Hotel Bohème

Although the guiding motif is the Beat era, this 15-room hotel feels more like a 1930’s pensione in Florence, only without the meals—and there’s no room service, no doorman (you’re given a key to the front door), and no elevator either. What you do get: a small, immaculate room with a checked bedspread and matching curtains; a pair of toile-covered chairs, perhaps, and a bistro table; a decoupage lamp; and a trim little period bathroom. The TV is tiny (13 inches) but it has 80 channels of basic cable. Local calls are free, as is the Wi-Fi network—and the staff’s attitude is welcoming.

Tip: The hotel doesn’t serve breakfast; walk two blocks north on Columbus to La Boulange—a decidedly nontouristy local chain known for its truly French croissants and cannelés. (It is also around the corner from Mama’s, an even more famous breakfast place.)

Room to Book: Rooms 207 and 208 are on the third floor and face the back (so they’re quieter), plus they have views up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower.