Charming British Hotel in San Francisco: My Stay at White Swan Inn
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845 Bush Street, San Francisco
After visiting dozens of boutique hotels in SF, this one truly stood out — and not just for the scones. If you’re looking for a quirky, cozy, and centrally located boutique hotel that feels like a British hideaway, White Swan Inn delivers.
The White Swan Inn describes itself as part 1960s Carnaby Street and part Cotswolds. I would add, part Grandma’s house. Not in a bad way; what’s not to like about grandma’s house?
I found a great deal on this cozy SF hotel with British charm for the night through Booking.com. I was able to get a room for which the hotel was charging $180 for only $119 on Booking.com. (Plus $65 for valet parking for the night.) That’s pretty good for SF.
Adding to the appeal, White Swan Inn was recently listed among Conde Nast Traveler’s 21 best San Francisco hotels!
This is a great SF Nob Hill location. It is a 3-block walk to Union Square and another few blocks to Chinatown. As a solo woman traveler, I did not wander around after dark, other than to go to a restaurant across the street. Like any big city, San Francisco warrants caution and awareness of your surroundings, especially at night. During the day, I felt safe walking around.
This boutique hotel’s decor is cute, with the floral wallpaper and a sort of hodgepodge of furniture. It was clean and charming, with a comfortable bed, and that’s the most important part for me. There was a gas fireplace with a note saying to only use the wall switch to turn it on. It was quite a mystery for me trying to find this mysterious switch. Finally, I spotted it behind a pillow!
The Inn has a large lounge on the bottom floor with tables, a fireplace, couches, and a patio courtyard with outdoor seating. They offer coffee and tea all day. From 5-6:30, they have a wine and cheese serving, and breakfast is included in the morning! Breakfast was nice, with pastries, hard-boiled eggs, cereals, oatmeal, yogurt with toppings, fruit, and toast.
As a solo traveler, I felt perfectly comfortable in the lounge area. There were several other solo travelers as well as some couples.
Video tour of the White Swan Inn
863 Bush Street, San Francisco
By the way, if you prefer to stay at a French grandma’s house rather than a British grandma’s house, you can check out the White Swan Inn’s sister hotel next door, Petite Auberge!
Where I Dined: KeyKlub
850 Bush Street, San Francisco
My San Franciscan nephew recommended this place to me, and it turned out to be right across the street from White Swan Inn, so I checked it out for dinner. I got the cheeseburger, served on challah, and it was juicy and delicious! By the way, KeyKlub only serves wine and beer—not even soft drinks! (I was able to get water.)
I would have never tried this place because from the outside it looks rundown and closed! So don’t let the outside appearance scare you away.
Looking for a budget-friendly stay in San Francisco?
Please let me know in the comments if you have a recommendation for a British themed hotel in San Francisco! Thanks for reading!
