The Lodge at the Presidio

We don’t often find ourselves moved to praise the United States Army in its capacity as a property developer, but the Presidio, the strategic parcel of land overlooking the Golden Gate, would be a very different place if it hadn’t been set aside for military use a little over a century and a half ago. Now owned and operated by the National Park Service, it’s something totally unique: a bit of near-wild coastline within the San Francisco city limits. And what was once a utilitarian red-brick Army barracks is now the Lodge at the Presidio, a beautiful contemporary boutique-style hotel with unmatched views of the city skyline, the wooded hillside, or the Golden Gate Bridge itself.

The rooms are comfortable, subtly stylish, decorated with historical photos and other locally inspired artworks. A buffet breakfast and a daily wine-and-cheese happy hour are the extent of the culinary offerings, but you’re not short on options — the Lodge shares this corner of the Presidio with a couple of fine restaurants, and if you’re willing to venture off base you’re in what might be America’s culinary capital. If you’re in San Francisco to do business downtown, it’s fair to say the Lodge is a bit of a journey — but for the rest of us, an urban park with a view of one of California’s iconic landmarks might be difficult to pass up.