Palm trees, a sparkling, saline-sanitized pool, an easy walk to fabulous shopping and chic cafés…and an afternoon cookies-and-milk reception? If you’re looking for a getaway where kids can be kids and adults can be adults, Hotel Del Sol is the place. Once a 1950s motor lodge, it’s now a cheerful hotel with a bit of boutique flair. To paraphrase the hotel’s website, think California Beach House – colorful, fun, and friendly.
S’mores, ping pong, hammocks, a VIP welcome bag for kids (Hotel Del Sol has been recognized as a Fodor’s Choice Gold Award winner in the Best Hotels for Kids and Families category), and a convenient location are just some of the things that make this place stand apart. That the hotel management is truly committed to being eco-friendly is icing on the cupcake.
Hotel del Sol is a member of the Joie de Vivre hotel management organization, and that is another plus. While we were in San Francisco we stayed at two Joie de Vivre properties (read about the lovely Hotel Drisco in an upcoming issue) that were very different on the surface – and yet quite similar behind the scenes. (You know, behind the scenes, where all the work is done to make sure you have a great stay. Behind the scenes, where eco-friendly practices take place. That image of a duck looking serene while paddling like mad below the surface comes to mind.)
Joie de Vivre, bless their corporate heart, embraces environmental friendliness, but if you’re not paying attention, you won’t know that. Obviously I don’t mind when a hotel touts their environmental efforts; that normalizes conservation. On the other hand, there are travelers who still equate conservation with deprivation. For those of you who don’t want to know your room has a low-flow showerhead; who couldn’t care less that the soaps are made locally and are free of parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances; who don’t give a hoot that many of the furnishings are sourced locally – don’t worry! You will never notice!
That’s because Joie de Vivre hotels are about helping you ‘get away.’ What do you need? Handicapped access? Free parking? (In San Francisco, especially with kids, that’s priceless.) Complimentary continental breakfast (with eco-friendly coffee and Danish made locally)? Free Wi-fi? The morning paper? Concierge service? A movie library? Free town car service to the financial district and convention centers every weekday morning? Hotel del Sol offers all of this and more.
In addition to the VIP Welcome Bag for kids (which contains sunglasses, a beach ball, and a coloring book), there’s a special Concierge Closet for kids, nature dvds, and other appropriate dvds, books, and games available for lending. Also, in addition to a number of nearby child-friendly attractions, the hotel works with local kid-friendly businesses to get discounts. At the time of our visit they had negotiated discounted rates at the House of Air Trampoline Park.
The combination of amenities, proximity, and eco-friendliness is appealing – kids or no kids. Just ask the Environmental Working Group. They selected Hotel del Sol for one of their recent conferences.
And if your kids happen to be dogs, that’s good, too. Check out their Something to Bark About package, which, for no additional cost, includes a dog bed and, my favorite, dog-treat turn-down service.
We liked the whole scene. We felt welcomed and cared for upon check-in. We were happy and comfortable in our junior suite. The bedroom was modest but adequate and had it’s own TV; the bathroom was small (befitting a ‘50s motor lodge); the sitting room with TV, sofa, chair and refrigerator made the space almost too easy to hang out in. Rooms that are a better fit for kids include the “queen kitchenette,” a “double-double,” and the roomy “family suites,” which have kids’ tables and dollhouses in them – especially perfect for 2-6 year olds.
When we did hear kids the noises were happy, and, happily, quiet hours extend from 10 pm to 8 am, so when we didn’t especially want to hear kids…we didn’t!
Both mornings of our stay we went down to the lobby to grab coffee, Danish and bagels. The weather was cool during our stay, so we carried our sweets to the room, rather than sitting at one of the café tables outside the office.
On our first day we spent a lot of time trying to pick a place for lunch, and decided on the small Pacific Catch, where they serve Pan-Asian Rice Bowls that I still miss. Then we visited the clothing shops on Union Street – what a fun place to shop! Dinner was another big decision with a great outcome. The Balboa Café was nondescript from the outside, but inside was lovely and lively, and the food was delicious. The next day we got up early, walked to Presidio National Park, and looked out at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate. After breakfast, we walked a block, jumped on the Muni, and went to Chinatown and then downtown. That evening we walked to the Marina so we could say we’d been there, with the rest of the tourists! One of the few remaining street car stops is there, but we opted out, based on the length of the line.
Because of the convenient location we didn’t take the car out much, but when we did we were delighted to return to easy on-site parking.
Green Creds:
To-date, Hotel del Sol is the only hotel in the Marina District that has qualified for San Francisco Green Business Certification, and is one of only nine such certified hotels in the entire city. To qualify, the hotel had to meet criteria in purchasing practices, waste management, energy management, water conservation, pollution prevention, and staff education.
The hotel’s General Manager, Gary Sterman, enthusiastically told us about the environmentally friendly cleaners used, the eco-friendly office practices, the new heat/air conditioners with motion detector controls, and the on-going staff training. Here’s a man who likes his job. He’s had people come to the hotel to train the staff about recycling. “They conducted training in three languages,” he reports, “and we got posters that show the difference between having everything in the trash, vs. having recyclables separated out. The difference was amazing, and helped everyone feel like part of an important effort. Plus,” he adds, “several of us participate in each of the Surfrider Foundation beach cleanups; we spend the day walking up and down the coast, picking up litter.”
Gary has also involved the hotel with non-profit organizations in the community, and has created a way for guests to participate, if they would like to. The hotel donates $200 per guest room per year to organizations in the community, and guests are invited to contribute as well, by adding $1 a night to their bill. Recipients range from San Francisco’s Magic Theater to the Homeless Children’s Network to Project Night Night. The hotel also serves as a drop off center for gifts for the latter two programs. While we were there, someone dropped of 75 colorful homemade blankets for homeless children.
Was it the good night’s sleep? The happy colors? The saline pool? The positive vibes from contributing to worth causes? Whatever it was, our time at the Hotel del Sol was a feel-good stay all around.