WELCOME TO CALISTA ORGANIC HOTEL With its Northern California simplicity and modern, all-natural interiors, the Calista Organic Hotel is captivating San Francisco visitors who value authenticity in an intimate boutique setting. Located on Bush Street in close proximity to the Financial District, this classic Union Square newcomer delights its globe-trotting visitors with crisp, cool guest rooms featuring exposed brick walls, neutral hues, all-natural fibers and organic finishes. The effect is nothing short of a new era in cozy, stay-here-forever warmth. AN URBAN OASIS OF COOL ORGANIC STYLE From the moment of your arrival at Calista Organic Hotel, you’ll know you’ve discovered a hidden boutique gem in the heart of San Francisco. Maybe it’s the stunning mural by American muralist Zio Ziegler that spans one side of the historic Bush Street building; or the collection of 28 modern guest rooms with kitchenettes, complimentary WiFi and cozy organic sheets; or perhaps it’s the hotel’s welcoming lobby, where fresh organic cookies and fruit-infused water are replenished like round-the-clock. Calista Organic Hotel reimagines the heart-of-the-city hotel stay with refreshingly affordable guest rooms, an emphasis on organic products and practices, and walk-everywhere access to San Francisco’s most celebrated attractions and events. Ideal for a short weekend getaway or an extended stay in the San Francisco’s Bay Area, this trendy urban retreat delights first-time visitors and longtime guests who value location and laid-back European style.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Languages Spoken
English
Location
1485 Bush St, San Francisco, CA 94109-5520
Calista Organic Hotel
247 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Located just a few blocks from the fringe of the "Tenderloin" district, the hotel is located in a bit on a seedy area. Rooms are small and there is very little storage for your belongings in the room and bathroom. The hallways and staircases are very narrow. Which is not an issue, assuming the elevator is working (it was not working on several occasions while we were there). Not convenient if you're on the 4th floor have to drag luggage up/down stairs. Also, the elevator is tiny and very retro... Meaning, you have to pull across two doors to open/close it. You are given a door code to access the building, as well as one to access your room. The hotel front lobby /entrance is not always staffed, hence the need for a door code for the building. The hotel staff seemed friendly and were responsive to any questions we had.
Outside the hotel, there are homeless people everywhere. Quite a sad site. There are lines of tents on adjacent streets/alleys where these people sleep at night. While I acknowledge that this is a city-wide issue, it seems particularly bad in this area. I wouldn't venture too far south of this hotel after dark. Daytime seems safe enough though.
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
So many problems with our room. A BROKEN smoke detector with tissues stuffed in it, mold on the ceiling, sheets with holes, broken and dangling vent over toilet, NO AC and many more disappointing aspects. There was also no iron or hangers in the closet. The lobby is cramped and staff is not great with hospitality. The only positive was a semi-decent shower and mattress.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I loved their services, they were very friendly. Plus they gave me an extra bed without any charges. I'll definitely go here again since their hospitality and customer services were on point. Plus their food is also on point. Over all it was a good experience.
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Date of stay: January 2024
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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The hotel may be cheap, but is not necessarily recommended due to misleading descriptions/photos on the Internet. Initially, there is no reception, but only a doorbell with an intercom to a remote employee. Communication with the hotel staff is only possible via WhatsApp using the QR code to be photographed in the entrance area. That means you absolutely need a phone with working access to mobile data. This will give you the PIN code for the entrance and room door. Wi-Fi actually exists, but you only get the access data on explicit request via WhatsApp. There is a separate access for each floor. The room photos available on the internet are quite misleading, generally the hotel and rooms are quite run down. The shelves in the bathroom have fallen off, for example. The shower shampoo is in a bottle on the floor. Generally there are only towels, soap/shampoo, nothing more (contrary to some descriptions on the Internet). The location of the hotel is quite OK, not super central but also not off the beaten track. Supermarkets and (fast food) restaurants are nearby. In many hotel descriptions it is stated that there would be a private parking facility at the hotel. This is NOT the case. For a short time you can park on the street with a parking meter, for longer parking you should park your car in the nearby public parking garage (SFMTA - Polk Bush Garage). For travel by car, this hotel is definitely not recommended, preferring to look for a Motel.
