Harbor Court Hotel, San Francisco | An Urban Elegance

On my recent trip to San Francisco with hubby, we stayed in Harbor Court Hotel located in the heart of SoMa (South of Market). The hotel faces the San Francisco Bay’s famous waterfront and is surrounded by tech giants such as Google, Salesforce and Facebook. The hotel’s Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture adds an urban elegance to the scenic stretch of city’s splendid skyline. 

About The Property

Built in 1926, Harbor Court hotel was a 400-room Army-Navy YMCA residence proudly served soldiers returning from war. Later, it served Embarcadero-area residents as one of the YMCA’s premier health and wellness centers. In 1991, the property was bought by Kimpton Hotels and transformed it into an elegant 131-room boutique hotel while preserving the building’s exquisite exterior. In 2015, OLS Hotels & Resorts assumed management of this iconic Embarcadero landmark, ushering in a new era of style and sophistication. In 2018, Harbor Court emerged from a multimillion-dollar renovation inspired by the spirit of the city, reclaiming its legacy in the heart of downtown San Francisco.

Based on my stay at this magnificent property, let me give you a virtual tour of Harbor Court Hotel!

My First Impression of the Harbor Court Hotel

A sophisticated downtown vibe with an urban charm!

Harbor Court Hotel’s Entrance

As soon as we entered the hotel, we felt an edgy and sophisticated urban vibe. A few people were sitting in the lobby and working on their laptops giving the glimpse of any other financial district downtown hotel buzzing with the energy of business travelers. 

The reception area was quite welcoming. There was HC Cafe next to the reception serving complimentary beverages for all the guests as well as confectionary items at a nominal price. A snack vending machine was also kept on the opposite side of the reception. Offering complimentary beverages to all the guests was a sweet gesture from the hotel. 

We were greeted by a lady at the reception and had a smooth check-in in less than 5 minutes. After check-in, the lady offered us to have some coffee/tea. We had a long flight from Orlando, FL and a cup of coffee sounded perfectly amazing to kick start our San Francisco adventure.   

The Lobby

Stepping inside the lobby of Harbor Court hotel gives you an eclectic vibe. From contemporary sofas by the fireplace to the owner’s personal collection of books on the shelf to flexible “Space to Create” Work area with complimentary high-speed wifi, the ambiance of lobby gives tech-savvy glitz at its best. 

The hotel also hosts wine hour daily from 5 pm – 6 pm in the lobby for its guests to socialize and mingle. Unfortunately, we didn’t get time to be at the hotel during the wine hours on any day during our stay as were busy exploring the city.  

Harbor Court Hotel’s Room

I’m fond of minimalistic modern decor when it comes to a hotel room and loved how beautifully Harbor Court’s King Bayview room captured that essence! Our seventh-floor room was outfitted with a king-size bed, flat screen TV, minibar refrigerator and other regular modern amenities. There was also a work station and two branded complimentary water bottles were kept every day. The bed was comfy with Frette linens and extra pillows. I’ve to admit that my smartwatch rated my good sleep all the nights during my stay!

I was quite impressed by the mathematics-inspired quirky decor of the room. From the wooden measuring scale art fitted on the wall near the window to the nerd-inspired wall clock to different styles of lamps kept on the side tables, the details in the room were phenomenal and gave a strong personality to the entire decor. 

The bathroom had a roll-in shower and toiletries from Malin + Goetz bath products in a full-size quantity. There was also an option of buying Malin + Goetz products in case you want to take it home.  

Now, let me share the view from our room. Let the below pictures speak for itself!

The view of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island from our room’s window was just breathtaking!

Nothing can beat the experience of watching the surreal Californian sunrise with a backdrop of the Bay Bridge every day from the room during our stay. 

Even the night view of the Bay Bridge’s gazillions of twinkling lights drifting off from the room’s window was just breathtaking. What a wonderful view to soak within before calling the night!

Food & Drinks

Ozumo — a renowned and upscale Japanese eatery is home to Harbor Court Hotel and serves sushi, saké as well as other contemporary delights in a lively setting. Whether you’re fond of happy hours or late night bites, do visit Ozma for some incredibly delicious food during your stay!

Other Amenities

Harbor Court Hotel offers plenty of amenities to its guests such as access to YMCA’s Olympic-sized pool, fitness classes, wellness center and meeting rooms. The complimentary bikes are also available for the guests. The hotel also provides same-day dry-cleaning laundry service. The best part is that the hotel is pet-friendly so that you can take your fur babies on your vacation. The hotel also provides valet parking.

The Location

Nestled in one of the San Francisco’s thriving neighborhood, Harbor Court Hotel is around 15 miles from San Francisco International Airport as well as in the vicinity to some of the famous SF attractions. The hotel is located across from the Embarcadero which leads to San Francisco’s historic Ferry Building.

The Alcatraz landing or Pier 33 from where you board the ferry for Alcatraz Cruises is just at walkable distance. Do visit Alcatraz Island if you’re visiting San Francisco for the first time as it is one of the iconic attractions of the city! Don’t forget to book the tickets in one month advance as the tickets filled up quickly.

Even the Fisherman’s Wharf is just a few miles away. My husband and I went there several times while walking and took us around 15 minutes from the hotel.

Final Verdict

As there’re endless things to explore in San Francisco that you hardly get much time to enjoy your hotel’s amenities. But if you’re fond of staying in a luxe downtown boutique hotel with a breathtaking waterfront view and world-class amenities, Harbor Court has plenty to offer.

The only thing I felt the hotel needs to improve is the color of rooms key card from black to white as it was difficult to see inside the elevator which side of the card to insert. Though that wasn’t a big issue. Otherwise, we had a wonderful stay and would love to recommend Harbor Court to anyone if you’re looking for any splendid getaways in San Francisco.

Many thanks to the entire team of Harbor Court for their amazing hospitality during our stay!

Perfect for: Business Travelers, Couples/Friends Getaway. 

Do share your experience if you’ve stayed in Harbor Court Hotel in the comments below? If not, what do you think about this property?

Till then, Happy Wandering!
Ana

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Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Harbor Court Hotel, San Francisco but all the opinions are 100% of my own. For more information on my Disclosure Policy, check HERE.

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