Leisure Travelers @ San Francisco

And others come here for the shopping.

For both of you, there are no shortage of accommodations that tap into San Francisco's rich past and a direct credit line into SF's affluent present. When you walk around Union Square or Nob Hill, you come across The Palace, one of the city's earliest hotels that used to welcome travelers on horse and buggy. The Argent Hotel on Third Street is ideal for leisure travelers looking for luxury lodging. Located in the heart of downtown, just blocks from Union Square, the Argent offers four-diamond luxury accommodations.

The Fairmont Hotel or The Clift in Union Square, and The Mark Hopkins in Nob Hill are fine, historic hotels that will smother you with luxury, enthralling design, and top notch concierge services. Hotel W near the Sony Metreon, Yuerba Buena Gardens and the SF Museum of Modern Art is very chic, and the Grant Plaza Hotel is another option for travelers. This hotel is only two blocks from Union Square and is within walking distance of great theaters and restaurants.

Even if you can't yet afford to be a Big Spender, you should stop by these hotels to view the lobby or to visit their luxurious bars.

Union Square itself is home to every brand-name storefront you can imagine, including Bebe, Kate Spade, Gucci, and Hermes, plus Neiman Marcus, Sachs Fifth Avenue, designer boutiques, and fringe jewelry shops and electronics retailers that speak every language that has currency to spend.

Nearby are some of the city's most popular destinations and dining spots in North Beach/Chinatown, and the newly remodeled Embarcadero and Bayfront shopping districts.