Not sure we qualify as "good people" on this board but...here's our recommendation.
Whenever we go home to San Francisco (which is a couple of times a year) we stay at the Chancellor Hotel at 433 Powell Street
(Chancellor Hotel on Union Square). It is an "old school" style San Franciscan hotel built in the early 1900s. Family owned, the service is extraordinary and the prices as good as you will find in SF. The rooms are small but very comfortable and clean. And they have a pillow menu from which you can select different types of pillows!!!
The Chancellor is right at the corner of Powell St and Post St on Union Square. If you have a window facing the Square you can open your window at night and hear the clang of the cable car bells (the Powell Street Line runs right past the hotel) and the occasional street musician playing sax. It is a fun walk over the hill to Fishermans Wharf, Chinatown or North Beach (or a five minute cab ride). It's about two blocks from Market Street. You don't need a car in San Francisco (walking and cabs will get you anywhere), but if you absolutely need one, the Chancellor has parking available--a rare commodity in San Francisco.
There is an excellent restaurant for breakfast and lunch in the hotel (Luque's) and a cute little bar (called the Clipper Ship) which is open in the early evenings. They have coffee, cookies and apples in the lobby 24 hours a day!! Nearby is Sears Fine Foods, the Cheesecake Factory, John's Grill, Harry Denton's Starlight Room and a host of other excellent restaurants within walking distance. Hell, it's San Francisco. All restaurants are excellent there!
We are going to be at the Chancellor ourselves in 48 hours. We're really looking forward to a few cool, foggy days after the heat we've had in Playa lately.
And if you get a chance, stop by the coolest bar in San Francisco, Amante, on Green Street near Columbus in North Beach. The owners/bartenders are all good friends and are regulars at the Luna Blue. Alfredo is the young cute one, Wizz is the funny one with the curly hair, Mike D is the old grouchy one with the Boston accent, Pat is the other (older) cute one, and shaved head Eric is the sweetest human being in the world. Ask Eric to make you a Beso Cubano (Cuban Kiss), a drink he invented in our kitchen in Playa del Carmen. And tell them we sent you. It might be good for a drink on the house. Or not.
