Pros

  • In downtown San Francisco on the cable car line to Fisherman's Wharf, and within walking distance to Chinatown
  • Heated outdoor pool with views of the surrounding area
  • Stylish modern rooms with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and mini-fridges
  • Upper-floor rooms have views of the surrounding area, Chinatown, the bay, and Golden Gate Bridge
  • Cocktail bar and restaurant with small plates, and Napa and Sonoma wines
  • 24-hour fitness center and business center
  • Relatively low room rates for downtown San Francisco, and less expensive than hotels in the major tourist areas
  • Renovated in 2015, so hotel is in good condition
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Cons

  • Not within walking distance to major tourist attractions
  • Some rooms are small
  • Rooms get occasional noise from roof air-conditioning units, the street, and nearby fire station
  • Fee for breakfast and parking
  • Limited fitness center for a hotel of this size
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Bottom Line

The 26-floor, 496-room Holiday Inn is a mid-range tourist hotel on Van Ness Avenue in downtown San Francisco. While not very close to attractions such as Yerba Buena Gardens, MOMA, the Ferry Building, and the Golden Gate Bridge, the hotel is right on the California Street cable car line, and rates are lower than at hotels in the more touristy areas. Fisherman's Wharf is about a 20-minute cable car ride north. As the tallest building in the neighborhood, the hotel offers views of the city skyline and bay from many of its rooms. Renovated in 2015, the Holiday Inn has up-to-date rooms with free Wi-Fi, and a wide array of amenities, including an outdoor heated swimming pool open year-round. 

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Oyster Hotel Review

Holiday Inn San Francisco Golden Gateway

Scene

Contemporary mid-range tourist hotel with outdoor pool and restaurant    

Although the Holiday Inn doesn't exude a lot of distinctive San Francisco character, it has a pleasant modern feel. The hotel just completed a thorough renovation in early 2015, so it's in excellent condition. The clientele is mostly tourists. Guests can gather around the pool and in the restaurant and lobby-level guest lounge with its big-screen TV, yellow and white sofas, and colorful art. Rooms are outfitted to chain standards, with comfortable beds, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and views of the city, bay -- or both -- from many of the rooms.

See More Scene

Location

In central San Francisco on the cable car line, a 15-minute walk from Chinatown    

The Holiday Inn is in downtown San Francisco on Van Ness Avenue/Highway 101, the central north-south artery that connects the highway south of the city to the Golden Gate Bridge. Situated in the Polk Gulch neighborhood west of Chinatown and Nob Hill, and east of Japantown and Pacific Heights, the hotel is within walking distance of many restaurants, and a five-minute walk southeast of Lafayette Park. The California Street cable car stops right outside the hotel, as do many city bus lines. The area of city hall, the symphony and opera, Civic Center, Civic Center/UN Plaza BART station and the Asian Art Museum is a five-minute drive south. The western gate of Chinatown is a 15-minute walk east, and Union Square is a 15-minute walk southeast of the hotel. Fisherman's Wharf is about a 20-minute cable car ride north, the Golden Gate Bridge is a 10-minute drive northwest, and Yerba Buena Gardens and MOMA are a five-minute drive southeast. The Holiday Inn is a 25-minute drive north of San Francisco International Airport.

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Rooms

Clean, contemporary rooms with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs    

Renovated in 2015 and arranged on floors six through 26 of a 26-floor building, the 496 rooms and suites have a contemporary feel, with white walls and splashes of red in the bed throws. Most rooms are spacious, but some corner rooms can be somewhat small. Rooms all have city views, while some of the upper-level rooms have unobstructed views of the city skyline, the San Francisco Bay, or both. Some even offer partial Golden Gate Bridge views. The 100 percent nonsmoking rooms all come with free morning newspapers, blackout shades, coffeemakers, mini-fridges, work desks with ergonomic chairs, comfortable beds with thick mattresses and triple sheeting, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with premium cable, HBO, pay-per-view movies, and video review/checkout. Some rooms provide bathrobes. Rooms do not have microwaves, but guests can rent them from the front desk. Rooms are generally quiet, although some stray noise might escape from the roof air-conditioning units, the street, and nearby fire station. 

