Inn at the Presidio

Golden Gate Park is the one that gets all the attention, but if it’s a sense of immersion in the natural world that you’re after, the Presidio is your place in San Francisco. For one thing, it’s very big and very green — nearly twice the size of Central Park, a vast expanse of wooded hills and wild coastline at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, with twenty-four miles of scenic hiking and biking trails criss-crossing every which way. The Marin Headlands are just across the bridge, with the redwoods and Point Reyes and the wine country only a little farther north. And at the heart of it all is the Inn at the Presidio, an elegant 1903 Georgian Revival building turned into an intimate new hotel.

The renovation was well-conceived, with comfortable contemporary furnishings offsetting the historic architecture of this one-time U.S. Army building, but ultimately the location is the thing. For those who want to be right amidst the clamor of cable cars and the energetic thrum of the city, there are already plenty of options in town; but if it’s enough to make day trips downtown before retiring to your private porch amidst the eucalyptus trees, the Inn at the Presidio offers a singular experience in San Francisco.

Not that they’re getting by on the unusual location alone. The twenty-six-room hotel is practically dripping with charm. It’s a world of quiet verandas and rocking chairs and cozy little nooks. There’s an outdoor deck with a fire pit for those cool coastal nights. The sunny dining room makes for a fine place to start the day. And through and through the service is friendly and warm.

For something a little more private, there’s also the Funston House just across the street, a beautiful Victorian-style home whose four bedrooms can either be rented separately or booked in their entirety. Either way, it’s a quintessentially San Francisco experience — yet there’s nothing else like it in town.