The Argonaut Hotel

Argonaut is located on Fisherman’s Wharf. // © 2010 Argonaut Hotel

What: The Argonaut Hotel, a small, luxury boutique hotel nestled on the far side of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, welcomes families from the moment they arrive. Before my two girls had even reached the front door, the bell hop and the doorman knew their names and had them giggling nonstop. And, that was only the beginning of the fun they were about to have.

Where: The property is conveniently located with access to everything that the wharf has to offer. It is an easy stroll to Pier 39, which offers shops, an arcade, street performances, an aqaurium and more. Next door to the hotel is Blazing Saddles bike rentals, where visitors can rent bikes and bike the over Golden Gate Bridge. The world-famous Ghirardelli Square, which offers shopping and dining, is also within walking distance of the hotel. Transportation to other historic sites, such as Union Square, Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park, is easily accessed from the property.

Guestrooms: Although the hotel is small, it is a fairly typical size for a boutique property in San Francisco. The narrow rooms have a user-friendly layout and still offer plenty of space for families to move around. My sister and I shared a room with my daughters, who slept on the pullout couch comfortably. There was a refrigerator to keep snacks cold for the girls and a nice-size closet. One of the best features was the ottoman, which tripled as a coffee table and a storage space and was also padded so, when used as a jungle gym, no one was hurt. The only drawback we found was that the room’s safe was low enough to the ground that the girls could play with the combination. We were only in our room for 30 minutes before maintenance had to be summoned to open the safe — my older daughter had locked all of her shoes in it.

For Kids: The Argonaut Hotel is part of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and offers KimptonKids. For children, this means that they receive a welcome gift and parents receive a list of local, kid-friendly activities. Children also have child-size, animal print bathrobes for bathtime. Parents with babies or toddlers have access to cribs or playards, highchairs for in-room dining and in-room safety kits with items such as outlet covers.
The hotel also offers accredited babysitting services for a fee. We used a babysitter provided through the hotel, and she was great. When my sister and I returned from dinner, she had both my children sleeping on the couch after story time. 

Rates: Rates at the Argonaut Hotel start at $165 per night, based on double occupancy.

The Argonaut Hotel
www.argonauthotel.com