THREE PINT-SIZE CARRY-ONS THAT FIT THE LIMITS OF NEW BUDGET FARES.
Whether it’s a Giants doubleheader, “Hamilton” at the Orpheum or the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, Bay Area residents have plenty of reasons for a mini vacation in San Francisco this summer. The city’s not-yet-crested wave of new or newly transformed hotels offers additional enticements, including discounted weekend rates. Here are some highlights.
UNION SQUARE
Hotel Alise: The first San Francisco property of Seattle’s Pineapple Hospitality, this 93-room hotel heralds its first summer season with the addition of a 10-foot crochet pineapple to the marble lobby, home to the tempting Pineapple Bistro and Bar. Similar whimsical touches and bold splashes of yellow await in the posh guest rooms. 580 Geary St. From $169. www.the alise.com Hotel Nikko: The Japanese-inspired, 533-room aerie reopened in March after $60 million in top-tobottom renovations that, among other changes, brought plush new furnishings and swaths of rich blue to guest rooms. Don’t miss the large atrium-covered pool and terrace, updated in 2016. 222 Mason St. From $209. www.hotelnikkosf.com Hilton San Francisco Union Square: The West Coast’s largest hotel recently capped an eightyear, $130 million overhaul that includes noise-canceling windows and doors in its completely redone 1,919 guest rooms. Nonguests can also enjoy the newly welcoming lobby and bar, regional fare at redesigned Urban Tavern restaurant, and the Cityscape lounge’s 46th-floor Instagramworthy views. 333 O’Farrell St. From $192. www. sfhilton.com Inn at Union Square: Just 30 rooms and suites, this boutique hotel took its cues from San Francisco’s classic Victorian homes for comprehensive renovations that ended in January. Tufted headboards and velvet lounge chairs adorn guest rooms, while each floor’s public parlor features a woodburning fireplace (also found in the sumptuously residential Alma Spreckels Suite.) 440 Post St. From $269. www.union square.com
SOUTH OF MARKET
Hotel Via: The all-new, 12-story hotel in South Beach overlooks AT&T Park, but the harbor and city views from some of its sleek (and occasionally petite) 159 rooms are equally compelling. The independent inn’s “soft opening,” which includes a ground-level restaurant and rooftop lounge with fire pits and cabanas, is set for June; reservations are available now for stays from July 1. 138 King St. From $279. www.hotelviasf. com Hotel Zetta: The former Hotel Milano underwent extensive remodeling with playful modernist touches as part of its 2013 rebranding under Viceroy Hotels. In January, a new partnership with Well+Away added yoga and mindfulness classes; healthful, local snacks in all 116 rooms’ minibars; and five Well+Away Pure guest rooms, featuring Muse meditation headbands, Dyson air purifiers, organic cotton robes and other rest-focused amenities. 55 Fifth St. From $229. www.hotelzetta.com Coming soon: Not yet accepting reservations, the 196-room Virgin Hotel with public rooftop bar will become the second in Richard Branson’s hipster brand, which debuted in Chicago in 2015. The hotel at Fourth and Folsom streets plans a “summer” opening. www.virginhotels.com
MID-MARKET
Coming soon: Across Market Street from one another are two hotels set to open in 2017. The crowdfunded Yotel San Francisco, a techdriven spin on capsule hotels that refers to its 200 rooms as “cabins,” is a makeover of an office building at Seventh and Market streets and opens late this year. The 131-room Proper Hotel is an artful transformation of the former Renoir Hotel at 45 McAllister St. and opens Aug. 1, but is not taking reservations yet. www.yotel.com, www.proper hotel.com