Located on a residential street of modern apartment blocks, the Payne Mansion Hotel is a typical house of the Victorian-era, with its characteristic porch, bay windows, and turret. It was built in 1881 for Theodore F. Payne (a British horticulturalist) and survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Today it's a boutique hotel and a local landmark, registered with the California Historical Society, and with much of its original charm preserved. The ornate metal entrance doors open onto a spacious reception area with high ceilings, wood-paneled walls, chandeliers, and beautiful marble tile floors. The atmosphere is romantic and upscale but not stuffy. The Old World ambience attracts many couples on weekend breaks, but given its downtown location, it draws many business travelers too.

Payne Mansion Hotel is located on a quiet residential street in the Lower Pacific Heights area, on the edge of affluent Pacific Heights. There are many shops, restaurants, local delis, and cafes within walking distance of the hotel, and many bus routes crisscross the area.

• 11-minute walk to the cable car stop
• Nine minutes to Union Square by bus
• 10 minutes to the San Francisco Opera by bus
• 13 minutes to Market Street by bus
• 15 minutes to Fillmore District shopping area by bus
• 15 minutes to Chinatown by bus
• 17 minutes to the Golden Gate Bridge by bus
• 18 minutes to Fisherman’s Wharf by bus
• 19 minutes to Pier 39 by bus
• 27 minutes to the Marina District by bus
• 43 minutes to Presidio National Park by bus
• 20-minute drive to San Francisco International Airport

The 10 guest rooms and suites at Payne Mansion Hotel vary in size, with the smallest room measuring 206 square feet and the largest -- the Presidential Suite -- measuring 550 square feet. All have the same elegant decor, featuring damask wallpaper, antique-style furniture, red velvet curtains, thick wall-to-wall carpeting, and period architectural details like tile fireplaces, high ceilings, and bay windows. Bathrooms are fitted with marble tiling in brown-and-beige tones, and are equipped with spacious walk-in showers. Upper-category Suites have marble bathtubs and separate showers, while the Standard Twin Room has a clawfoot bathtub in the bay window niche just off the bedroom. Little luxe details make a difference, like pillow-top mattresses, down pillows and comforters, Apple TVs, and Keurig coffeemakers. Bathrooms have L'Occitane toiletries, magnifying mirrors, and hairdryers. But guests have complained about poor soundproofing and the street noise that often comes with downtown hotels.

As an intimate boutique hotel, Payne Mansion doesn't offer much in the way of on-site features. There's no full restaurant, no fitness facilities, and no business center or computer work stations. The hotel does serve breakfast, but it's not included in the room rate. And there's a quaint bar in the lobby that serves free coffee and tea all day. On-site parking is available for an extra fee, and there's a same-day laundry service. A cozy game room with leather sofas and a collection of old-fashioned games gives guests a place to mingle on the ground floor. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout property.