Every once in awhile, Mr. S and I like to go for a quick get
away to SF. Nothing is usually on the agenda, just a quick overnight to relax,
eat some good food and of course partake in some Philz Coffee. We usually
squeeze in a trip to Japantown while we’re there. I like to hit up Daiso for
cutie kitchen items and stock up on some of my favorite Japanese treats at Nijiya
Market. In the past we’ve parked our butts at the Grand Hyatt or the Orchard.
This time however, we decided to stay at the Kabuki Hotel in Japantown. We scored a great deal on the rate and the hotel's reservation agent, Sandy, made sure we had an upper floor, corner suite. This way we were assured of some quiet. I stayed
at the Kabuki years ago when it was the Miyako and the Raddisson owned it. It’s now owned by the Joie de Vive chain, not
much has happened in the remodeling department (it's pretty no frills) but the JDV staff is
terrific. Domingo was working the front
desk during our check in and check out and he was an absolute doll. I took a
few pics of our room and the view to share.
Bed
Sunken in tub and separate shower, Japanese-style
Sitting area with sliding screens
Koi pond on the first floor
Panoramic view from our wrap-around balcony, day time
View from the other side of our balcony, night time
Rooftop garden on nearby restaurant
(click to enlarge, it's pretty cool)
The thing I liked most about staying at the Kabuki was the
proximity to Japantown (duh, it’s smack in the middle of it) but also that if
you head over a few blocks to Fillmore (Pacific Heights), there’s all kinds of small cafes, delicious coffee spots and specialty stores. Next time you're there, check out Jane on Fillmore and Pizzeria Delfina. Sure, Pacific Heights is a bit hipstery but like Japantown, there’s practically no
riff raff milling bout. Honestly that’s a huge draw for me. The last time we were in
SF, I was getting pretty tired of the aggressive panhandlers in Union Square
encroaching on my personal space. Now if they would just build a Philz over in
Japantown….☺
Based on your recommendation, I might just stay there. How is parking though?
Pretty easy. You can park overnight in the Japan Center garage next door. (You get a cheaper validated rate if you're a hotel guest.)
The hotel has it's own valet parking as well, but I think it's much more costly.