AT the end of a long day all you want to do is jump into a comfy bed and never leave.
Well that’s exactly what I wanted when I arrived in San Francisco after a week-long tour of California’s Central Valley.
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And 1 Hotel San Francisco was literally the number one option.
The sustainable hotel is in the perfect location, on the Embarcadero on Mission Street, right underneath the magnificent Bay Bridge — my room even had a stunning view of it.
When I checked in, the receptionist handed me two wooden discs and told me to enjoy my stay.
Confused, I wondered where my room key was, where I got it and how I got into my room.
Turns out these little discs were my key and were the beginning of the most sustainable hotel stay I’ve ever had.
I was lucky enough to be in a Waterfront King room which was more than comfortable and very spacious.
It also had a stunning big window letting in lots of natural light and views for miles.
The room’s features were controlled with the handy 1 Hotel app which manages the temperature, the television and room service if you want it.
The huge bed was dressed in sustainably sourced linen and I jumped right into it for a quick nap.
But I couldn’t sleep for long, I was too excited to explore this beautiful city.
The good thing about this hotel is that many sites are walkable.
Across the street is the Ferry Terminal building and just yards away you’ll find Chinatown and South of Market (SoMA). Oracle Park, the San Francisco Giants baseball team’s stadium, and Google’s HQ are also just a short jaunt down the street.
After a whistle-stop tour and a quick burrito stop, I returned to my wonderful home from home.
The inside of the hotel is covered in recycled wood, gorgeous green plants and reclaimed materials, recyclable concrete and LED lights.
I am a huge house plant fan so the abundance of them around the lobby, the restaurant, and even the roof was right up my street, not to mention how beautiful they make everything look.
Some of the beams used to create the lift landings and on corridor walls were salvaged from the original San Francisco Bay Bridge — now that’s recycling!
A nice glass of red wine in hand, I went back to my room and used my phone to cast a Netflix movie onto the 50-inch TV across from my bed.
The following day, I was up early to head out and about but first, I had to use the massive shower — it was the length of the wall.
All of the bathroom products are sustainably sourced and encourage you to feel more connected to the earth.
The shower even has a timer to help reduce water consumption. I sipped on a nice Nespresso from my room’s machine in a comfy hotel robe before heading out for the day.
If there’s one thing you should do in San Francisco it’s visit Alcatraz between the Bay Bridge and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
You MUST do the audio tour because you get to see this infamous prison through the experiences of its many inmates.
It was a full-on day trip and I was more than ready to head back to my hotel to have dinner at the Terrene restaurant where I tucked into a salami, mozzarella, chilli and cheese oven-baked flatbread with a side of za’atar fries, harissa ketchup and a glass of glorious and moreish Malbec.
The menu, unsurprisingly, is made with local, fresh and organic ingredients, with some grown right on the chef’s rooftop garden at the hotel.
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I sat reading my book, sipping my wine, tucking into my dinner and watching the beautiful sunset over the Bay Bridge.
It was the perfect end to a perfect holiday.
GETTING THERE: British Airways flights to San Francisco from Edinburgh, via London, are available from £484pp based on travel in September 2024. Book at ba.com
STAYING THERE: Rooms from approx £393 a night. For the best rates at the 5H 1 Hotel see ihotels.com
MORE INFO: For more on visiting San Francisco see sftravel.com and for California see visitcalifornia.com
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