Kimpton Hotel Enso
San Francisco, California
Japantown
Vibe
Complimentary evening wine brings guests into the lobby, while the courtyard offers lawn games and a firepit.
“Midcentury Zen revival”
Shibori-inspired pillows and emerald shower tiles bring Japanese references into freshly redesigned rooms.
Evening wine gathers guests in the lobby; courtyard lawn games offer another gathering spot.
Sake tastings and Japanese soft drinks extend the rooms’ Japanese references into shared spaces.
At Sutter and Buchanan in Japantown, with ramen shops nearby and Fillmore Street walkable.
“redesigned and repurposed into a boutique hotel that takes its style cues from Japanese wabi-sabi to create the soothing, minimalist interiors.”
Rooms
Shibori-inspired pillows and emerald shower tiles bring Japanese references into the bedrooms, where record players add an analog touch.
“Interior decor nods to the Japanese heritage of the area, with kimono-style robes, indigo-dyed pillows, and artwork mimicking traditional Japanese paper fans.”
Wellness
A Peloton bike anchors the fitness room alongside an elliptical, treadmill and free weights, while guest rooms include yoga mats.
Backstory
The name refers to an imperfect Zen circle, giving this reinvented midcentury budget hotel a fitting emblem for its latest life.
Eat & drink
Hed 11 serves seasonal eight- and eleven-course Thai menus, with cocktails and a shorter à la carte menu at the bar.
The neighborhood
At Sutter and Buchanan, Japantown’s ramen shops are nearby, and Fillmore Street is close enough to explore on foot.
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The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.