See More Rooms

Features

Heated outdoor pool, fitness center, restaurant, and bar    

The Holiday Inn has a wide array of amenities and facilities. Unlike many downtown San Francisco hotels, the hotel has an outdoor heated swimming pool, open all year long. Although a little small for a hotel this size, the fitness room is open 24 hours. The restaurant serves an ample breakfast buffet (for a fee) with pastries, cereals, fruit, eggs, bacon, and more. The lunch and dinner fare features small plates, renowned San Francisco dishes, and Napa and Sonoma wines. The hotel also has evening room service and a cocktail bar with several big-screen TVs. Guests can use the free Internet or print a document in the 24-hour business center. The hotel also has a coin-operated laundry, dedicated concierge and bell staff, secured parking (for a fee), conference rooms and lobby guest lounge with big-screen TV, along with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Holiday Inn San Francisco Golden Gateway

Scene

Contemporary mid-range tourist hotel with outdoor pool and restaurant    

Although the Holiday Inn doesn't exude a lot of distinctive San Francisco character, it has a pleasant modern feel. The hotel just completed a thorough renovation in early 2015, so it's in excellent condition. The clientele is mostly tourists. Guests can gather around the pool and in the restaurant and lobby-level guest lounge with its big-screen TV, yellow and white sofas, and colorful art. Rooms are outfitted to chain standards, with comfortable beds, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and views of the city, bay -- or both -- from many of the rooms.

See More Scene

Location

In central San Francisco on the cable car line, a 15-minute walk from Chinatown    

The Holiday Inn is in downtown San Francisco on Van Ness Avenue/Highway 101, the central north-south artery that connects the highway south of the city to the Golden Gate Bridge. Situated in the Polk Gulch neighborhood west of Chinatown and Nob Hill, and east of Japantown and Pacific Heights, the hotel is within walking distance of many restaurants, and a five-minute walk southeast of Lafayette Park. The California Street cable car stops right outside the hotel, as do many city bus lines. The area of city hall, the symphony and opera, Civic Center, Civic Center/UN Plaza BART station and the Asian Art Museum is a five-minute drive south. The western gate of Chinatown is a 15-minute walk east, and Union Square is a 15-minute walk southeast of the hotel. Fisherman's Wharf is about a 20-minute cable car ride north, the Golden Gate Bridge is a 10-minute drive northwest, and Yerba Buena Gardens and MOMA are a five-minute drive southeast. The Holiday Inn is a 25-minute drive north of San Francisco International Airport.

See More Location

Rooms

Clean, contemporary rooms with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs    

Renovated in 2015 and arranged on floors six through 26 of a 26-floor building, the 496 rooms and suites have a contemporary feel, with white walls and splashes of red in the bed throws. Most rooms are spacious, but some corner rooms can be somewhat small. Rooms all have city views, while some of the upper-level rooms have unobstructed views of the city skyline, the San Francisco Bay, or both. Some even offer partial Golden Gate Bridge views. The 100 percent nonsmoking rooms all come with free morning newspapers, blackout shades, coffeemakers, mini-fridges, work desks with ergonomic chairs, comfortable beds with thick mattresses and triple sheeting, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with premium cable, HBO, pay-per-view movies, and video review/checkout. Some rooms provide bathrobes. Rooms do not have microwaves, but guests can rent them from the front desk. Rooms are generally quiet, although some stray noise might escape from the roof air-conditioning units, the street, and nearby fire station. 

See More Rooms

Features

Heated outdoor pool, fitness center, restaurant, and bar    

The Holiday Inn has a wide array of amenities and facilities. Unlike many downtown San Francisco hotels, the hotel has an outdoor heated swimming pool, open all year long. Although a little small for a hotel this size, the fitness room is open 24 hours. The restaurant serves an ample breakfast buffet (for a fee) with pastries, cereals, fruit, eggs, bacon, and more. The lunch and dinner fare features small plates, renowned San Francisco dishes, and Napa and Sonoma wines. The hotel also has evening room service and a cocktail bar with several big-screen TVs. Guests can use the free Internet or print a document in the 24-hour business center. The hotel also has a coin-operated laundry, dedicated concierge and bell staff, secured parking (for a fee), conference rooms and lobby guest lounge with big-screen TV, along with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Airport Transportation

  • Business Center

  • Concierge

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pets Allowed

  • Pool

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.