- San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the US — but it also offers a surprisingly diverse range of affordable hotels.
- The city's budget-friendly hotels include properties that travelers love for comfort, convenience, design details, high-tech touches, and personalized service.
- We rounded up some of the best affordable hotels in San Francisco based on those we've personally stayed at, hotels located in a central location with desirable amenities, and are priced under $200 for standard rooms in low season.
- Read more: The best hotels in San Francisco
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San Francisco is home to a world-famous waterfront skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, stunning parks, an exciting food and arts scene, and is a major seat of tech. It also happens to be one of the most expensive cities in America.
As such, San Francisco is also, unsurprisingly, home to some of the country's more expensive hotels. Though don't let that deter you from visiting. There is an enticing array of properties available on a much more affordable scale. You just need to know where to look.
Some of our top hotel picks in the city are also cheaply priced and effortlessly merge convenience with comfort, clever design details, and of course, high-tech touches.
Most of our best budget options are found within the dense downtown area, but San Francisco also offers charming hotels tucked amid the city's famous hills (to keep those glutes in action, even without a hotel gym), and elsewhere in its culture rich, LGBT-friendly, and historic districts.
Traveling elsewhere? Read our list of the best hotels in other major US cities:
- The best hotels in New York City
- The best hotels in Palm Springs
- The best hotels in Las Vegas
- The best hotels in Los Angeles
- The best hotels in Chicago
- The best hotels in Miami
- The best hotels in San Diego
- The best hotels in New Orleans
For hotels in all price categories, check out our list of the best overall hotels in San Francisco.
As a former resident of San Francisco, I compiled the following list of the best affordable hotels in San Francisco by including properties I know to be well-located in desirable neighborhoods and favorites among locals, as well as those with starting price points under $200 per night, excellent amenities, savvy design, top-end service, and excellent rankings on sites such as TripAdvisor, Booking.com and Hotels.com.
These are the best affordable hotels in San Francisco to book in 2020, sorted by price from low to high:
Yotel San Francisco
Book Yotel San Francisco starting at $87 per night
Yotel is a new addition to San Francisco with 203 rooms known as "cabins," with a substantial range of options to suit various budgets. Located on Market Street, Yotel gets a Trip Advisor walkability rating of 100 out of 100, and I agree that the location is fantastic to explore the city.
Located within San Francisco's famous Grant Building (which survived both the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes), the hotel design takes its cues from air travel, with the idea to keep everything close and convenient, such as airline-style self-service check-in kiosks. All cabins (the guest rooms) have smart TVs so you can connect your own devices and stream content, plus there's ample places for charging devices. We like the ability to customize rooms as guests can create their personal vibe through tailored mood lighting and adjustable memory-foam beds. The rainfall showers are also a luxe touch.
The hotel is also home to Yotel's signature Komyuniti Lounge concept, designed with spaces to co-work and socialize.
Over 200 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Very Good" rating of 4.0 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 107 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8.1 out of 10
Pros: Yotel is built on the cool, modern concept of self-service and convenient, modern, and airy rooms. The location is super walkable.
Cons: With accommodations starting small and sparse, this kind of hotel won't feel right for everyone, so assess your needs and preferences before booking (and note the room types).
Cow Hollow Inn and Suites
Book Cow Hollow Inn and Suites starting at $104 per night
Cow Hollow Inn and Suites is a centrally located hotel near San Francisco's quaint Cow Hollow district, which is just over a mile to Fisherman's Wharf and only slightly farther to Pier 39.
Comfortable and clean, rooms have a well-lit seating and work area, with free internet, both wired and wireless. Covered parking is also complimentary, which is a rarity for this city and packs significant extra value.
Travelers love the well-maintained and noticeably large (even surprisingly so) rooms here, with coffee and tea-making facilities and large TVs. The location is also a prime one. Walk to the Palace of Fine Arts in 15 minutes, and easily reach many bars, restaurants, and other tourist-friendly attractions in a short walk.
Over 1,400 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Very Good" rating of 4.0 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 85 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8.3 out of 10
Pros: Rooms are comfortable, clean, and large, and reviewers love this hotel's central location.
Cons: Rooms are basic and charming, but not luxurious or modern feeling.
Hotel Zeppelin
Book Hotel Zeppelin starting at $118 per night
Hotel Zeppelin is a Union Square property that serves as a nod to the city's spirit of rebellion and counterculture and the whole place embraces an avant-garde look and feel.
Starting at about 200 square feet, standard guest rooms have sleek black headboards, John Boos 36-inch work desks, blackout shades, luxurious bath amenities from ROIL, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. Suites include vinyl on vintage turntables for an atmospheric touch.
Dining and drinking options include Rambler restaurant, offering California fare made with locally-sourced ingredients, which is located in the space formerly occupied by Wolfgang Puck's city institution, Postrio. The Mantel Bar is an intimate lounge near the lobby's fireplace, just right for gathering with groups or a date. An array of formal meeting spaces are also available, ranging up to 4,000 square feet.
Over 1,000 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Very Good" rating of 4.0 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 98 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8.3 out of 10
Pros: Reviewers love the bohemian vibe and the convenience of staying in an extremely walkable location.
Cons: Critics complain of spotty customer service, as well as concerns about noise.
Hotel Del Sol
Book Hotel Del Sol starting at $127 per night
Hotel Del Sol is a member of Joie de Vivre, the boutique line from World of Hyatt. It's a charming, well-appointed stay from a trusted brand, with the chance to earn loyalty points, too, and an easy walk to the buzzy bars, shops, and restaurants of the tourist-friendly Marina District.
