A team of Oyster reporters spent weeks exploring 59 hotels in San Francisco. Although the City by the Bay boasts plenty of wonderful hotels, most of them don't have the real estate to include full-service spas. Still, there are some gems; here's a list of our favorites.
Spa-de-Vie is a destination unto itself. In addition to a huge range of massage therapies and face and body treatments, the spa plays host to the hotel's well-equipped fitness center. Spa treatments range from a basic deep-tissue massage to specialty body treatments that may incorporate ingredients like coffee, fruit, or seaweed.
Boutique hotels are a dime a dozen in San Francisco, but the Huntington is the only one that houses such a standout spa. The Nob Hill Spa was voted Readers' Choice for "Best Pamper Spot" in the entire city by San Francisco magazine in 2009. A large part of its appeal is its location high up within the hotel, where guests can enjoy views of Nob Hill and the rest of the city from the lounge and pool area or the breezy outdoor patio. Huntington guests can use the pool, whirlpool patio, fitness center, yoga/Pilates studio, and sauna and steam rooms for free.
The 9,000-square-foot Remede Spa boasts beautiful facilities, an extensive service menu, and a serene 24-hour indoor pool complete with poolside drink and food service. For a small daily fee, all hotel guests can use the whirlpools, steam rooms, and saunas, plus relaxation rooms that serve chocolate truffles and champagne.
The InterContinental's I-Spa may have a curious name -- is it an Apple spinoff? -- but it boasts stellar service and an elaborate selection of treatments, from ayurvedic and Swedish massage to body wraps, scrubs, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. It was a 2009 Readers' Choice Award winner in the "Best Urban Hotel Spa" and "Favorite Spa Manager" categories on SpaFinder.com.
The highly rated Spa Vitale offers the standard array of treatments (massages, facials, and so on), but it is best known for its signature "Bathing Ritual," a 25-minute outdoor soak in a private, rooftop bamboo garden -- at a reasonable per person price to boot.