Hotel Diva San Francisco Review

Hotel Diva

San Francisco Review

440 Geary Street

If the word hip ever came to San Francisco it would undoubtedly stay at Hotel Diva. And it's not for the amenities or the great location – it just happens to know the manager.

One of only two San Francisco hotels to be featured in Herbert's Ypma's Hip Hotels: USA -- Hotel Diva stands proudly amidst the hustle and bustle of tourists, businessmen, and the homeless walking the streets of downtown San Francisco. A beacon of the Art Deco-ish styling of the city, the Hotel awaits visitors with open arms, beckoning them to not only stay the night, but stay the night in the kind of room you'd only see in a magazine that's too expensive to buy.

The theme of Hotel Diva appears to be a supple cobalt blue color and strangely-shaped objects. For example – a room's floor will be covered by gorgeous blue carpets, while the bed's headboard will rise much, much higher than even the largest of heads. Anything that can glow will glow – from the doorway, to the tables, to the hotel workers – it's like stepping into a classy rave being held in a modern art museum.

The area around the hotel is filled with every type of attraction an urban environment can offer – including the homeless and the murders. Luckily, the murders happen a bit further down, in the Tenderloin area, that sneaks up to Union Square if you take a wrong turn, while the homeless fill the streets like cable cars, asking for money in unique and often obnoxious ways. Shops fill every corner of every block – from the huge Macy's, to the many designer boutiques -- if you're looking for a pair of pants that'll cost more than you paid for a semester of college, this is the place to look. Cafe's fill the corners of almost every block – Starbucks, Borders, Seattle's Best – if you know it, it's here.

Two movie theaters are a few blocks away – with the Westfield Shopping Center holding one and the Sony Metreon holding another, while theatres like the Curran and ACT offer attractions for the classier audiences.

Restaurants squeeze in anywhere the shops and cafés leave room, with Scala's – a delicious mix of French and Italian cuisine – within walking distance of Diva, and Burger King – for those eating on a budget -- not too far off.

Finally, clubs and bars abound in the area, the most prominent of which is named Ruby Skye – a two-story behemoth filled with people, music, and sexual frustration.

Aside from the great location and the eye-pleasing decorations, guests to Hotel Diva will also have access to in-room CD players, two touch-tone phones with global Internet data-ports, an in-room video library showcasing newly released motion pictures, a concierge lounge that's chalk full of magazines and San Francisco-related literature, wireless Internet in the lobby and, of course, easy-access to a Starbucks – of which there are no less than ten in the general area.

With rooms priced anywhere between $119 to $189, visitors won't exactly be staying for cheap – but it's more than worth it. The location alone is a dream for any tourist and the Hotel – voted by Interior Magazine as having the Best Hotel Design – ends up being as much of an attraction as the neighboring Union Square.