Best Value Hotels in San Francisco

Dating to 1915, this mid-range bed-and-breakfast has a classic-inn-meets-mod-London vibe. Its 26 rooms (surprisingly spacious for a bed-and-breakfast) come with fireplaces, wet bars, flat-screen TVs, and mini-fridges stocked daily with free soda and bottled water. In a cozy parlor and dining area, the hotel serves free daily breakfast and free fresh cookies, tea, and biscuits in the afternoons. Free evening receptions feature appetizers and some of the best local wines, and coffee and tea are available in the lobby all day. 

Once a Best Western, this appealing 1913 hotel has been reincarnated as The Alise. It's part of Pineapple Hospitality brand, which oversees small collection of West Coast boutique hotels. The 93-room hotel is well-located for touring major sights (it's just a few blocks from Union Square), but it's on the northern edge of the gritty Tenderloin area. Rooms can be small, but all have great amenities: 48-inch flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, Keurig coffeemakers, free high-speed Wi-Fi, free bottled water, seersucker robes, and marble bathrooms. Nice touches include free bike rentals (with helmets and locks), free pineapple-infused water, and free afternoon coffee and pineapple mini cupcakes, but the hotel lacks some amenities (like a full-service restaurant and fitness facilities) of higher-end hotels.

The 100-year-old Chancellor Hotel on Union Square was once the tallest building in the city; these days it's on the small side for a San Francisco hotel. Inside, the lobby has a charming feel, with polished tile floors; free hot drinks, apples, and cookies; and armchairs where you can sit and watch the cable cars go by outside. The 137 small rooms have modern decor, but the age of the building does show in places (such as the machine stucco walls). There are a cozy restaurant and bar on-site, and guests are offered free use of a gym and pool a block away. All in all, it's an excellent pick given the reasonable price.

In the heart of the vibrant Castro, the 1950s Beck’s Motor Lodge is a fun mid-century motel that was renovated between 2014 and 2016. The budget motel's 58 rooms have buckets of personality: Some rooms have mustard yellow walls and white melamine nightstands and desks, while others have one bright blue striped wall and chocolate brown plush headboards. All rooms have one or two queen beds or one king bed, and all come with 32-inch flat-screen TVs, writing desks, programmable safes (big enough for a tablet but not a laptop), mini-fridges, and coffeemakers. Free parking is a valuable and rare perk in San Francisco. 

Geared towards longer stays, the Suites at Fisherman's Wharf is ideal for the self-sufficient traveler. Rooms have full kitchens, and while a bit worn around the edges, receive positive reviews from guests, in particular those traveling as groups. The location is central and convenient, in close proximity to Ghirardelli Square, Nob Hill, and Lombard Street (cable cars and buses are nearby too). There is a big roof deck with sweeping views of the city and Bay, along with Alcatraz, and many dining and shopping options surround the hotel. However the central location can be noisy and the parking lot is on the small side.