Refined Campton Place, which was purchased in spring of 2007 by the Taj hotel group, has only 110 rooms, which means that service is personal as well as polished. Staying here is as soothing as a cup of hot chocolate. Rooms are decorated in sand and cinnamon hues, with old-fashioned leather-topped writing desks and pear-wood paneling. Because the insulated glass windows block out urban noise, you may feel as if you're enjoying a weekend at a country house. The attached Campton Place Restaurant gets rave reviews for its Cal-Med cuisine executed with French-style precision and highlighting local produce (the full menu is also available for room service). The guests, mostly high-flying executives and couples on romantic getaways, tend to keep to themselves.

Perched atop Nob Hill, the venerable Fairmont is the hotel where Tony Bennett first crooned, "I left my heart in San Francisco." The lobby dazzles with its gilded opulence—a riot of gold-framed mirrors, potted palms, impressive columns, and the building's original marble floors from 1907. Most of the luxurious rooms feature Asian antique reproductions and rose-marble bathtubs. Downstairs, the sublimely kitschy Tonga Room offers Asian food and cocktails, and California cuisine is served at the Laurel Court Restaurant. The Fairmont is perfect for a romantic weekend, especially if you're looking for a place wreathed in San Francisco history.

The superluxurious Four Seasons is a sanctuary so serene it's hard to believe it's in the heart of downtown. The 277 large rooms have soft beds, marble bathrooms, and deep soaking tubs; the suites have stunning views of the city. The Cal-Med restaurant, Seasons, offers a sophisticated spin on surf 'n' turf, and the vast Sports Club/LA has a gym, fitness classes, a pool, a full spa, a basketball court, and even gyrotonic and budokon studios. The hotel's Bay Area art collection is so prestigious that it merits a podcast tour, and service is so obsequious it's almost embarrassing.

Hotel Monaco, one of several Kimpton properties in the vicinity of Union Square, manages to achieve luxury without being dull. The interiors are opulent and the service impeccable, but the Monaco also has a quirky touch: A goldfish is delivered to every room to keep guests company. The hotel's Spa Equilibrium, intended to evoke a "contemporary Roman bath," offers beauty treatments and massage. The Grand Café serves French brasserie food in a beautiful turn-of-the-century ballroom. A complimentary wine and cheese reception is held nightly in the sumptuous lobby, which has a frescoed ceiling and a sweeping marble staircase.

Leopard-patterned carpeting and animal-print fabrics add a contemporary touch to the lobby of this soigné downtown hotel, tucked away in a historic 1905 building. The comfortable bedrooms have simple, clean lines with some bold bursts of color (and more leopard spots). Art is a recurring theme here, from the Escher-like geometric parquet in the lobby to the Magritte Suite, a tribute to the great Surrealist artist that includes a cloud-painted ceiling and a bowl of green apples. The eager-to-please staff sets a genial atmosphere, and the swanky Fifth Floor restaurant serves seasonal California cuisine.

Part of the Joie de Vivre chain, this place promotes California-style serenity with free daily yoga classes in the penthouse studio, and private soaking tubs in the spa's rooftop garden. The 199 rooms have a Zen aesthetic, with a palette of soft blues, greens, and beiges, and streamlined modern furnishings (some overlook the Bay, a view guaranteed to promote inner peace). For the best views, it's worth springing for a waterfront room. At happy hour, head downstairs to the lounge at Americano, the hotel's restaurant with a thriving singles scene.

This Gothic hulk of a building is named after Mark Hopkins, the Central Pacific railroad co-founder whose mansion previously stood here. After being acquired in 1973 by the InterContinental hotel chain, it lost some of its character, and now attracts a buttoned-up business clientele. But nearly every room has a stunning view. Splurge on a Terrace Suite to enjoy the ultimate perch above the city and feel like a railroad tycoon. The Nob Hill Restaurant serves California cuisine, and the 19th floor houses the Top of the Mark, famous for its nearly 360-degree panorama. Although the bar is typically full of tourists, there's nothing quite like enjoying one of its 100 types of martinis while listening to live jazz and watching the sun set over Babylon by the Bay.

This Financial District hotel has contemporary rooms with Asian influences that offer "exceptional views of the city" and oversized beds with glowing headboards. MO Bar serves afternoon tea. Staff impress: "We asked for extra bottled water and an entire case was delivered!"

