Phoenix Hotel, San Francisco, CA ***
Dec 3rd, 2007 by Håkan
The neighbourhood is… quite interesting.
The Tenderloin District in San Francisco offers a spectacle to any visitor. People from the less sunny side of the street are all over the area. And most visible are those freelancing as women despite the fact that they were born men. It’s not well polished but a bit jaded. In the middle of all this, surrounded by larger office buildings, you’ll find the Phoenix Hotel, a trip back to the 50s. It’s like a pale rocker in leather pants who decided to take a nap among tourists working on their tan (or is it the other way around?).
The management will tell you that the Phoenix is a rock’n roll-hotel.
They are living up to their own myth by playing loud music in the restaurant, the Bambuddha Lounge and by hiring people wearing glasses that are way too cool. If you ask the film student manning the reception a question, you will get an irritated face as a reply. The feeling of rock’n roll gets very tangible in the room that are not smoke-free. Avoid those if you want to sleep without the aid of an oxygen canister.
It’s pretty cool. Not very cool, but pretty cool.
Despite all this, the Phoenix is still a decent alternative if you want to do San Fran. It’s an OK, fairly cool place to stay at a fairly modest price. And the pool is a blessing after breakfast. But those rockn’roll stickers still feel a little Bon Joviish.
Phoenix Hotel
601 Eddy Street
San Francisco, CA
United States
+1-415-776-1380
