Huge Bay View Suite in central location with friendly staff:

Our three-person family actually fancied a five-star hotel for our tree days’ stay in San Francisco. But we did not find one that appealed to us. So we decided to opt for one of the suites at the Argonaut Hotel, a four-star property. The convenient location, the historic building and the view made us come here. We did so although the hotel cannot exactly be described as de luxe. Never mind, we enjoyed it at the Argonaut.

First, we were reluctant to consider this hotel because of its proximity to the Fishermen’s Wharf. We thought there would be a hustle and bustle all day and night. But that is not the case. The Argonaut is situated on the edge of the bay at Fishermen’s Wharf. And it was rather quiet at night-time on our stay. In addition, we liked the fact that the hotel’s building is an ancient warehouse. Last but not least we were in favour of the waterfront view.



The Argonaut is decorated in a maritime style. There are brick walls, and you find nautical gadgets everywhere. The public rooms are rather small, the few chairs by the fire in the lobby were always occupied. When it used to be a Kimpton hotel, there was an evening wine reception, a nice touch. As I read at Tripadvisor, this extra is not offered anymore under the new management. We did not have breakfast at the hotel, but went to the nearby Hollywood Cafe that serves large portions of delicious, fresh food. If you like ice cream, do not miss Norman’s Ice Cream, which is right next door, a hidden gem. The staff at the Argonaut – especially the doorman – was welcoming and engaging.

The Bay View King Suite we had is huge (900 square feet). There is a large living room with a comfortable seating area, a sleeper sofa and a dining area for six persons. The adjacent bedroom is not separated by a door, which is a little bit inconvenient. The adequately sized bathroom with a soaking tub, an additional shower and a separate toilet was simply furnished. Yet it offers a great view of Alcatraz.

As the Noble House now runs the hotel, I cannot judge whether the experience is still as good as when the Argonaut used to be a Kimpton hotel. Time will tell …

Date of stay: July 2013