Where to stay in San Francisco [Comprehensive Guide for 2023]

San Francisco is such a fun city, and unique from every other California destination, that it should be on every West Coast travel itinerary. Unlike most of the American West, San Francisco is very walkable, and has an excellent public transportation system.

When choosing where to stay in San Francisco, you will want to consider access to public transportation, parking and safety. We’ve rounded up some of the best areas to stay in San Francisco.

We will cover off all types of San Francisco accommodation options from Hostels to luxury San Francisco hotels as well as how to decide where to stay in San Francisco 2023, the best San Francisco hotels, best places in San Francisco to visit, the best places to stay in San Francisco, hotels near San Francisco attractions, San Francisco neighborhood guide and many more.

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Table of Contents

Fisherman’s Wharf – Best place to stay in San Francisco for tourists

If you like to stay in the heart of the tourist district, be close to the main attractions and don’t mind crowds or higher prices, then you want to stay in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of San Francisco.

Especially if you only have a short time to visit and want to hit the highlights. You can walk right on to any number of boat tours, including Alcatraz, enjoy street food and fresh chowder, followed by chocolate sundaes at Ghirardelli Square. This area is also the best place to stay for first time visitors.

Best place to stay in Fisherman’s Wharf

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Fisherman’s Wharf:
Adelaide Hostel
Green Tortoise Hostel – San Francisco
Pacific Tradewinds Hostel
USA Hostels San Francisco

Budget Hotels in Fisherman’s Wharf:
Van Ness Inn Hotel
Town House Motel
Francisco Bay Inn
Redwood Inn

Mid range Hotels in Fisherman’s Wharf:
The Wharf Inn
Comfort Inn by the Bay
Holiday Inn San Francisco Fishermans Wharf
Hotel Zoe Fisherman’s Wharf

Family Friendly Hotels in Fisherman’s Wharf:
da Vinci Villa
Holiday Inn San Francisco Fishermans Wharf
Courtyard San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf
Holiday Inn San Francisco Golden Gateway

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Fisherman’s Wharf:
Hotel Zephyr
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf
Argonaut Hotel, A Noble House Hotel
Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel
Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO - : Visitors flock to Pier 39 at San Francisco Fishermans Wharf renowned for its varied attractions, shops and seafood.

Union Square – Best place to stay in San Francisco with Family

Union Square is the transit hub of San Francisco, and makes an excellent home base for your visit. With so many transit options, including the famous cable cars, Union Square is a great place to stay in San Francisco because you can get to other parts of the city quite easily.

Union Square is San Francisco’s main shopping district, and there are many restaurants to choose from as well.

If you travel on points and plan to stay in a big-name chain hotel, you’ll find many options in Union Square. This is also a great area if you are wondering where to stay in San Francisco for a weekend.

Best place to stay in Union Square

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Union Square:
The Bartlett Hotel and Guesthouse
Orange Village Hostel

Budget Hotels in Union Square:
Music City Hotel
SF Plaza Hotel
Post Hotel
Union Square Plaza Hotel

Mid range Hotels in Union Square:
Handlery Union Square Hotel
The Inn at Union Square – A Greystone Hotel
Hotel Stratford
Chancellor Hotel on Union Square

Family Friendly Hotels in Union Square:
San Francisco Marriott Union Square
The Donatello
Hotel 32One
Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Union Square:
The Kensington Park Hotel
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square
Villa Florence
Kimpton Sir Francis Drake Hotel

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA : Aerial view to Macy's flagship store on Union Square at night in San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nob Hill – Where to stay in San Francisco on a budget

Adjacent to Chinatown is San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood, best known for elegant hotels and prominent landmarks. In the Gold Rush days, Nob Hill was lined with mansion which have now been converted into luxury hotels.

Nob Hill is a great place to stay if you want a quiet neighborhood with tree-lined streets, Victorian homes and lots of green space. This a place where to stay in San Francisco with a car.

Best place to stay in Nob Hill

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Nob Hill:
Adelaide Hostel
USA Hostels San Francisco
Orange Village Hostel
The Bartlett Hotel and Guesthouse

Budget Hotels in Nob Hill:
Mithila
Alexis Park San Francisco
Layne Hotel
Motel 6 San Francisco Downtown

Mid range Hotels in Nob Hill:
Stanford Court San Francisco
Petite Auberge
White Swan Inn
Cornell Hotel de France

Family Friendly Hotels in Nob Hill:
Hotel Vertigo
The Marker San Francisco, A Joie de Vivre Hotel
Hotel 32One
Hilton San Francisco

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Nob Hill:
The Scarlet Huntington
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
Fairmont San Francisco

, San Francisco, CA, USA: A view of San Francisco and Bay Bridge from Nob Hill.

