Back when The Weekend Fox was just an idea floating around in my head, I started taking a lot of written and mental notes during our travels, and our trip to California was my first! It was, by far, one of the best vacations I’ve ever been on and I got to share it with my husband and parents. We spent two nights in San Francisco and five nights in wine country. As the planner in the family, I was given the assignment of picking out the hotel for each location. When selecting a place to stay, I always try to find a place that satisfies our:

• location preference (always #1)
• budget (yessss, gotta include that part)
• and comfort (amenities & cleanliness)

Fisherman’s Wharf + Argonaut Hotel

After hours of research, I decided that for our first stay in San Francisco we should be in the heart of the tourism excitement, Fisherman’s Wharf. We wanted to be able to hit all of the highlights of the city in a limited amount of time so Fisherman’s Wharf provided us with easy access to all of that. Cute restaurants, small shops, and entertainment line the streets of this waterfront neighborhood. After narrowing down the location, picking the Argonaut Hotel was a no-brainer. This charming boutique hotel is in a prime location for any San Francisco tourist.

The nautical décor greets you at the door and continues throughout the style of the hotel and rooms. If you arrive early in the day, like we did, the bellman takes care of the luggage and will deliver it to your room when it’s ready. The front desk employees were kind and filled with great suggestions for local restaurants. From the hotel, you’re a short walk to Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, Aquatic Park, cable car stops, and more.

Literally, everything on our list was either a short walk or had easy access. A car isn’t necessary for this location, which was a great perk for us. We took a cable car to other areas of San Francisco and rented bikes that we rode all the way to Sausalito before taking the ferry back (yes, my momma rode an electric bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, so you can too!).

King Suite at Argonaut Hotel

Because it was only a two-night stay, we were able to stretch the budget a little and I surprised my husband with a King Suite. I was blown away by the size of our room and the comfort it offered. I’m pretty sure it was bigger than my entire college apartment and there was just so much s p a c e. We felt like laidback, mermaid royalty. The suite featured a large living room with plenty of seating, a ton of natural light, and beautiful brick walls. Double doors led us into the corner-bedroom with multiple lounge chairs, oversized mirrors, and luxurious bathrobes. The oversized bathroom was decorated with fun octopus wallpaper and had a deep jetted bathtub (my husband’s favorite part of any hotel). This particular suite could also be joined with a 2 queen room, providing the perfect option for families.

Related: Where to Stay in Scottsdale: Andaz Resort & Spa

From our suite, we could see Ghirardelli Square and from my parent’s room, we could see the Golden Gate Bridge. Does it get much better than that?! For two nights, we felt completely spoiled in the king suite without it feeling “stuffy”. It was like we were relaxing in a luxurious and cozy apartment. And I have to admit that one night when my husband and Dad chose to head to the bar, I was relaxing in a bubble bath.  While the hotel offered a complimentary “happy hour” in the lobby each afternoon, we would pop open our own bottle of wine in the room for our own happy hour, with my parents, before heading to dinner.

Blue Mermaid Restaurant

Attached to the Argonaut Hotel is the Blue Mermaid Restaurant. The ambiance is rich with ocean vibes and casual comfort. We rendezvoused here both mornings for breakfast (get the french toast, it’s vacation) and for an afternoon snack. We couldn’t get away without trying all of their famous chowders while sipping on some local beers. I always find it to be a major plus when a hotel has a restaurant that is this good.

San Francisco Love

The cherry on top to this hotel is that they pride themselves in being eco-friendly. Argonaut Hotel’s efforts begin with LED light bulbs and continue all the way through their kitchen where they recycle grease into biofuel and compost. You won’t find small bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the bathrooms because they’ve eliminated that single-use plastic and provide large, in-shower pumps. They are also conscious of water consumption, use Green Seal certified cleaning products, and provide bicycles to their guests. As an ocean lover, I could feel really good about staying in an eco-friendly hotel.

Related: 11 Ways You Can Help Our Oceans Today

A hotel room can truly make or break a vacation. I’ve, personally, come home early from a vacation before just because I wasn’t happy with the accommodations. 😳 But I would stay at the Argonaut Hotel again and again. Our experience there was nothing short of excellent and I highly recommend splurging on a suite if it’s your first time to San Francisco. But don’t worry, the standard rooms still come with plenty of amenities and space! If you’re eager to hit up the local sites that San Francisco is known and loved for, then look no further.

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