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Apr 09, 2024

San Francisco’s Most Romantic Inn? Hint: It’s Not In San Francisco

The freestanding bathtub in suite 313 at Inn Above Tide in Sausalito, California, is a showstopper The most romantic hotel in San Francisco is actually across the bay in Sausalito. Located directly on

The freestanding bathtub in suite 313 at Inn Above Tide in Sausalito, California, is a showstopper

The most romantic hotel in San Francisco is actually across the bay in Sausalito. Located directly on the bayshore next to the ferry landing in the center of the seaside village, Inn Above Tide has jaw-dropping panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, and the Bay Bridge. If you have a romantic bone in your body, you really must check this place out.

Sausalito is nestled on a splendid curve of waterfront on the Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge. The town of around 7,000 residents has a bohemian edge even with multi-million dollar mansions dotting the hillside over town. This is the stunning locale where Otis Redding wrote ‘Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay,’ and Stevie Wonder recorded ‘Songs in the Key of Life.’ It’s also a place to make some beautiful music with your loved one at a boutique hotel property that’s nothing short of spectacular.

The view to San Francisco from Inn Above Tide

Open since 1995, Inn Above Tide was built to resemble Sausalito’s iconic wooden houseboats, with cedar wood walls and porthole-like windows in places. Inside, the decor is more modern, with giant picture windows, clean lines and smart-room technology (the hotel has undergone three major renovations over the decades). All 33 rooms, including seven suites, look out to the water but it’s the penthouse — room 313 — that stands apart. The 800-square-foot corner suite is bathed in light, with wraparound, floor-to-ceiling windows and a private glassed-in deck perched over the bay. The regal McRoskey king bed is set with custom linens, and the room has a full bathroom and additional powder room. But the showstopper is the freestanding spa bathtub, positioned strategically to offer views of the San Francisco skyline, Bay Bridge and whatever adorable sea lion or dolphin happens to splash into view.

The 800-square-foot Penthouse suite at Inn Above Tide qualifies as San Francisco's most romantic ... [+] hotel room.

Every time you look outside, the scene changes. The sky and sea shift from blue to gray to silver to hazel as if in a time-lapse video. Our evening there, my wife and I sat gazing out at the twinkling lights of the city, watching sailboats and ferries, and wondering why nobody told us about this extraordinary spot until now. Perhaps it’s that Inn Above Tide is something of a family secret. Originally constructed by William “Bill” McDevitt in 1961 as an apartment building, he redesigned it in 1995 as a luxury boutique hotel. The McDevitt family continues to maintain the property with great care and attention to detail, but without flash or fanfare.

In the penthouse, the master bathroom has thoughtful touches, including a double shower for two, plush robes and Bvlgari bath products. The suite's main sitting area has a wood-burning fireplace that adds a touch of coziness on those cool San Francisco nights. I appreciated the binoculars that let us watch stand-up paddlers and kayakers scoot across the bay in the morning. With pelicans flying in V-formation, the famous fog lifting over the city, and the basso profundo of a foghorn adding further romance, the beauty of it all was almost overwhelming.

The hotel is a two-minute stroll from the ferry terminal (with regular, 25-minute service to San Francisco daily); Napa and Sonoma vineyards lie about an hour’s drive north.

Service is understated but warm. There are white roses and champagne in the rooms, and the hotel gets great reviews for its gourmet breakfasts, served right in the suites. There’s also a 5-7 p.m. happy hour in the downstairs Drawing Room, with complimentary local wines, cheese and fruit. Barrel House Tavern next door has excellent food and views nearly as good as the ones from the hotel, but who needs to leave the rooms at Inn Above Tide when you’ve got the San Francisco skyline —and your special someone — all to yourself?

Inn Above Tide

30 El Portal, Sausalito, CA 94965

415.332.9535

innabovetide.com