Hilton San Francisco Financial District

The Hilton Financial District, a 27-floor, 549-room concrete tower on the edge of Chinatown, may not be a new building, but it feels fresh -- a $55 million renovation finished in 2006 turned it into a contemporary-looking property. Its interiors are brighter and more appealing than those at Parc 55, at least from a design standpoint, and its rooms are almost as sleek and technologically up-to-date as those at the InterContinental in SoMa and Le Meridien four blocks away.The Hilton brand attracts a good number of business travelers -- one reason it showed up so often in "Up in the Air" -- but the good service, comfortable beds, and terrific views at this particular Hilton make it a good choice for tourists looking for a comfortable home base. In the lobby, the Flyte Wine Bar offers an extensive selection of California reds -- something you won't find in most other hotels in this neighborhood. (The Hotel Vitale and the W San Francisco are two, more expensive exceptions.)Shortcomings are few: There's a relatively skimpy fitness center and no pool. The couple blocks in the immediate vicinity aren't especially attractive -- though they are perfectly safe -- and most of the decent restaurants in the Financial District are closer to the waterfront. A few minutes' walk further, though, and you'll find the appealing Chinatown and North Beach neighborhoods, where great food and interesting architecture are the norm. Other hotel options nearby include the slightly more expensive Le Meridien, while the Hilton certainly outshines the more dreary Club Quarters.

Service at the Hilton is not up to the same high standards as you find at other business-minded hotels, like the slightly more expensive InterContinental or Omni. Doormen come and go, but that's not a major problem given the automatic sliding doors at the entrance. Plus, the front desk and concierge staff are eager to help both in person and over the phone.- Room service not 24 hours

• Well-staffed front desk
• Conceirge, available throughout the day
• In-house notary; business center
• Hotel garage offers car washing and detailing (at an extra cost).
• Free newspaper delivered to rooms Monday through Friday; free newspapers available at the bell stand on weekends
• Valet and self-parking are both expensive

The Financial District is one of those neighborhoods in which the name says it all. If you're a leisure traveler, it's not a bad place to be, but it's important to know that it's sleepy on weekends and positively dead at night. It's also pretty removed from the city's most popular attractions (Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury), but then, so are the other neighborhoods with similarly high-priced accommodations. (You can stay in Nob Hill for a small taste of local life, for instance, but you'd still have to take a cab or bus to the aforementioned sites.) And being so close to the Embarcadero (about a 10- to 15-minute walk from the Hilton) actually makes for an easier commute to Fisherman's Wharf than you'd have anywhere else except the wharf itself. You're also just seven blocks from the Ferry Building, where you can eat like a world-class foodie and catch a ferry to Sausalito.- Six blocks to the picturesque Embarcadero promenade

• Short walk to the Ferry Building, a foodie paradise chockablock with high-end restaurants that hosts a renowned, thrice-weekly farmers' market
• 10-minute walk to Market Street and its plethora of public transportation options, including BART trains
• Five-minute cab ride (or half-hour walk) to the kid-friendly attractions and seafood restaurants of Fisherman's Wharf
• 30-minute taxi from San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Around average in size for a San Francisco hotel in this price range, the rooms at the Hilton are sleek and offer many modern electronics, which makes them superior to the slightly staid rooms at the Omni nearby. The contemporary look of Le Meridien is similar to what you'd find here, while the Hilton outshines the small -- but less expensive -- rooms of the Club Quarters.- Standard rooms -- available with two doubles or a king bed -- are 320 square feet, which is about average for a room in San Francisco.

• King Junior Suites are 460 square feet and have separate living rooms, wet bars, and seperate tubs and dual-head showers.
• Notably comfortable Hilton-brand Serenity Bed: 250-thread-count sheets; five down pillows; down comforter with a duvet
• Sleek, built-in desk with two power outlets and a media box with two additional power outlets; the swiveling desk lamp is convenient.
• Free Wi-Fi
• Flat-screen TV with 29 channels; media hub for connecting devices to the TV
• Hilton-brand alarm clock radio with auxilliary jack for connecting MP3 devices like iPods.
• Two phones, including one cordless
• Cup-at-a-time coffeemaker with free Lavazza coffee; bottled water available but no minibar
• Electronic safe, large enough for a laptop
• Well-lit bathroom with a makeup (or shaving) mirror, bathrobes, and higher-end Crabtree & Evelyn La Source shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, lotion, and mouthwash
• Rooms on higher floors have nice views of the city's skyline or the bay (though they often come with a sizable price bump)

• 24-hour business center with four computers, a copier, a fax machine, and a laser printer
• Smaller-than-average 24-hour fitness center with three treadmills, three ellipticals, three bikes, free weights, and a few weight machines

• Double-Double Rooms can accommodate four people; adjoining rooms are also available.
• Cribs are free.
• Rollaways are charged per night and only fit in king bed rooms.
• Children's menu available at 750 Restaurant & Bar

While the Hilton does allow some pets, the Hotel Triton, five blocks away, is a better choice in the Financial District; it doesn't levy a charge for pets of any size and provides accessories like doggie beds and food bowls.- Cats and dogs under 75 pounds welcome

• Fee if you bring your pet
• The hotel can recommend pet-friendly parks nearby and can also arrange dog-walking and pet-sitting services.

Rooms and bathrooms are pristine, and the public spaces are well maintained.

• 750 Restaurant & Bar offers all-day dining, starting with a breakfast buffet (an a la carte menu is also available), and a la carte lunch and dinner; menus feature American and international fare
• Flyte Wine Bar has California reds and whites by the taste, glass, and flight, many preserved in a high-tech Enomatic system that keeps wine fresh
• Room service available throughout the day, but not 24 hours