Like feeling like a local when you travel? Then for your next trip to San Francisco, jump the crowds in clamorous Union Square and opt for The Buchanan, a boutique hotel that opens this week and offers a more personal, insider experience.
San Francisco designer Nicole Hollis styled the rooms in the image of a sleek urban apartment. As a result, each of the hotel’s 131 rooms echo the vibe of their stylish neighbors, Pacific Heights and Japan Town. With minimalist décor and bold statement pieces, the rooms evoke clean white canvasses, with pops of navy and Japanese shibori-print accent pillows (a subtle nod to the property’s predecessor, the funky, kitschy Hotel Tomo).
In the lobby, a daring Japanese whiskey bottle sculpture and wall made of reclaimed whiskey barrels welcomes guests, while a serene private courtyard offers a temporary oasis from the bustle of the international city. It’s a testament to how much San Francisco offers visitors, when you realize that staying far from Union Square doesn’t mean missing out on the action.
The Buchanan is a short walk to popular eateries like Pizzeria Delfina, Out the Door, and SPQR. It’s also close to a stretch of Fillmore Street with a row of high-end local boutiques, and traditional Japanese restaurants like Kappa. You’ll barely be here a day before you’ll feel like it’s your new home.
Jenna Scatena is on the San Francisco Bay Area beat for Travel + Leisure. You can follow her on Twitter at @Jenna_Scatena and on Instagram at @Jenna_Scatena.
More good reads from T+L:
• 25 Trips of a Lifetime
• 20 Exciting Hotels on the Summer 2015 Radar
• Best Places to Travel in 2015
