The Good Hotel

The Good Hotel is a San Francisco hotel in the SOMA district that prides itself on being environmentally friendly. Its motto is "Renew, Reuse, Recycle, Relax".^[1]

Philosophy[edit | edit source]

"The Good Hotel is intended to be the first hotel with a conscience. Our positive approach to hospitality is designed to inspire the 'good in us all'. The Good Hotel is a hip San Francisco hotel that believes in philanthropy and practices doing good for the planet."^[2]

History[edit | edit source]

The hotel was opened in 1911 as the Gordon Hotel. It was one of the largest buildings built after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. In 1925 the building was renamed the Hotel Britton. In 2008 the building under went a total renovation and was once again renamed to reflect its new environmentally conscience focus.^[3]

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  Fig 1: Hotel Gordon 1911

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  Fig 1a: Hotel Britton 1925

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  Fig 1b: The Good Hotel

Environmentally Friendly Features[edit | edit source]

• Parking is $25 a night, except for hybrid vehicles which are free
• Bed frames are made of 100% reclaimed wood
• The blankets are made of 75% recycled soda bottles
• Sink Positive toilets, which can save up to two gallons of water per person per day during normal use, are installed in every restroom^[4]* Refillable soap, shampoo, and body wash dispensers are mounted on the walls instead of disposable plastic bottles
• Bicycles are available to borrow for free as an alternative to driving
• Book exchange program: take a book, leave a book
• Recycling bins are located in every room
• Pet friendly

Location[edit | edit source]

The Good Hotel is located on the corner of Mission and 7th in SOMA. It is easily accessible from both MUNI and BART which can bring guests directly from San Francisco Airport to within two blocks of the hotel.

Google Map

Sights Worth Visiting Accessible By Public Transport[edit | edit source]

• California Academy of Sciences(Free one day a quarter)
• Exploratorium:the museum of science, art, and human perception
• Golden Gate Park(Free)
• San Francisco Zoo
• Golden Gate Bridge(Free to walk or bike over)
• Union Square(Free)
• AT&T Park

The Hotels Eco-Friendly Neighbor[edit | edit source]

Across Mission St from the hotel is the San Francisco Federal Building. The building, which was completed in 2007,^[5]is a marvel of modern sustainable architecture. The building design is meant to efficiently use natural light to both light the workspaces as well as to warm it during the winter. In the summer automated shades are used to keep it cool. The cleaning staff is forbidden to use toxic cleaning products. The windows are controlled by a computer system, which opens and closes them automatically to maintain a comfortable temperature without the use of air conditioning. The design of the building saves enough energy each year to power 600 houses and save the government $500,000 a year.^[6]The federal building is prominently visible from all north-facing rooms of the hotel. Self guided tours are available weekdays from 9am to 3pm. Make sure to bring a valid American ID or international passport.^[7]

Environmentally Friendly Does Not Equal Big Bucks[edit | edit source]

When many people hear that something is environmentally friendly, they will automatically assume that it is more expensive than other options. Contrary to this popular belief, The Good Hotel is very moderately priced for a big city hotel, surprisingly inexpensive in fact. Nightly rates range from just over $100 to $150^[8]for a hotel within walking distance of multiple mass transit systems, hundreds of retails stores, museums, and countless eateries. Keep in mind San Francisco sales and hotel taxes are a bit high so expect these on your bill, but this would be the case at any other hotel in the city.

References[edit | edit source]