Sir Francis Drake Hotel

Union Square seems a prime place to land after circumnavigating the globe. The Sir Francis Drake doesn’t double down too hard on its theme—although our doorman friends out front in the red Beefeater outfits are some cheeky fun—and instead holds itself to a cautious opulence. The hotel can feel homely even among gold-leaf ceilings, chandeliers, and regal red and blue Victorian posh furniture scattered amongst the variety of marble in common areas. The architectural style idiosyncratically blends in classic San Franciscan styles as well, tossing into the marble mix some horse-head lamps courtesy of Jonathan Adler. The Drake’s offbeat elegance, from its stunning steep entryway staircase to the licorice-looking red statue of the man himself behind the bar, is cultivated with fun precision.