Once a midcentury modern motor lodge, this hotel has been transformed to offer boutique amenities and service. Guest rooms are spacious, bright, and airy with orange-painted walls that feel like a California beach house, comfy beds, and cheerful decor.
Indeed, we're a fan of the bright and whimsical, modern concept decor such as palm trees, hammocks, and the colorful lounge furnishings that dot the pool area in the courtyard. The affordable price point also includes Wi-Fi, daily breakfast, and fun guest perks such as milk and cookies that are served each afternoon in the lobby.
Over 1,400 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Very Good" rating of 4 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 71 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Hotel Del Sol is located in a generally expensive, desirable location and the affordable rates feel like a true hidden gem secret. Service is excellent and guests may walk to Union Street and Chestnut Street shops in five minutes, or the Golden Gate Bridge running and bike path in 15 minutes.
Cons: Critics note noise bleed through thin walls, and some dated details throughout the hotel as well.
Stanford Court
Book Stanford Court starting at $139 per night
The 400-room Stanford Court hotel is meant to meet the needs of the digital-age traveler in a city known for tech innovation.
There's a high-tech fitness center complete with Peloton bikes, Hydrow rowing machines, virtual personal training, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the only intersection of San Francisco's famous cable car lines. Other amenities include a tech loaner program, digital art installations featuring artwork by local artists, a Nod Hill sleep menu, a lobby lending library stocked with books on California and San Francisco, and a music room with vinyls from local bands and artists.
Entry-level rooms begin at 220 square feet and have 49-inch HD televisions with HDMI and USB Ports, USB outlets, and a mini-fridge.
Over 700 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Excellent" rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 7 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8.3 out of 10
Pros: Travelers love Stanford Court's tech touches, spacious rooms, and the convenient location that makes for a prime base to explore the city by foot.
Cons: When you're budgeting your trip, consider the resort fee here, which will add $30 to your stay per night.
Virgin Hotels San Francisco
Book Virgin Hotels San Francisco starting at $156 per night
Virgin Hotels San Francisco is a hip, centrally located option and one of the city's newer hotel entries. It's convenient to the convention center, south of Market Street, and steps from Yerba Buena Gardens, and holds a Trip Advisor walkability rating of 100 out of 100 meaning, yes, you'll feel very much in the center of all the urban action.
Virgin Hotels places a core focus on food and beverage as well as music and culture, which is meant to facilitate a convivial and inclusive vibe for travelers, and locals too. There are 192 rooms and two penthouse suites, plus multiple dining and drinking options, including the destination bar and restaurant — and the brand's flagship outpost — Commons Club. There's also the Funny Library coffee shop; numerous meeting spaces; and a rooftop bar with expansive views of the city called Everdene.
Nearly 300 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Excellent" rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 32 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com rating: 8.9 out of 10
Pros: Visitors love all the cheeky details like the fun mini bar selection, Bloody Mary cart at Commons Club, and excellent robes. Plus, pet parents love that this hotel is also pet friendly.
Cons: Rooms here can feel small, and visitors may expect some traffic noise.
Phoenix Hotel
Book Phoenix Hotel starting at $156 per night
Located in the Tenderloin District, the Phoenix is known for being a fun, lively destination especially popular among creatives. It's a 10 minutes' walk from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and caters to a musical crowd with a distinctly rock-n-roll atmosphere.
There are only 44 rooms so there is also a strong boutique feel, with rooms exuding vintage details like retro phones, midcentury modern furniture, and vibrant graphic artworks. Updated modern conveniences also include 42-inch flat screen TVs with DirecTV and film channels.
Mostly, Phoenix Hotel is known for its pool scene (when San Francisco's notoriously chilly weather permits), which I've frequented many times with friends. There's even a mural from a local artist in the pool.
Guests also receive complimentary passes to the Kabuki Springs & Spa on weekdays, which is a San Francisco institution and offers an additional boon in value on top of the already cheap starting price.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 23 out of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8.6 out of 10
Pros: Phoenix Hotel is known for being a cool destination in San Francisco, and the fun pool area is a hip spot for visitors and locals alike to hang out.
Cons: Don't expect to get around the city on foot much from here. You'll likely need to rely on rideshare. Or bring your car; uncommon in San Francisco, but parking is free (one car per room).
Orchard Garden
Book Orchard Garden starting at $169 per night
The Orchard Garden Hotel is an eco-friendly hotel with LEED and Green Seal certifications for environmentally conscious — and budget-minded — travelers.
Located near the Financial District, Union Square shops, and many museums and attractions, Orchard Garden is well-loved for its central location and reasonable pricing that includes breakfast with all room rates. Service feels personalized, offering friendly details such as flexible check-in times, pending availability. Standard rooms start around 230 square feet, and junior suites have about 374 square feet with a separate sofa.
Roots Restaurant is open for breakfast daily, and also hosts meetings and events. Or hit the hotel's rooftop terrace for views of the famed San Francisco skyline.
Nearly 2,000 Trip Advisor reviews give this an overall "Excellent" rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Trip Advisor Ranking: 9 of 245 hotels in San Francisco
Booking.com Rating: 8.7 out of 10
Pros: Reviewers appreciate this hotel's consistently personal and attentive service, as well as the extremely convenient location in the heart of the city.
Cons: Rooms are basic rather than opulent, and this hotel offers value without all the frills of pricier options.