Hotel Drisco

TL;DR

• Historic charm: 1903 Edwardian mansion in Pacific Heights.
• Elegant interiors: Brass keys, stained glass, and inlaid wood floors.
• Peaceful location: Residential setting away from city bustle.
• Cozy luxury: Comfortable beds, champagne room service, welcoming atmosphere.
• Check prices here

Hotel Drisco is fairly distinctive among San Francisco’s boutique hotels. It’s a grand, but very welcoming, 1903 Edwardian mansion in Pacific Heights, a quiet, calm residential area.

It combines the character of a historic house, the comfort and service of a modern hotel, and the atmosphere of a home away from home.

Comfortable rooms feature quality furnishings and thoughtful little extras.

There’s no onsite restaurant here but there is a terrific breakfast spread, complimentary coffee and tea, social evening wine receptions, and a small but well-equipped fitness area.

What are the rooms like?

• Number of rooms: 44
• Timeless style: Calm whites, grays, and rich wood furniture.
• Choice: Guestrooms or suites, with city or neighborhood views.
• Extras: Large TVs, sound machines, Nespresso, heated bathroom floors.
• See each room in detail here

Rooms are timeless, with quality textiles in calm whites and grays. Geometric motifs, warm tans and rich dark wood furniture add interest to the room, but when all is said and done, Hotel Drisco lets quality speak for itself.

Your first big decision is guestroom or suite. While those of you who need space will enjoy the roomy suites, the guest rooms provide everything you need for a good stay. Next, you’ll think about windows.

Both suites and rooms have the option for views of the city or the charming neighborhood.

Interior and ground floor rooms are great for those of us with smaller budgets and excellent taste, as well as those planning to spend daytime outdoors.

No matter what you book though, you’ll enjoy large TVs, sound sleep machines and all the standard closet amenities.

You can enjoy Nespresso coffee and gourmet teas with a complimentary newspaper in the morning.

Bathrooms have heated floors, marble accents and branded robes and slippies. The bath amenities are luxurious offerings by Bvlgari, and with many of the rooms offering bathtubs, you’re sure to appreciate them.

What are prices like?

• Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

• Breakfast: Local yogurt, cereals, pastries, charcuterie, and cheeses.
• Snacks: Biscotti at 3pm, hors d’oeuvres at wine receptions.
• Fitness: Small gym onsite, passes to larger nearby center.
• Perks: Free coffee, tea, and street parking.

A lack of onsite restaurant is easily remedied by a spectacular breakfast and 24/7 room service.

You’ll also find coffee and tea available all day in the sitting area, biscotti at 3pm.

The breakfast is a zhuzhed up version of the classic continental. Local yogurt and cereals come

in packed parfaits, mini baked goods with lemon curd, and the juices are a wide range of delicious-looking colors.

Delicious charcuterie and cheeses are available for breakfast and as part of the evening wine reception.

It’s a chance to meet other guests, or bring some snacks in your room if you’re feeling introspective.

Just don’t miss the hors d’oeuvres.

The hotel has a small fitness center with a Pelaton and weights, open 24/7.

Highly active guests, swimmers especially, will want to grab a complimentary pass to the nearby Jewish Community Center’s extensive fitness facilities.

The distance from the city center might be a sticking point at another hotel, but at Hotel Drisco you don’t have to worry.

Street parking is easy, free, and safe for those with cars, and the hotel provides many options for those without.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

• Upscale area: Quiet and residential Pacific Heights.
• Nearby highlight: Presidio Park with beaches, golf, trails, and art.
• Dining: Local cafes, restaurants, and small museums nearby.
• Transport: Easy buses, hotel bikes, and free morning car service.

Pacific Heights is very upmarket, residential, and far from the sky-scraping glass and bougie storefronts of downtown, allowing you to explore the nooks and crannies of another, calmer version of San Francisco.

First we have the Presidio, a sprawling park looking out to the ever-picturesque Golden Gate. Inside you’ll find a golf course, a beach, extensive walking trails, art installations and more.

It’s one San Francisco don’t-miss that’s an easy walk from the hotel.

There are cute restaurants, cafes and some small museums in Pacific and Presidio Heights, but the typical highlights will be east towards Union Square and Embarcadero, or south towards the Mission.

Busses will take you anywhere you want to go, or grab a hotel bike. You can also reserve complimentary one-way rides from the hotel to anywhere within the city between 7 and 11am.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

”Classic room, super comfy bed and beautiful bedding with really great bathroom. Quiet and tranquil and in great part of Pacific Heights. Breakfast was delicious and freshly prepared – loads of fruit and great local yoghurt, had great spinach omelette and good coffee….”

”If I could take a hotel with me for any city break, it would be this one. Quiet, comfortable, calm ambience that meant we relaxed the minute we arrived. Friendly staff who were always happy to help. Delightful room with wonderful views….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”The prices are high, and the gym is more like a personal workout space. Crowded with 3 people….”

”Front desk people are changing all the time and confusing since no communication in each other so wrong and missing reservations happenning. They are nice though but not all of them have enough experience which is surprising for such a nice boutique hotel…..”

Read all the reviews right here