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The Best Hotels With Views in San Francisco

With its sweeping bay and iconic sights, San Francisco is a destination where booking a room with a view is a must
With its sweeping bay and iconic sights, San Francisco is a destination where booking a room with a view is a must | Courtesy of Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito / Expedia.com

Steep streets with clanging cable cars, the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline are what come to mind when thinking of this diverse city. There are many San Francisco hotels with a view of the city’s most famous landmarks, straight from your bedroom window. Peruse this guide to find the view that will send your heart racing.

Fairmont San Francisco, Nob Hill

Hotel

Outdoor, rooftop breakfast spread at Fairmont San Francisco Hotel with panoramic skyline and bay views
Courtesy of Fairmont San Francisco / Expedia.com
Delicately resting atop Nob Hill, with views over San Francisco, sits the Fairmont. An elegant ambience pervades the hotel, while rooms decorated in soothing colors with picture windows offer unparalleled vistas overlooking the Bay or Downtown. Some suites come with telescopes or balconies to fully appreciate the panoramic cityscape. Guests come to this hotel for its high-end service, but stay for its extraordinary views.

The Huntington Hotel, Nob Hill

Hotel

Indoor pool area with tall floor-to-ceiling windows opening to outdoor balcony with city views at the Huntington Hotel, Nob Hill
Courtesy of the Huntington Hotel / Expedia.com

The Huntington Hotel was originally built in 1924 as the grand Huntington Apartment building. Today, this sophisticated hotel is home to a three-level spa with skyline views, fine dining at the intimate Big 4 restaurant accompanied by piano performances, and elegantly bold-hued rooms and suites. Rooms overlook either Union Square, Nob Hill or Huntington Park, earning it a spot as one of the best hotels with a view in San Francisco.

Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito

Hotel

Luxe cabin with comfy seating, fireplace separating bedroom and Golden Gate Bridge views at Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito
Courtesy of Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito / Expedia.com

Just across the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito sits the historic Cavallo Point Lodge, with a view of the iconic crossing. Formerly a military base, it’s named after the wild horses that previously called the cove home. The Lodge offers contrasting accommodation types for you to choose from: Historic and Contemporary. Either relax in front of the fireplace while gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the Golden Gate Bridge in the Contemporary lodgings. Or choose the beautifully restored Historic lodgings which have views over the city skyline across the Bay, with their front porches and gas fireplaces.

InterContinental Mark Hopkins, Nob Hill

Hotel

Luxe living room with velvet seating, red walls and view of Transamerica Pyramid at intercontinental Mark Hopkins, Nob Hill
Courtesy of InterContinental Mark Hopkins / Expedia.com
Rising up over the crest of Nob Hill, the InterContinental Mark Hopkins has a historic charm that harkens back to a bygone era. Slowly sip a perfectly crafted cocktail at the fittingly named Top of the Mark sky lounge, which boasts panoramic 360-degree views over the city. The richly appointed rooms offer views over Nob Hill, the city skyline, or the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure to book a View Room, which is extra spacious and located on the hotel’s top floors.

Hotel Vitale, Downtown

Boutique Hotel

Rattan furniture with green and white striped cushions on the rooftop lounge area overlooking the city at Hotel Vitale
Courtesy of Hotel Vitale / Expedia.com

Experience stunning waterfront views of the Bay Bridge or the San Francisco skyline from the warm oatmeal and sunshine-yellow rooms in the waterfront Hotel Vitale. Along with fantastic vistas, each room offers spa-style limestone baths, high-end bath products and an honor bar loaded with treats. The ground-floor Americano Restaurant and Bar continues the gorgeous views of the Bay from the outdoor patio and has a cool circular cocktail lounge.

Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf

Hotel

Calming grey and blue-toned rooms are a nautical nod to the Fisherman’s Wharf location of this San Francisco hotel with a view. The rooms are ample with multifunctional workstations, mini-fridges, Keurig coffee makers and Drybar hair dryers. Upgraded rooms feature sweeping views of the rising city or the North Point neighborhood along the water. The heated outdoor pool is located in a secluded courtyard, ringed by lounge chairs and small potted trees, and flanked by a relaxing whirlpool.

The St. Regis San Francisco, SoMa District

Hotel

Chic suite living room with L-shaped sofa, desk and floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline views at the St. Regis San Francisco
Courtesy of the St. Regis San Francisco / Expedia.com
The polished St. Regis is next door to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and a quick walk from Union Square. The soothing neutral-toned rooms have interesting pops of color and texture with plum-color pillows, leather walls and varied artwork, as well as spectacular views of Downtown. The deep tubs are perfect for soaking, and showers have a rainfall showerhead. Guests opting for suites can experience the luxury of their own butler. The luxurious corner Astor Suite has floor-to-ceiling windows and an added bonus: a marble window seat.

Handlery Union Square Hotel

Chain Hotel, Hotel

Exterior of multi-story Handlery Union Square Hotel on a downtown San Francisco street lit up at dusk
Courtesy of Handlery Union Square Hotel / Expedia.com

The chic Handlery Hotel is like two hotels in one. The warm, chocolate-toned rooms in the Historic section highlight the hotel’s Victorian architecture with high ceilings and bay windows, while those in the Premier section have views of the shimmering San Francisco skyline or the pool, with added perks like extra bathroom amenities and bottles of water, and many have balconies. The hotel courtyard holds the heated pool that is luckily open year-round, and access to the sauna is available by appointment.

San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Downtown

Chain Hotel, Luxury

Interior of 39th-floor View Lounge with giant semi-circular window offering panoramic views at San Francisco Marriott Marquis
Courtesy of San Francisco Marriott Marquis / Expedia.com

Reaching up into the sky overlooking Downtown is the impressive high-rise Marriott Marquis. Sleek contemporary rooms are decorated in shades of silver and grey with splashes of color, with impressive views over the city (make sure to book a city view room). The well-named, Art Deco-style View Lounge serves cocktails and Californian Cuisine along with striking rooftop views over the San Francisco skyline 39 floors up.

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