Review of Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco

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 didn’t find one appealing to us so we decided for one of the suites at the Argonaut.

The convenient location, the historic building and the view made us go there although the hotel can’t exactly be described as de luxe. Never mind, we enjoyed it there.

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 isn’t the case. The Argonaut is situated on the edge of the bay at Fishermen’s Wharf and it’s rather quiet at night-time. 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 isn’t offered anymore under the new management. We didn’t have breakfast at the hotel, but went to the nearby Hollywood Cafe which serves large portions of delicious, fresh food. When you like ice cream, don’t 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 isn’t separated with a door which is a little bit inconvenient. The adequately sized bathroom with a soaking tub, an additional shower and a separate toilet is simply furnished but offers a great view on Alcatraz.

As the Noble House now runs the hotel, I can’t 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