Last week during Spring Break, my family was invited to spend a night at the Kids’ Suite at the Union Square Hotel. We packed our overnight bags, hopped on the 21 Hayes toward downtown San Francisco, and checked in just in time for wine/live music hour.
The California hotel was built in 1913 and combines classic San Francisco style with an Art Deco aesthetic. In true SF character, there was once a speakeasy during Prohibition on the lower level, and outside the cable car still lurches and clangs its way up and down Powell Street as it has for much of the past century.
After listening to acoustic guitar in the lobby, we stepped out for dinner. I had my heart set on Katana-ya, having heard great things about this little ramen house around the corner. We were not disappointed. There was a wait out the door and eventually the four of us crammed into a tiny corner table for three, but it was well worth it. We slurped the excellent soup and nibbled on gyoza and poke. Highly recommend.
After, we did a little shopping in San Francisco’s Union Square — H&M, Rasputin, Uniqlo, and Urban Outfitters are all on the hotel’s block, plus big department stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom are just beyond. Roman was smitten with a white button down with a tie and after he put it on referred to himself as a “rich boy.” Someday, baby…
We bought the shirt and tie plus a cute waist-length jacket for Parker and went home to our suite — a colorful corner room with high ceilings and games that range from a toddler’s rocking chair to Twister, Scrabble and a Nintendo Wii. A trundle bed is separated from a king-sized bed with a partition filled with books. We enjoyed reading a book about Gustuv Klimpt’s life enhanced with shimmery gold images of his work. There is also a writing desk, computer, and an honor bar that reflects children’s tastes. On the walls are cute mixed media collages of iconic San Francisco scenes.
Dan had to check out early the next morning and catch a plane to Los Angeles, but due to the highly civilized checkout time of noon, the kids and I lounged around for a few hours playing Wii bowling, people watching above the corner of Powell and Ells, and sharing a room service omelet (prepared by Tad’s Steaks next door).
A great start to Spring Break 2013!
Insider Tip
Katana-ya
430 Geary St
(at Mason St)
Do yourself a solid and stop here for affordable sushi, sashimi, and ramen.
Hotel Union Square
114 Powell Street, San Francisco, California 94102
415.397.3000
hotelunionsquare.com
Contributed by Lisa Dion of Friscomama
Photos by Dan Dion and Lisa Dion