North Beach – Where to stay in San Francisco for nightlife

North Beach is San Francisco’s Italian neighborhood, and even if you don’t stay here, you’ll definitely eat here at least once! North Beach is less touristy than some other areas of San Francisco, but still offers a lot of things to do.

We’ve already mentioned the great food at dozens of authentic Italian restaurants, but there’s also eclectic cafes, boutiques and great views of the city. Nearby attractions include Lombard Street, Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower.

At night, the bars and clubs of North Beach attract revelers from all over, so if you are looking for late nights, North Beach is a great place to stay in San Francisco.

Best place to stay in North Beach

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in North Beach:
Adelaide Hostel
USA Hostels San Francisco
Green Tortoise Hostel – San Francisco

Budget Hotels in North Beach:
Hotel North Beach
SF Plaza Hotel
Francisco Bay Inn
Rodeway Inn Civic Center
Minna Hotel

Mid range Hotels in North Beach:
Club Quarters Hotel in San Francisco
Hilton San Francisco Financial District
Royal Pacific Motor Inn
SW Hotel

Family Friendly Hotels in North Beach:
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
Omni San Francisco Hotel
The Park Central San Francisco
Palace Hotel San Francisco

Affordable Luxury Hotels in North Beach:
Hotel Triton
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
Taj Campton Place
Loews Regency San Francisco
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco

High-angle view of San Francisco skyline at Lombard Street toward San Francisco Bay in downtown North Beach community showing Fisherman's Wharf and Coit Tower.

The Castro District – Best place to stay in San Francisco for GLBT scene

San Francisco has long been a leader on the LGBTQ scene, so you will find most neighborhoods accepting, however if you want to stay in the heart of the gay scene, consider staying in the Castro district when you come to San Francisco.

There are many restaurants and bars in the Castro District, as well as a GLBT Historic Museum. With the F-Line streetcars, you’ll have easy access to other areas, like Fisherman’s Wharf.

Best place to stay in Castro District

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Castro District:
El Capitan Hotel
European Guest House

Budget Hotels in Castro District:
Twin Peaks Hotel
Travelodge by Wyndham San Francisco Central
Civic Center Motor Inn
SOMA Park Inn – Civic Center

Mid range Hotels in Castro District:
Beck’s Motor Lodge
Inn at the Opera
Hotel Whitcomb
The Embassy Hotel

Family Friendly Hotels in Castro District:
Carriage Inn
Kimpton Buchanan
Americania Hotel
Cova Hotel

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Castro District:
San Francisco Proper Hotel
The Marker San Francisco, A Joie de Vivre Hotel
InterContinental San Francisco
Hotel Kabuki, a Joie de Vivre hotel

Aerial view Castro District in Eureka Valley neighborhood flying LGBT pride flag near street intersection. Famous town in San Francisco, California, synonymous gay culture, historic Victorian houses

SoMa – Best place to stay in San Francisco for foodies

SoMa, or South of Market, is a haven for foodies in San Francisco. This waterfront area has many attractions, making it a great place to stay in San Francisco.

Many museums are located here, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Yerba Buena Gardens. Baseball fans will know SoMa as it’s where the San Francisco Giants play, at AT&T Park.

Dozens of innovative, upscale dining options are popping up all over SoMa, as well as high-energy nightclubs to close out the night.

The Mission District is right next door, with many more dining options for all budgets. This is definitely the area you want to choose if you build your travel itinerary around food!

Best place to stay in SoMa

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in SoMa:
Pacific Tradewinds Hostel
The Utah Inn

Budget Hotels in SoMa:
Bay Bridge Inn
Americas Best Value Inn & Suites-SOMA
The Good Hotel
Aida Hotel

Mid range Hotels in SoMa:
Hotel VIA
Courtyard by Marriott San Francisco Downtown
Hotel Griffon – A Greystone Hotel
The Pickwick Hotel San Francisco

Family Friendly Hotels in SoMa:
The St. Regis San Francisco
InterContinental San Francisco
The Park Central San Francisco
Hilton Parc 55 San Francisco

Affordable Luxury Hotels in SoMa:
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
W San Francisco
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
Hyatt Regency San Francisco

Embarcadero – Where to stay in San Francisco with kids

Another fun waterfront neighborhood in San Francisco is the Embarcadero. This area runs from the Fisherman’s Wharf to North Beach and is home to the Ferry Building which is now a destination food market.

Embarcadero is a popular place for morning joggers, thanks in part due to the stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

From several piers in the Embarcadero, you can hop a boat tour or a ferry to Alcatraz, or visit the Exploratorium, the Museum of Science and Art.

For a fun, central location with slightly fewer tourists than Fisherman’s Wharf, Embarcadero is a great place to stay in San Francisco.