Gay San Francisco San Francisco City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by Gina Samarotto

From moody mornings that morph into brilliant days and from the depths of Alcatraz’s mysteries to the flamboyant ‘Painted Ladies’ punctuating her streets; San Francisco is an enigmatic, progressive gem and a traveller’s dream in Northern California. This is a city that has evolved from being the heart and soul of the gold rush to the heart and home of the summer of love. She has witnessed some of America’s most influential moments from the dot-com revolution at the turn of the last century to today’s tech boom. She was the first city in the US to legalise gay marriage and was home to the country’s first openly gay elected official. This grand dame hosts more fetish events and ‘specialty’ bars than we could count, and even was the birthplace of the rainbow flag. Today, San Francisco has permanently granted each of us the right to be as outlandish and stunning as you’d like. And while the queer community is welcomed across the entire city, the epicentre of gay life here is undoubtedly the Castro; one of the US’s first gay neighbourhoods, and a landmark supporting LGBTQ activism and events the world over.

The best hotels in San Francisco

San Francisco has always worn its sophistication lightly, and its most rewarding addresses follow suit. For the voyager who craves visual theatre, San Francisco Proper is a design playground. Set within a 1904 flatiron landmark on Market Street, on the edge of the Civic Center, it was reimagined by Kelly Wearstler as a riotous collage of vintage European furniture, cubist geometry and custom wallcoverings, so that no two of its 131 rooms are alike. Up on the roof, Charmaine’s is the city’s most fashion-forward perch for a sundowner.

Closer to the beating heart of gay San Francisco, Parker Guest House trades scale for soul. This gay-owned bed and breakfast occupies two sunny yellow 1909 Edwardian mansions on Church Street, a block from Mission Dolores Park and a leisurely saunter from the Castro’s bars. Its 21 individually styled rooms are linked by landscaped gardens and hidden pathways, and the evening wine social hour swiftly turns fellow guests into drinking companions. All told, it is the obvious choice for anyone wanting the action on the doorstep and serenity behind the garden gate.

San Francisco Proper Hotel | Photo: Manolo Yllera

Should you prefer to live like old money, Hotel Drisco resides among the mansions of Pacific Heights. Built in 1903, this discreet Edwardian feels thoroughly residential, with gracefully appointed rooms, heated bathroom floors and, from some, views over the Marina towards the bay. Breakfast is on the house, as is the nightly reception of California wines, farmhouse cheese and charcuterie. It is the address for travellers who prefer a whisper to a fanfare.

Finally, Cavallo Point sits across the Golden Gate in Sausalito, within the former Fort Baker army post. Its 142 rooms are split between restored officers’ quarters and sleek, eco-minded newer lodgings, many gazing straight back at the bridge and skyline. With the Healing Arts Center & Spa on site, it suits a restorative final night better than a sightseeing base. Sir, yes sir – this old military post still has us standing to attention.