InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco

The Art Deco InterContinental Mark Hopkins is planted diagonally atop Nob Hill, the architectural equivalent of an offensive linemen towering over the field of San Francisco since 1926. Its stately entrance and lobby, formal doormen, and famous Top of the Mark bar (you guessed it -- on the top of the hotel) give it an elegant, if old-fashioned, feel. Yet, despite its clout as one of the city's oldest and most famous hotels, the Mark Hopkins is no longer the luxury property it once was: It belongs more in the upper-middle-range category, and guests will be happier with their stay if they adjust their expectations accordingly. Rooms are comfortable, if a bit bland, service is formal, but not of the luxury caliber it may appear to be, and features are surprisingly basic beyond the famous bar. The ritzy, well-known restaurant and bar still holds status as a San Francisco landmark -- it may even have the city's best view over a martini glass -- but it's open to non-guests as well, so you don't actually have to stay here to experience it.

The hotel sits on the site of a mansion, built in 1878 and owned by one of the founders of Central Pacific Railroad, Mark Hopkins. The mansion burned down in the fire following San Francisco's 1906 earthquake, and the hotel that took its place was eventually a meeting spot for Pacific-bound servicemen during World War II, appeared in several films (Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, Steve McQueen's Bullitt), and became a California Historical Landmark in 1961.

Though it's hard to match the Mark Hopkins for its prestige and past, in many important aspects -- rooms, service, features -- it The Mark Hopkins is often significantly less expensive than, say, the Ritz-Carlton (which offers more amenities) and the Fairmont (which has better rooms). If the price difference is big enough, it can be worth considering for its Nob Hill address.

The formal service seems as presidential as the hotel looks, but it's not at the level you'd find at a luxury property: The concierge desk is theoretically open for extensive hours, but on many days it's actually shorter, and turndown service must be requested. Twenty-four hour room service, however, is available.

• Dedicated concierge desk available daily
• 24-hour room service
• House car is available in the mornings and evenings to take guests within a mile-radius of the hotel -- but this service isn't well advertised to guests
• Turndown service only on request
• No daily newspaper delivery, just stack of The New York Times near the elevators in the mornings

The Mark Hopkins sits regally at the top of Nob Hill -- both the actual hill and the neighborhood -- its imposing figure towering over the city. The upside for guests: awesome views, even from street level, though the best are in the 19th-story Top of the Mark. The downside? If you're walking, the way to and from the Fairmont is a thigh-burning, knee-jarring hike, no matter which direction you're coming from.

The area, Nob Hill, is jokingly referred to by locals as "Snob Hill," and that tells you quite a bit about the neighborhood. It's primarily residential -- rich locals -- with a few luxury hotels mixed in for rich visitors (the Fairmont, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Huntington are among its distinguished neighbors). Locals don't really hang out here, however; you'll need to head downhill to North Beach or the Marina, or over to Russian Hill or Pacific Heights, to find the best local restaurants, bars, and shops.

• Fisherman's Wharf is down the hill, less than a mile away (take the cable car back up!).
• The famous curvy block of Lombard Street is less than half a mile away.
• Chinatown, the largest one outside Asia, with restaurants, herbal shops, and cultural attractions, is right down the street.
• Far from the Presidio, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, and Haight-Ashbury but then, so are the other neighborhoods with major hotels
• All cable car lines stop right behind hotel.
• 30-minute taxi from San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Safe neighborhood (though vagrancy and panhandling are common, as throughout the city)

The rooms are indisputably comfortable, with luxurious beds and plenty of space for the price (standard rooms start at around 350 square feet), but they're also dated -- with furnishings in various patterns of gold and blue. They all have flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, stocked minibars, and Keurig coffeemakers. Most bathrooms are cramped, and some might find the decor a bit boring. Wi-Fi isn't free (charged according to connection speeds), and the minibar lacks gourmet options and elegant presentation. At least the unique position of this building affords astounding views from most rooms.

• Standard rooms are just over 300 square feet, and all rooms are under 400 (this is average for San Francisco hotels; small for its luxury hotels); suites range from 550 to 1,650 square feet.
• Super-comfortable beds with pillow-top mattresses, Frette linens, and down comforters
• Small bathrooms with combined bathtub/shower units that are unimpressive compared to other luxury hotels, though they have Agraria toiletries and Frette bathrobes
• Views from rooms are generally great, thanks to the hotel's position on top of Nob Hill.
• Turndown service is only upon request.

A beautiful lobby and the famous Top of the Mark bar are the most exciting features of the hotel. In addition, a staffed business center and small fitness center are below the lobby on the hotel's basement level, and the hotel boasts the "Room of the Dons" and "Peacock Court" -- a meeting room with famous wall murals painted for the hotel in 1926.

• 24-hour business center, attended during the day; otherwise accessible by room key
• 24-hour fitness center
• Club InterContinental Lounge open to guests who pay an extra fee for access; it includes lounge space, free coffee and tea throughout the day, evening hors-d'oeuvres, and a small continental breakfast each morning.
• House car is available in the mornings and evenings to take guests within a "reasonable distance" of the hotel -- but this service isn't well advertised to guests.
• "Room of the Dons" and "Peacock Court" meeting room contain original murals painted for the hotel's opening in 1926.

Top of the Mark is one of the hotel's best-known features. There are dazzling, nearly 360-degree views of the city from 19 floors up (and the top of Nob Hill is one of San Francisco's best spots to look down on the rest of the city). It also impresses with evening jazz performances and a menu offering a hundred martinis. The Top of the Mark strikes a sedate tone, though it's livelier on weekends. Events like wedding receptions and parties occasionally give it a more raucous vibe.

• "100 Martinis" menu features the hotel's hallmark specialty martinis
• Tuesday to Saturday evening jazz performances by various artists
• Holds a well-regarded Sunday brunch with live jazz

Although families would do fine staying here, at this price you can get more for kids elsewhere. The Fairmont and Ritz-Carlton both offer better kids' amenities, like special gifts on arrival, and their rooms are larger, so you're not obligated to spend extra on an upgrade just to fit the family in.

• Small standard rooms not ideal
• Kids' menu available for room service; discounted kids' breakfast buffet price
• Charge per stay for rollaways (they can only fit in standard rooms that have single beds; not double); cribs are free
• Rooms and suites have minibars but no kitchens.

The Top of the Mark serves a daily breakfast buffet, lunch, and small bites/appetizers at night. Room service features breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Extensive, good quality breakfast buffet served at the Top of the Mark for a high price
• Room service is available 24 hours; fairly traditional American menu
• Few dining options in the immediate area