Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel

Design-forward style steps from Union Square

★★★★★📍 Union Square$$$

The Clift has been a Union Square fixture since it opened in the 1910s, and over the years it became one of San Francisco's most style-conscious hotels, known for bold, theatrical interior design that sets it apart from the city's more traditional grand hotels. Now operating as the Clift Royal Sonesta, it retains that design-forward identity in a prime Theater District location just off Union Square.

Its most famous space is the Redwood Room, an art deco cocktail lounge that opened in the 1930s, paneled — as legend has it — in wood from a single giant redwood tree. Long a glamorous gathering spot, it remains a destination bar in its own right. The hotel's rooms are sleek and contemporary, and the public spaces lean into a chic, dramatic aesthetic.

The location is the practical draw: it's steps from Union Square's department stores and boutiques, in the heart of the Theater District, walkable to the cable car turnaround, Chinatown, and SoMa, and well connected by transit. The Clift suits travelers who prioritize design, a buzzy atmosphere, and a central downtown base over a classic or resort-style hotel.