park. The hotel’s 260 guest rooms offer sweeping city views—ideal for a pause between engagements—while the suites include signature Butler Service for seamless, last-minute planning. Throughout the property, works by local artists punctuate interiors that marry Old World elegance with a distinctly modern sensibility.
Type: Luxury hotel, part of Marriott.
Amenities: Butler Service, fitness center, indoor pool, full-service business center.
In-House: The St. Regis Bar, Astra, Salon, Williams.
Atmosphere: Polished, art-forward, and quietly grand.
What we love: Afternoon tea inspired by Caroline Astor, or settling in for California-inspired cuisine at Astra, both elegant expressions of the St. Regis legacy.
Book your reservation HERE.
The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
Nob Hill
Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco.
Set within a 1909 Neoclassical landmark on Nob Hill, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco places guests steps from Union Square while offering a sense of calm above the city’s energy. Across 336 guest rooms and suites, couture-inspired interiors pair crisp whites, soft blues, and muted grays with integrated technology designed to ease the pace of travel. Rooms balance classic detailing—marble bathrooms, tailored finishes—with plush, contemporary comfort. Dining unfolds at The Lounge and Parallel 37, where coastal California cuisine and cocktails draw from the city’s cultural rhythms. Guests can also retreat to the Half Moon Bay spa for restorative treatments.
The property’s signature Ritz-Carlton Club experience offers a “hotel within a hotel,” with a dedicated concierge, elevated in-room amenities, and four daily culinary presentations that tell the story of the surrounding neighborhood through locally sourced ingredients.
Type: Luxury hotel.
Amenities: The Ritz-Carlton Club experience, Frette linens, Diptyque bath amenities, marble bathroom, rainfall shower, garden space, fitness center.
In-House: The Lounge, Parallel 37, Half Moon Bay.
Atmosphere: Refined and serene, with a timeless elegance that feels insulated from the city’s bustle while remaining distinctly San Franciscan.
What we love: Booking the Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea, a celebratory ritual of delicate bites and seasonal flavors that brings a sense of occasion to the stay.
Book your reservation HERE.
San Francisco Proper Hotel
Mid-Market
Courtesy of the San Francisco Proper Hotel.
San Francisco Proper Hotel features 131 rooms and suites designed by Kelly Wearstler, where natural light, smart spatial planning, and high-touch comfort define the experience. Set within a restored Beaux-Arts landmark in the heart of the city, the hotel reads as a modern pied-à-terre, historic architecture layered with contemporary luxury. Interiors are characteristically bold, with expressive patterns, custom furnishings, and vintage-inspired details that feel collected rather than staged.
Dining unfolds at Villon, serving craft cocktails and seasonal bites, while Charmaine’s rooftop bar delivers one of the city’s most striking views. With a dedicated concierge team and thoughtfully designed public spaces for work or leisure, the hotel is calibrated for the rhythms of everyday life.
Type: Luxury contemporary hotel.
Amenities: Aireloom beds, Italian linens, Aesop amenities, Vifa Bluetooth speaker, 24-hour concierge services, public spaces for work, fitness center.
In-House: Charmaine’s, Villon.
Atmosphere: Tranquil yet eclectic, with a distinctly artistic sensibility.
What we love: Booking a private dining room at Gilda for intimate events and design-forward gatherings.
Book your reservation HERE.
W San Francisco
SoMa (South of Market)
Courtesy of W Hotel and Erica Nguyen.
In SoMa, W San Francisco channels an avant-garde spirit through a technology-forward approach and a distinctly cosmopolitan ethos. Designed to place guests at the center of the experience, the hotel sits within easy reach of Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Oracle Park. Family-friendly and highly functional, rooms offer sweeping downtown views alongside modern comforts including pillowtop mattresses, Davines bath amenities, and well-stocked minibars. The sleek FIT gym is fully equipped for maintaining routines on the road, while TRACE delivers a refined farm-to-table dining experience. Attentive to the details travelers miss most, W San Francisco balances high-energy design with everyday ease, a feature found in the best San Francisco hotels.
Throughout Art Week, the hotel hosts a dedicated Wellness Weekend, featuring a series of classes and activations designed to offset the city’s pace. Programming includes a Saturday-night Silent Disco, a wellness brunch, mini treatments, craft mocktails, and a curated gift bag. The Winter Sound Garden—an immersive sound bath and art installation—can also be booked separately for a more intimate, sensory experience.
Type: Contemporary technology hotel.
Amenities: Davines bath amenities, Nespresso machines, FIT fitness center, pillowtop mattresses, stocked minibar.
In-House: TRACE, Living Room Bar.
Atmosphere: Dynamic, modern, and socially driven.
What we love: The Art Week Wellness Weekend offers thoughtfully curated programming that creates a genuinely restorative pause amid the city’s most high-energy cultural moment.
Book your reservation HERE.