(158 rooms)

From an in-room key card system that controls lighting and temperature (reducing energy consumption by 20 percent) to whimsical drapes and carpets fashioned from recycled materials, this 86-room hotel's eco-friendliness scored a hallowed LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, one of only a handful of U.S. hotels to receive one. Still, Orchard Garden doesn't sacrifice environment in the name of environmentalism: The Egyptian cotton bedspreads are silky soft, the attractive furnishings are constructed of maple harvested from a sustainable forest, and sleek modern fixtures hold compact fluorescent light bulbs. While the service is still working out some kinks, Roots, the on-site eatery, offers a tasty menu of naturally raised meats and sustainably caught seafood. Best of all, this Union Square hotel saves not only the planet but also your wallet.

Although part of a chain (Joie de Vivre Hospitality), the Petite Auberge feels like a tranquil country inn. The decor is rustic French, with white-painted shutters and a ubiquitous floral motif. Eighteen of the 26 rooms (all nonsmoking) have fireplaces, great for those foggy San Francisco summers. Attentive employees do everything they can to make you cozy, from serving afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres in the parlor to placing a bottomless cookie jar in the lobby. They'll also arrange a Golden Gate Greeter—a local who takes you on a tour tailored to your interests (ask when booking). If you don't have a friend to show you around town, this is the next best thing.

If you're looking for a romantic hideaway, the Phoenix is not for you. If you want to party like a rock star, you've found the place. Popular with visiting celebs such as Keanu Reeves, the Phoenix is a funky boutique hotel with tropical bungalow decor and an outdoor heated pool (check out the mosaic-tiled mural on the bottom). The Bambuddha Lounge downstairs can be noisy, but that won't be a problem if you're out partying yourself. The Tenderloin neighborhood looks shabby but is perfectly safe if you exercise common sense (don't flash your cash). Employees are friendly and unpretentious. Ask for the staff-authored guides to San Francisco, and when you leave, grab a fake phoenix tattoo.

Elegant without being stuffy, the Prescott has the feel of an old-fashioned gentlemen's club. The rooms are masculine but refined, with cherry-wood furnishings and a burgundy, teal, and navy color scheme. The attentive staffers intuit your every need, lending you umbrellas and keeping a "Forgot it, we've got it" selection of useful travel items. It's well worth upgrading to the Executive Club Level, which entitles you to complimentary breakfast and cocktails, a menu of appetizers from the in-house Postrio restaurant (opened by no less than Wolfgang Puck), and use of a private lounge and concierge. For true luxury, the Mendocino Penthouse Suite has a baby grand and a deck.

A shrine to the Summer of Love, the Red Victorian is the place to go if you're sick of chain hotels and want some local color—psychedelic color, in this case. Each room is decorated according to a hippie theme: the exuberant Flower Child Room has a rainbow and sun painted on the ceiling; the Summer of Love Room has a lava lamp, tie-dyed bed canopy, and '60s posters. The Peace Café offers delicious vegetarian food, and customers are encouraged to mingle at family-style breakfasts. The clientele is international and down to earth, and the amiable staff radiates peace, love, and the scent of patchouli.

The white Nob Hill landmark with 17 Ionic columns celebrates its one hundredth anniversary in 2009. "Traditional rooms" marry walnut, mahogany, and rosewood, and include local artwork. The Dining Room serves Japanese-influenced French cuisine like soft shell crab tempura. "Staff are a healthy mix of formal and friendly."

(336 rooms)

Staying here can feel a little like you've discovered how to control others with your mind, with your desires fulfilled almost before you knew you had them. Forgot the audio cable for your iPod? The butler will bring one. Broke the strap on your bag? The front desk will have it fixed. Touch screens control the lighting, temperature, window drapes, and alarm clocks in the 260 rooms, all of which are outfitted with minimalist-modern furnishings, plasma TVs, abstract art, and neutral colors. The slightly sterile aesthetic can make the place can seem a little like a futuristic airport lounge, but its location makes it a good bet for business travelers and art lovers (it's close to the Financial District and next door to SFMOMA). For those seeking a spa experience, St. Regis does not disappoint: Remède Spa—with whirlpool, steam room and sauna, an infinity pool overlooking the city, and chocolate truffles and Champagne in the waiting lounge—is the most lavish in town.

The San Francisco outpost of the W hotel chain is popular with the skimpily clad 20-something crowd that can be seen posing in the bar, pretending they're in L.A. or Miami. But the hotel is comfortable as well as chic: all 410 rooms and suites have fluffy goose-down comforters, a carafe of water on the bedside table, and a "Munchie box" with wasabi peas and other goodies. For something sweeter, hit the brownie buffet or catch a movie with a manicure at the 5,000-square-foot Bliss Spa. The dramatic three-story octagonal lobby is stocked with specially designed board games and game tables. The XYZ restaurant offers contemporary American cuisine, and you can get a cocktail or light fare in the adjoining café. Outside, look up to see the giant metal-mesh sculpture of a woman reclining on top of the fourth-floor terrace.