The Best Family Hotels to Book in San Francisco, California

A warm red-brick exterior welcomes you and your family when you arrive at the Argonaut Hotel. Kids will love the bay views and nautical theme, while adults will appreciate the exposed brick and original timbers. Youngsters will also enjoy the fun extras, such as access to DVDs, a treasure chest of toys, scavenger hunts, games around the fireplace or the Xbox One on a large TV in the lobby. Finish the day at the family-friendly Blue Mermaid Restaurant. You can even bring your pup along.

Built in 1903, this stately hotel is perfect for park visits. Kids will devour the free continental breakfast, while parents will appreciate complimentary evening wine and cheese. You can take it outside on the front porch and relax in rocking chairs while the kids sit around the firepits and play board games or discuss their visit to the nearby Walt Disney Family Museum. The inn’s warm, classic rooms are spacious, but its suites have pull-out couches, making them ideal for families.

Kimpton properties make little ones feel appreciated with a welcome gift on arrival. It’s all part of their Kimpton Kids program, which also includes family-friendly dining, kids’ happy hour and assistance with finding babysitters or childcare equipment rentals. Your children can play lawn games in the outdoor courtyard while you enjoy a complimentary wine hour in the evenings. Bikes are also available to borrow. Clean lines create a Zen-like atmosphere in the spacious rooms, and upgraded rooms have balconies or patios.

Hotel Zephyr has fully embraced its Fisherman’s Wharf location, with a jaunty nautical theme, including seagull pillows, maps and porthole windows. Kids will adore running through the Yard, an outdoor space with firepits, ping-pong tables, giant Connect Four, a waterplay area and S’morez Happy Hour. If it’s raining, they can play in the indoor game room instead. Rooms feature smart TVs, docking stations, board games and La Bottega products in the bathroom.

The art deco-style Hotel Union Square has a variety of rooms; however, the junior suites are perfect for families. They have one king-size bed along with a queen sleeper couch for the youngsters, as well as a workspace for zipping off a few emails and a lounge area. Also, they overlook the Powell Street cable car, enchanting kids with its ding as it rushes by. Parents will appreciate the included evening wine reception and live music in the sleek lobby.

This hip hotel in trendy SoMa is suited for families with tweens and teens. Hotel Zetta is filled with cool repurposed artwork and graffiti murals; the stairwell even has a unique seven-story canvas exhibit. The lobby houses a giant Plinko game, and the Playroom contains shuffleboard, ping-pong, pool and giant Jenga. Rooms are stylish and high-tech, with Amazon Alexa voice assist and smart TVs with Netflix access. VR headsets are also available. Visit the on-site restaurant, the Cavalier, for British-inspired dishes.

The Ritz-Carlton name is synonymous with high-end luxury, but it should also be known as family-friendly as kids receive the red-carpet treatment. They are welcomed with a personalized letter, scavenger hunt and coloring book and pencils. Children’s menus are on offer throughout the hotel’s restaurants. The Ritz-Carlton itself is stunning with grand public spaces, and rooms feature soothing colors of cobalt, silver and gray, Italian marble bathrooms and city or bay views.

Originally a 1950s motor lodge, the Hotel del Sol is now a family-friendly boutique hotel surrounding a courtyard with fairy-light-covered palm trees and hammocks. The outdoor pool is heated, so kids can splash in it year-round. Amenities include bike rentals, a movie library and a complimentary grab-n-go continental breakfast box. Need more space in the flamboyantly colored rooms? Adjoining ones are available.