Nob Hill, United States
Charming older hotel with stylish Asian/Middle Eastern touches
Convenient Lower Nob Hill location within walking distance of Union Square, with free car service to the Civic Center and Financial District
Contemporary rooms with city views, flat-screen TVs, and Keurig coffeemakers
Suites include colorfully decorated living rooms
Colorful restaurant fuses Yemenese, Arabic, and California cuisine, with a splash of French
Bright, classically furnished meeting room
24-hour business corner with two Macs and a printer
Valet parking (for a fee)
Pet-friendly rooms (dogs must weigh less than 50 pounds)
Free Wi-Fi throughout the property, daily wine receptions with live, local music, and newspapers
Some rooms are noisy
No air-conditioning or mini-fridges in rooms
Close to the Tenderloin District, which can be dicey
No fitness facilities
The 161-room upper-middle-range Hotel Carlton is a comfortable property located located near Polk Street and Union Square in Lower Nob Hill. Built in 1927, the Carlton has an eclectic decor, with Middle Eastern and Asian influences. The fusion theme continues into its restaurant, Saha, which blends Yemenese and Arabic cuisine with California and French touches. The hotel also has a meeting room and a 24-hour business center. Rooms come with flat-screen TVs and Keurig coffeemakers, and offer city views. Be aware that rooms are not air-conditioned, and some receive noise from the street and adjacent rooms. The Galleria Park, also a Joie de Vivre hotel, offers quieter internal rooms with minibars.
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Scene
Comfortable older hotel in central location with on-site fusion dining
The Hotel Carlton’s intimate atmosphere and convenient location should work for all travelers -- solo, business, family, and groups. Built in 1927, the hotel is brick with yellow-trimmed windows. Large arched windows at the entrance look into the marble tiled lobby with colorful classic furniture, an antique fireplace, and an interior influenced by Africa, India, Nepal, and Asia. Hallways are decorated in blue stripes with red trim and red Arabic letters. There are two vintage elevators. The cozy and elegant setting is an appropriate backdrop for the hotel’s free wine receptions that are paired with live music. Near the small, white front desk is an arched doorway leading to the colorful Saha fusion restaurant, which blends Yemenese, Arabic, and California cuisine -- with a twist of French -- the dining room has red molding, yellow walls, blue base trim, and gold accents.
Location
Located in San Francisco's Lower Nob Hill near Union Square
The hotel is a quick walk to restaurants, bars, and shopping from its location in residential Lower Nob Hill. The Civic Center and Financial District are six minutes away via the hotel’s car service. Fisherman’s Wharf -- with Pier 39, boat trips to Alcatraz, and Ghirardelli Square -- is 10 minutes away by car. Three blocks away is the California Street cable car line. Chinatown is a five-minute drive. Union Square is within a 15-minute walk. Alamo Square Park is an eight-minute drive, while Haight-Ashbury is a 15-minute drive. San Francisco International Airport is about a 25-minute drive.
Rooms
Stylish rooms with colorful decor, flat-screen TVs, Keurig coffeemakers, and Lower Nob Hill views
Colorful decor and classic furniture creates a stylish, cheery decor in the rooms, which include hand-painted Moroccan side tables and photographs of 15th-century Nepalese temples. There are Superior Queen, Superior King Accessible, City View Queen, City View Two Fulls, Superior King, Superior Two Fulls, and City View King Rooms, and the larger Sir Edmund Hillary Suites. Rooms include Serta mattresses, 42-inch or 32-inch flatscreen TVs with HDTV programming, writing desks, iHome radio docks, Keurig coffeemakers, bathrobes, flashlights, ceiling fans (remember, rooms are not air-conditioned), and safes. Windows overlook the city. Modern bathrooms include orange shower curtains and toiletries. Suites offer better views, Asian and Middle Eastern decorated living rooms with sofa beds, two bathrooms, and roll-in showers. Dog beds are available.
Features
Business car service, a meeting room, and an Apple computer corner
The hotel’s close proximity to San Francisco’s Civic Center, with free town car service to the area, and an on-site meeting room make the Carlton a handy choice for business travelers, although the location serves leisure travelers too. The meeting room can fit up to 40 people, depending on the chosen layout. Free Wi-Fi, an LCD projector, and a screen are included. There’s also a business corner available 24-hours a day, with two Apple desktop computers and a printer. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
