Splurge Hotels · San Francisco
San Francisco’s best rooms sit on Nob Hill, in the Financial District and along the water, and none of them prints a word for cruisers. The Ritz-Carlton has been AAA Five Diamond since 1994, and the St. Regis is the city’s one Forbes Five-Star. 1 Hotel and the Argonaut are Four Diamond and make our top twenty too.
We looked for the nicest places to stay before a cruise from San Francisco. Two of the six, 1 Hotel and the Argonaut, also make our top 20 because they’re on the water; the other four are the better rooms, and the morning is yours to arrange. Tap the night you’re after and the pick lights up.
Five are AAA Four Diamond for 2026 and the Ritz-Carlton is Five Diamond. Forbes rates the St. Regis Five-Star and the Ritz-Carlton Four-Star, and lists the Four Seasons at Embarcadero as Recommended.
AAA Four Diamond on the top floors of a Financial District tower, a 10-minute walk from the Ferry Building, with noon check-out.
AAA Five Diamond since 1994 and Forbes Four-Star, on Nob Hill by the cable car, with Club Level and Parallel 37.
The one Forbes Five-Star hotel in the city, with an indoor infinity pool and a two-level spa, by SFMOMA. The only one of our six with a pool.
The Beaux Arts landmark atop Nob Hill, AAA Four Diamond, with the Tonga Room and a spa.
Across from the Ferry Building, with Terrene, a spa and a house car in the $48 nightly fee. AAA Four Diamond.
A 1907 warehouse hotel in the Maritime National Historical Park, with the Blue Mermaid downstairs. The splurge list covers it too.
Hover or tap a hotel to light its column. Green is on offer, gold comes with a cost or a catch, grey isn’t there or isn’t stated.
| Feature | Four Seasons Embarcadero | The Ritz-Carlton | The St. Regis | The Fairmont | 1 Hotel | Argonaut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA rating | Four Diamond, since 2013 | Five Diamond, since 1994 | Four Diamond, since 2007 | Four Diamond, since 2001 | Four Diamond, since 2022 | Four Diamond, since 2004 |
| Forbes Travel Guide | Recommended | Four-Star | Five-Star | — | — | — |
| On the beach | No; a Financial District tower | No; Nob Hill | No; SoMa | No; atop Nob Hill | No; on the Embarcadero | No; Aquatic Park a block away |
| Restaurant | Orafo | Parallel 37 | Astra | Laurel Court | Terrene | Blue Mermaid |
| Bar or drinks | — | Bruma; The Lounge | The St. Regis Bar | Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar | Terrene | — |
| Spa | — | — | The Spa, 9,000 sq ft | Chateau de la Beauté | Bamford Wellness Spa | In-room treatments only |
| Breakfast | Paid; a Bed and Breakfast offer | Paid; included on Club Level | Not stated | Not stated | Paid | Paid; a $15 credit in the fee |
| Kitchen | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Resort fee | None listed | None stated | None stated | $45 a night | $48 a night | $37 a night |
| Parking | Valet; price not published | $107 valet | $96.90 valet | $92 valet | $84 valet | $75 valet |
| Shuttle to the port | — | — | — | — | House car within 2 miles | — |
| Distance to the port | A 10-minute walk to the Ferry Building | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Across from the Ferry Building | Not stated |
None of the six publishes a ride to the ship. 1 Hotel and the Argonaut are on the water, the Four Seasons is a 10-minute walk from the Ferry Building, and Nob Hill and SoMa are a cab across town.
The fees add up. 1 Hotel charges $48 a night, the Fairmont $45 and the Argonaut $37, and valet runs from $75 at the Argonaut to $107 at the Ritz-Carlton.
Driving and want a printed number? No hotel in the city prints a price to leave the car while you cruise; Ace Parking by the pier lists $20 a day for a compact car.
| Hotel | Why it isn’t in the six |
|---|---|
| Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco | The Market Street Four Seasons is AAA Five Diamond since 2024 and Forbes Four-Star, with MKT Restaurant and The Spa at Equinox Sports Club. It's farther from the water, and the valet price isn't published. |
| Hotel Nikko San Francisco | Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four Diamond since 1997, by Union Square. We haven't checked its cruise details. |
| Palace Hotel | AAA Four Diamond since 1992 and Forbes Recommended, on Market Street. We haven't checked its cruise details. |
| Hyatt Regency San Francisco | AAA Four Diamond since 2022 and No. 20 in our top twenty, but a big convention hotel rather than a splurge. |
| The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay | Forbes Five-Star and AAA Four Diamond, but down the coast in Half Moon Bay. Too far for a sail morning. |
By the ratings, the Ritz-Carlton on Nob Hill, AAA Five Diamond since 1994 and Forbes Four-Star, or the St. Regis, the one Forbes Five-Star hotel on Forbes's San Francisco list. Nearest the water, 1 Hotel is AAA Four Diamond across from the Ferry Building and ranks No. 19 in our top 20. The Four Seasons at Embarcadero, also Four Diamond, is a 10-minute walk from the Ferry Building.
Two, on AAA's 2026 list: The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, since 1994, and the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco on Market Street, since 2024. The Four Seasons at Embarcadero is a different hotel, and it's Four Diamond.
None of our six publishes one. 1 Hotel's house cars serve a 2-mile radius, but its FAQ doesn't name Pier 27. From the others it's a cab or the F-line; the airport rides are on our Getting There table.
None of the six publishes cruise parking, and valet runs $75 to $107 a night where it's priced. There's no parking at the terminal; Ace Parking at 1348 The Embarcadero lists $20 a day for a compact car, about an 18-minute walk from Pier 27.
Both were renamed. Hotel Vitale reopened as 1 Hotel San Francisco in June 2022, and the Loews Regency, once the Mandarin Oriental, reopened as Four Seasons at Embarcadero in October 2020, per local news. Both are in our six.
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