If there was an award for the hotel lobby that most resembles a Red Lobster, that award would go to San Francisco' Argonaut Hotel. The place is a tourist hotspot purely because of its location at Fisherman's Wharf and, as a result, the place is almost too packed to appreciate the nautical tchotchkes.

The Argonaut, despite its unique looks, is actually part of the Kimpton Hotels chain, which means that every evening brings a complimentary hosted wine reception for the guests, plus the other goodie of free WiFi in the rooms (if you sign up for the free InTouch loyalty program). ]]> JetSetCD 2011-06-14T15:43:38-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/1/12/9199/85281 <![CDATA[<object id="flashObj" width="486" height="412" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/4862856001?isVid=1&publisherID=1321358962" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="@videoPlayer=61281529001&playerID=4862856001&domain=embed&" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/4862856001?isVid=1&publisherID=1321358962" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="@videoPlayer=61281529001&playerID=4862856001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> <p> Longtime readers of HotelChatter know <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Argonaut+Hotel+at+Fisherman%27s+Wharf/local/744">The Argonaut Hotel</a></b> is one of our go-to hotels in San Francisco. Why? Good rates, comfortable beds, kitschy nautical theme and free WiFi (for Kimpton's InTouch members.) Oh, and most importantly, we don't have to deal with the glut of Union Square that makes life with a rental car extremely difficult. <p> Caveat emptor; you must be able to put up with Fisherman's Wharf (we actually have grown to love markj 2010-01-12T11:28:37-05:00 37.8075630 -122.42003 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/3/19/14653/5519 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/sanfraneaster.jpg" class="imgborder"><p>So Easter weekend is upon us and if you are looking for a last-minute getaway, fake that you're Catholic and that you need to take off Good Friday for an Easter Vigil and head to <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotels/city/us/CA/San%20Francisco"><b>San Francisco</b></a>.<p>We looked at rates on <a href="http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=htwv&amp;from=m&amp;stat=1&amp;khst=1&amp;locn=San+Francisco%2C+CA&amp;ploc=San+Francisco%2C+CA&amp;loid=&amp;name=&amp;date1=03/21/08&amp;date2=03/24/08&amp;cadu1=1&amp;crom=1&amp;rdct=1&amp;olacid=display.2008Q1brand.smrvs.SmarterTravel_INTC_Hotel_BB_Search_Logo_SS1x1.pixel.1x1">Expedia.com</a> for Friday to Monday and rates are looking very do-able. Unlike say Miami which is in the midst of a Spring Break/Holiday weekend double-whammy where beachfront hotels are starting at around $550 a night and airport hotels are hovering in the $200 a night range.<p><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Clift+Hotel/local/988"><b>The Clift Hotel</b></a>, which had a very scary <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/3/3/113830/8420/hotels/Hotel_Employee_Arrested_for_Sexual_Assault_at_the_Clift_Hotel">incident</a> earlier this month, is going for $150 a night. Since the place got so much bad press about guest juliana 2008-03-19T14:22:32-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/11/28/91940/576 <![CDATA[<p> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/maps/Best-SF-Non-Union-Square-Hotels"><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3/sf_non_us_small.png"></a> <p> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotels/city/us/CA/San%20Francisco"><b>San Francisco</b></a> possesses one of the world's most head scratching hotel scenes. The majority of top hotels here are located in an area of town called Union Square. Tourists drool over this area because of its many shops and proximity to the Powell and Hyde cable car. However, San Francisco's dirty little secret is that Union Square is not the greatest place to stay in The City for many reasons. <p> Parking will cost you $40 a day, driving in and around the Square is painful, and once you get past all the pretty shops you begin to notice a staggering number of homeless folks as you head up to the theatre district markj 2007-11-28T17:18:17-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/6/21/16236/9068 <![CDATA[<p><i>Fourth of July is just two weeks away so in case you are headed to a big city for some fireworks fun, we'll be taking a look at hotels with prime fireworks views. Have a favorite hotel for gawking at bombs bursting in air? <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com"><b>Send it our way</b></a>.</i><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/sanfran_fireworks.jpg" class="imgborder"/><p>The fireworks in San Francisco will be shooting off from the <a href="http://gosanfrancisco.about.com/od/july/a/JulyFourth1.htm">Muni Pier and barges north of Pier 39</a> at around 9:30pm. Now, we're not promising that you can actually SEE the fireworks thanks to the heavy fog that rolls in but we'll tell you where you can get the closest to hearing the bangs.<p>Luckily for you, every major hotel chain is parked near Pier 39 and Fisherman's wharf, juliana 2007-06-21T16:24:34-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/