San Francisco's Oldest And Longest-Operating Hotel Is A California Gem With Historic Charm And Affordable Rooms

For a city that feels so new in many ways, with its tech companies and their glass-walled headquarters, San Francisco has some surprisingly historic corners. Through the city's endless cycles of reinvention, there's one hotel that's remained in place longer than most others. The Hotel Majestic is widely regarded as San Francisco's oldest continuously operating hotel. It's been around since 1902, having persisted through the Great Earthquake of 1906, ravaging fires, and waves of urban redevelopment.

For travelers drawn to a stay with personality, there's a particular charm to the Hotel Majestic evoked by its classic Edwardian architecture, which has endured through the years. Its exterior is a composition of elaborate trim and bay windows, while the rooms inside are decorated with drapery hanging over the beds, wooden chairs, and clawfoot bathtubs that embody an old-world aesthetic. Despite its refined look, the hotel gets lauded for its affordability. You might not get the highest tier of luxury, but as a dependable 3-star hotel, the Hotel Majestic offers a solid set of in-room amenities, well-regarded service, and a tasteful atmosphere with history.

San Francisco might have had more buildings like the Hotel Majestic still standing if it weren't for the Great Earthquake, which destroyed over 80% of the city's buildings via its resulting fires, according to the Yale Environment Review. The earthquake's epicenter was offshore, by what's now a breathtaking hidden beach. The ensuing fire spread up to Van Ness Avenue, which is just two blocks from the Hotel Majestic, to give you some perspective on how remarkable it is to have such a structure still surviving. 

The hotel facade you see today is pretty much what someone would have been greeted with in its earliest years, as it was restored in 1985 to embellish the building with the period details that had been removed. You'll find these details in every nook of the hotel, from its hand-painted monkeys in the elevator to the mahogany bar top that was shipped in from Paris.

Historic accents continue into the rooms. You'll find vintage furniture like porcelain lamps, canopy beds, chandeliers, and mirrored wardrobes, lending each room an air of classical prowess. The rooms get commended for their size, too. "Large room and bathroom, clean, and great value for the price," one Google Reviewer wrote. A few different sizes are available, from a standard double room to a master king suite. Even at the smallest size, you get modern amenities like a TV, WiFi access, and air conditioning.

Nightly rates to stay at the Hotel Majestic vary by the type of room you book. You can find rooms for under $150 a night, according to prices listed on Google Hotels, while for a bigger suite, you'll likely pay upwards of $200 a night. With that nightly rate, you also get access to a gym, library, and complimentary breakfast. There's a unique cocktail lounge in the hotel, too, called the Butterfly Lounge, named so because of an assortment of rare butterflies you'll see preserved behind glass on the bar walls. With that said, if you're looking for other special spots to get a drink, you can take a 15-minute bus ride over to the bar Anthony Bourdain called "the greatest place in the history of the world."

For those flying into San Francisco International Airport, the closest option for long-haul travelers, you can take the Red or Yellow Line of the Bay Area Rapid Transit network to the Montgomery station, then change to a bus to cover the final stretch to the hotel. With this route, it takes just under an hour to reach the hotel. Those arriving by car should note that there are no designated hotel parking spots, but there are some parking garages close by. Once at the hotel, you'll be right next to San Francisco's Japantown, a vibrant neighborhood rich with Japanese culture.