Hyatt At Fisherman's Wharf Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California

The lobby

From the sleek lobby (think marble floors and walls padded in white leather) to the ample amenities (including a heated pool and Jacuzzi), the Hyatt feels quite a bit more fashionable than the other chain hotels around Fisherman's Wharf. Take the recently remodeled bar, for example: Housed in an adjacent 1868 brick building that was once home to a marble works and stone-cutting company, Knuckles on the Wharf is a mashup of original brick walls and weathered beams, slick HDTVs, a menu with everything from tortilla soup to Dungeness crab cakes, and a fun and sometimes large crowd, especially on game days. It's not exactly what you picture when you think of a chain-hotel bar in a major tourist destination. But then, you could say the same about the hotel overall.

The 300-square-foot Standard King Room wasn't quite as stylish as the lobby, but it was fine for a night's rest after tooling around San Francisco. The pillow-top Hyatt Grand Bed was comfortable, and although the standard down pillows were a bit too soft for my taste, foam replacements were delivered within 15 minutes. I slept soundly and enjoyed waking to the clanging of the cable car bells outside. While lying in bed with the windows open, I even got a free history lesson from an idling tour bus. The sound through the window was better than my view, which was mostly chain stores. For a better view, request a North Beach city view room.

The room had a few flaws: A blind was broken, and the 32-inch LCD TV was oddly placed right in front of the desk. The bathroom was renovated in 2006, but the modern rain shower felt out of place with the bland tile and countertop. (If you prefer a shower-tub combo, request a room with double beds.) The bathroom door was too heavy to slide shut easily, and didn't lock or even close all the way. That said, the service was generally prompt and accommodating. My room-service breakfast was waiting for me when I returned from the gym, as I requested, and the bartender at Knuckles even kept the bar open a few minutes extra to let me run an errand and return to finish my beer. Unlike the Hilton, next door, the Hyatt also has a heated pool and a Jacuzzi -- nice features for parents looking to relax with the kids between sightseeing excursions.

View on a Larger Map

Just two blocks from Fisherman's Wharf, the Hyatt 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