Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Majestic

Open in 1902, the five-story Majestic is the city's oldest continually operating hotel; its elegant lobby is a graceful haven of antique chandeliers, plush Victorian chairs, antiquarian French books, and Edwardian architecture. Rooms are just as noteworthy for their early-20th-century design, featuring pillow-top beds with soft duvet covers as well as claw-foot tubs and other period touches. Modern notes include flat-screen televisions in each room and complimentary Wi-Fi. The hotel, which survived both of San Francisco's major 20th-century earthquakes, is said to have a friendly ghost. At the Butterfly Lounge, you can peruse the collection of exotic butterflies over a glass of wine or a specialty cocktail. Dinner is served five nights a week at Café Majestic; breakfast is every day except Monday. A few nights a week, local artists conduct fun, often well-attended early-evening painting classes (for a fee) in the café.