Hilton San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California

The Hilton's Deluxe Room

The Hilton at Fisherman's Wharf is the kind of place where the first question the breakfast waiter asks is, "Do you have a coupon?" Which is to say, it's a perfectly serviceable hotel, heavy on convenience but not on style. The biggest draw to the 234-room Hilton is its location, just three blocks from Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco's tourist-attraction hub.

My 290-square-foot Deluxe Room with two double beds was in decent shape except for a few small maintenance issues: The desk had an unsightly stain, and the chair kept sinking to its lowest setting. The 32-inch LCD TV was nice, and the padded window ledge provided a sunny seat from which to take in the view of Coit Tower. Over a two-night stay, the service was consistently prompt and courteous. Room service (available from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.) brought a Kobe Burger and fries within 20 minutes, and the concierge (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) directed me to a wash-and-fold laundry service (though it was more than six blocks away, uphill). Another guest told me a desk clerk ran out and bought a humidifier for his sick toddler when the Hilton didn't have one. The restaurants are nothing to speak of -- Vintner's Bar is little more than a few tables off the lobby area -- but I was impressed by the vending machine that delivers everything from Skittles to Beef Jerky to Gatorade to condoms to a $100 Samsung camera.

Where the Hilton falls short is in comparison to other chain hotels in the wharf area. For example, the Hilton shares a square block with the Hyatt, which has a sleeker modern lobby, a larger fitness center, comparable rooms, a big sports bar, and a pool and Jacuzzi. Some of the Hilton's rooms look out onto the Hyatt's pool -- a situation that could lead to serious envy issues if you're traveling with kids. The nearby Radisson has a solid pool as well, with a nice outdoor seating area.

View on a Larger Map

About three blocks from the Fisherman's Wharf waterfront, the Hilton is conveniently located near the docks where ferries leave for Alcatraz, Sausalito, and Tiburon. The hotel is also a block away from the terminus of the Powell-Mason cable car line, which connects to the farther reaches of the city, like Union Square and Nob Hill.

• A 30-minute stroll on the boardwalk will get you to the fancy waterside restaurants at the Embarcadero, or you can take the F-line streetcar, which also stops a block away from the hotel.
• North Beach (San Francisco's Little Italy) is a 10-minute walk up the hill.
• Roughly 3.5 miles to Golden Gate Bridge (for public transportation, the 28 and 29 buses are the best bet)
• Golden Gate Park is over five miles away, a $10 cab fare.
• 25 minutes to San Francisco International Airport, about a $40 cab fare