Travel & Leisure Magazine says the Hotel California is "One of the ten best small hotels in the city that invented them." A stay at the Hotel California is a discovery of one of the best San Francisco has to offer. Formerly the Savoy Hotel and built in 1913, the Hotel California exudes the charm and sophistication of the City on the Bay. It is a slice of old San Francisco tucked away in the heart of the theatre district, just 3 blocks from some of the finest shopping in the world... at Union Square.