Hotel Palomar

Description:

• The Kimpton Boutique Hotels' most luxurious downtown property occupies the top five floors of a refurbished 1907 landmark office building. As the group's most refined boutique property, the Art Deco-inspired interior designed by Cheryl Rowley features rooms with an updated twist on 1930s modern design -- artful, understated textural elements such as emerald-tone velvets, fine woods, and raffia. Tailored lines and rich textures throughout lend a sophisticated, fresh aspect to the overall air of elegance. Rooms, however, can range from very cozy (read: small) to soothingly spacious (try for a corner room overlooking Market St.); they're also bound to be in mint condition thanks to soft-goods upgrades in 2007. There's not much in the way of public spaces, but the hotel makes up for it with its rooms' fab-factor, homey luxuries like DVD/CD players and flatscreen TVs, and its dining room, the Fifth Floor Restaurant, which is one of the most expensive and upscale restaurants in town. That said, if you want the full-blown luxury hotel experience -- with every hotel amenity under the sun -- you're better off with one of the Nob Hill or Union Square big boys.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2009
•  Highly Recommended 2010

Other features:

All suites include Fuji spa tubs. "Tall Rooms" feature longer beds and bathrobes for taller travelers. Companion goldfish are available upon request.