SoMa, San Francisco, California, United States | +18445990195
Well-appointed rooms with coffeemakers and large flat-screen TVs
Acclaimed New American restaurant and grappa bar
Nice fitness center and lap pool
24-hour room service
Next to the Moscone Convention Center
Free Wi-Fi for IHG members (free to join)
Expensive per night fee for valet parking; no self-parking
Lap pool isn't ideal for kids
Built in 2008 near the Moscone Convention Center in the business-oriented neighborhood of SoMa, the modern, 550-room InterContinental's luxury-level service, high-tech guest rooms, lap pool, and Michelin-star restaurant make it one of the best values in San Francisco. But it's worth it to also check rates at the comparable W San Francisco.
Scene
Though it's next door to the convention center and largely geared toward business travelers, the InterContinental is also an excellent choice for vacationers looking for top-notch service, well-designed rooms, and quality features at very competitive rates.
A gleaming, 32-story, 550-room, aquamarine tower, the InterContinental first opened on February 28, 2008. Inside, the cool colors, ornate grappa-centric bar, and an esteemed restaurant make it feel sleeker than more historic InterContinentals around the country.Due to its location near the Moscone West Convention Center, on a somewhat dreary stretch of Howard Street in SoMa, the hotel sees mostly business travelers, though just about anyone will find plenty to like about the hotel. The relatively spacious guest rooms include all the high-end comforts, such as Wi-Fi, cordless phones, iPod docks, and big flat-panel TVs with HD channels. Plus, the higher floors offer stunning views of the San Francisco Bay or the city skyline and sell for a premium, naturally. Features outside the room are as impressive as the views. The 6th floor holds a lap pool, hot tub, and a modern fitness center. And the Michelin-star restaurant, Luce, just saw its chef, Dominique Crenn, appear on the Food Network's The Next Iron Chef.
Service
Luxury-level service throughout
Service at the InterContinental shines, particularly for the price. You won't find the 24-hour butler service on offer at the nearby (and much more expensive) St. Regis, but concierges and the front desk staff remember guests by name and the bell staff and doormen are always at the ready.- 24-hour room service
Location
Next to the Moscone Convention Center in SoMa, about a 10-minute walk from shopping in Union Square and a long hike from kid-friendly Fisherman's Wharf
The neighboring blocks around the InterContinental were previously populated with derelict buildings. Recent years have seen a profusion of new high-rise condos and corporate offices in the neighborhood. During the day, the streets are populated (though still sparsely) with tourists, students from the nearby Academy of Arts University, and locals who work neaby; at night and on the weekends, it's a ghost town. It is, however, close to Yerba Buena Gardens, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and other downtown attractions. Thirsty revelers willing to hoof it 10 or 15 minutes will find a suitable array of nightlife options -- including the rock bar New Wave City and gallery-cum-club 111 Minna.- Two blocks from the main thoroughfare of Market Street, where you'll find plenty of shopping and MUNI streetcar lines
Rooms
Up-to-date electronics and a comfortable design make these some of the nicest rooms in San Francisco (especially for the price).
At 330 square feet, the standard rooms at the InterContinental aren't much bigger than the average hotel room in San Francisco, but their contemporary design, high-end electronics, and spacious bathrooms make them a good buy, particularly when rates are lower than they are at the nearby W.- Very comfortable beds: four down pillows; a thick down comforter and duvet cover
Features
A lap pool and large fitness center -- for the price, it's hard to find this many high-quality features in the neighborhood.
Family
The hotel is fine for families, but largely targets business travelers.
While there's no particular reason families wouldn't feel welcome here, the hotel largely targets business travelers. That said, the large guest rooms and suites are appealing, even if they're a bit far from the most popular kid-friendly sites around town, like Fisherman's Wharf. For a list of our favorite kid-friendly hotels in San Francisco, click here.- Double queen-bed rooms can sleep four comfortably; adjoining rooms available.
Pets
The hotel allows some pets.
While the InterContinental doesn't have a hotel dog like the Palomar or set out food and water bowls in the lobby, guests can bring along smaller pets.- Cats and dogs welcome (up to 50 pounds)
All-Inclusive / Food
A Michelin-star restaurant with a well-known chef and the city's biggest selection of grappa
Luce restaurant was awarded a Michelin star three years consecutively for Chef Dominique Crenn's New American cuisine, including such house specialties as braised short ribs with haricot verts, roasted cipollini, and horseradish and roasted local organic chicken with slow-cooked egg, corn, and bacon bread salad. More recently, the Versailles-born chef was invited to participate in the Food Network series The Next Iron Chef. Adjacent to Luce on the ground level is Bar 888 -- after the hotel's number on Howard Street -- that's known for its outstanding selection of grappa, the stiff Italian liquor that's served up in ornate glasses or mixed into a variety of inventive cocktails.- Luce, a Michelin-star restaurant, serves breakfast and lunch (Monday through Friday) and dinner nightly; Tuesdays through Saturdays, Luce offers an eight-course seasonal tasting menu. (The restaurant is a popular spot for power breakfasts, so feel free to wear a bold tie even if it's before 9 a.m.)
2 Bed Wheelchair Roll in Shower
2 Double Beds Wheelchair Accessible
Club Room
Deluxe Room
Executive Room
Junior Suite
King Bay Suite
King Junior Suite Wheelchair Access
King Terrace Suite
One Bedroom Suite
One King Bedroom Suite Wheelchair Access
One King Bed Wheelchair Accessible
Standard Room
Superior Room
Two Queen Beds Room
San Francisco, California, United States
+18445990195