Hotel Adagio Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Union Square, San Francisco, California

A Deluxe Room

On first glance, Hotel Adagio seems like a fairly standard midrange hotel in Union Square, but it's actually one of the area's best options for its price. The hotel especially stands out for its smart decisions about where to put its money: Rather than being one of those midrange places where everything feels just good enough, the Adagio makes sure the basics are first rate, especially in the 171 guest rooms. And if that means scrimping on doormen and designer décor... well, so be it.

By far the best part of the hotel is the rooms. They start at a spacious 350 square feet and have some of the most comfortable beds in their class, with pillow-top mattresses, Egyptian cotton sheets, and down comforters and pillows. The rooms also have iPod docks, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi (no strings attached -- you don't have to sign up for a special program or hand over your contact info to receive it). There are full minibars and mini refrigerators with space for guests' own groceries, and the generously sized bathrooms are equipped with full sets of Lather toiletries. That's just good value.

In all other areas, the Adagio is pretty standard -- even somewhat bland, for a Joie de Vivre property. An orange and brown color scheme and framed prints of leaves and trees give the hotel a comfortable, clean feel but don't have a lot of character, especially compared to the brand's typically funky, sometimes themed boutiques. There's a fitness center and business center on site, and both are small but well equipped. Bar Adagio serves both classy bar bites (flatbread pizzas; artisan cheeses) and hearty entrees (burgers; grilled skirt steak). The Adagio staff is small -- there's usually a single bellman and one or two people manning the front desk -- so lines can get long during peak hours. Still, everyone is exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable. And did we mention that the rooms are comfortable?

View on a Larger Map

Hotel Adagio sits two blocks west of Union Square, which is famous for its couture shops. Home to enormous outposts of Niketown, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany, Macy's, Louis Vuitton, and Neiman Marcus, among others, Union Square is to San Francisco what 5th Avenue is to New York. Locals don't hang out here much, but the square is great for people-watching nonetheless, and occasionally plays host to concerts, small festivals, and demonstrations. If shopping isn't your priority, you might prefer a hotel in a neighborhood closer to some of the biggest tourists attractions, like the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf.

• Five blocks from the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde cable-car lines, which run to Lombard Street and Ghirardelli Square or to Fisherman's Wharf, near Pier 39; a 20-minute ride for $5
• $10 to $20 cab ride to the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, and Haight-Ashbury
• Discount day-of theater seats available at the Union Square ticket kiosk
• Plenty of dining nearby, though the area isn't really known for its epicurean flare (Cheesecake Factory is the most visible restaurant around)
• $40, 30-minute cab ride from San Francisco International Airport
• While Union Square is a safe area, be careful of wandering into the neighboring Tenderloin district (southwest of the hotel), an unsavory area with a reputation for drugs, prostitution, and other crime.