Buena Vista Motor Inn

Situated in a four-story cement building freshly painted in cream, Buena Vista sits on the corner of two busy streets. The bright and inviting lobby was renovated in early 2015, with special touches such as colorful, original ink drawings of cartoonish people and San Francisco-themed landscapes. A few chic, mid-century modern-style chairs surround a brushed-metal table topped with books on San Francisco, and there are a couple of studded, black leather armchairs against large street-facing windows. The top-floor observation deck and sun room have more generic decor, though are nice areas to escape to. Each is built to accommodate a maximum of about 20 people, and are typically uncrowded, so guests -- typically tourists -- can easily take in views of the surrounding neighborhood and Golden Gate Bridge. There is also a small, outdoor garden area with a couple of patio chairs and a table set upon a lush green lawn lined with shrubbery, potted plants, and a beautiful, leafy tree. 

The hotel is on Lombard Street, a couple of blocks from Van Ness -- both are major, multi-lane roads through town. Lombard is home to a string of motor inns, fast food restaurants, apartment buildings, and small retail spaces. Buena Vista Inn is about a 12-minute walk from both the waterfront and Ghirardelli Square, and 20 minutes on foot to Fisherman’s Wharf. Russian Hill is a 15-minute walk away. There are several trams and buses within a 10-minute walk of the hotel, offering easy access to just about anywhere in the city, including San Francisco International Airport in about an hour (it’s at least 25 to 30 minutes away by car).

Guest rooms are in the process of being remodeled as of spring 2015, and are standard hotel fare. King and queen bed varieties are available, both with small luggage closets, mounted flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, desks, and coffeemakers; mini-fridges and microwaves are available on request. Decor in renovated rooms includes striped carpeting and olive green patterned bedspreads, along with neutral walls and curtains, warm wood furniture, and framed nature photography. King rooms have small love seats, while queen rooms have armchairs; both types have large windows. Suites are considerably larger than Deluxe rooms, each with a separate bedroom and sitting area with sofa bed, mini-fridge, and microwave. Bathrooms are relatively large with long countertops in tan faux-granite tile, wall-mounted hairdryers, and shower/tub combos.

This compact hotel offers more amenities than most in its class and of its size. There's free garage parking under the building -- a rare treat in San Francisco. Free Wi-Fi access is offered in rooms and throughout the hotel, and there's a guest computer in the lobby. Free continental breakfast is served daily, and includes coffee, juice, cereal, and pastries. Guests can relax on the rooftop deck, in the sun room, and outdoors in the small, private garden area. There is no restaurant or bar on-site. The front desk is open 24 hours.