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive place in a decent location within walking & ride share distance from many sights this is the place. I’ve stayed in the best of best, worst of worst. Our room was a clean & updated place. The water was hot and stayed hot. The tile in shower room was clean, linens clean. They even provided slippers and a robe, the robe was a plus because we pack light. The room was small, pictures usually make a room look more spacious, but that was fine. The bed was comfortable, I was worried a bit because it was a spring mattress and seemed a bit older. I have back issues but I slept fine, with no aftermath. Staff were great, & so very friendly, and accommodating. Waldon gave my bald husband a hat, as it was colder than where we live & he forgot one, again thank you. They let us check in early, otherwise there’s a bag drop where they lock them up until room ready. If you’re a nitpicker it may not be the place for you. Remember, this is San Francisco, and most buildings are older, yes the entryway could be updated, but once you get in your room it’s easy to forget about. The location was great for us located on Bush & Van Ness which is the border of the Tenderloin. Decades ago I lived in the Tenderloin, and on this stay we walked through it daily, ate at a great Vietnamese restaurant twice, PHO2000 & shopped in the TL stores. Treat people with respect. We chose not to go into the TL after dark.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Ride share arrived within 2-3 minutes. Buses are just outside the building, Cable cars are within...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many reviews here appear to be from people not understanding what a San Francisco boutique hotel is. For $83 it's not the Radisson. Yes, it is located near the Tenderloin and there are homeless people on the streets (though very few this time around). No, it does not have a lobby. Yes, the elevator is antique and tight. Yes, there is deferred maintenance like dents in the walls. Yes, you better read the text messages with the door codes they will send you.
But! The room was clean and comfortable, quiet, smallish but manageable, the shower was hot, and the proprietor even dropped off a gift bag with a bottle of private label wine, some glasses, and a corkscrew.
So in short, if you can stomach the little things, don't mind a little adventure, and want to see the world from outside a bubble, this place is beyond a great deal. If not, spend the $359/night++ at a full service hotel and stop whining.
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Date of stay: April 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The old fashioned lift (elevator) was broken therefore we had to heft our luggage ourselves. We were on the third floor. The first night the electricity went out ALL night long. No way to charge devices (I will never leave my wireless charger home again) Second night came back to cold water…was so looking forward to a nice hot shower after a pretty cold day in SF…we were told the water hadn’t heated up from the electricity being off. The rooms are tiny…really tiny…hardly any room to move (pictures online are very deceiving) We left after only one night of what was supposed to be a three night stay. Still haven’t been reimbursed for the two nights we didn’t stay and should be reimbursed for all three nights due to above circumstances. Was what I imagined it would be like to stay at a hotel in a Third World country. Room was freezing cold…again because no electricity & believe it or not, it can be cold in San Francisco in June. I highly recommend you look for another place to stay.
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amazing stay. I had my best beautiful days here. Nearby stores and restaurants. Felt very safe and loved walking in the streets. Most importantly bus stops are very nearby so people staying here are lucky if you are travelling in bus. Must visit
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do not book in this hotel. I made a reservation in April 2024 for a stay in March 2025. Despite the message that no pre-payment was needed the entire cost of the stay at € 417,- was deducted from our VISA card after a few days. Beginning of July 2024 Booking.com cancelled our reservation, probably because of issues with the hotel. The hotel told us they would refund us but it never happened. In the end Booking.com send us the refund, thank you Booking.com, very kind of you. Our experience is that you cannot trust this hotel, there are more people waiting to get back their money.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Worst hotel we've ever stayed at: we actually left after our first night (we had booked five). We booked through Booking.com based on the average rating of over 8/10 at the time (we failed to read the reviews which are completely inconsistent with what we experienced), as well as the images of the hotel. When we got there, we were absolutely shocked. It's dirty, run down, it smells of weed, it's in a dodgy area of the city and it feels unsafe. The room we were given made it seem like the photos on Booking.com were a decade old, the difference was so huge.
We had numerous issues with the room and it seemed like no maintenance had been done in at least 5 years: half of the ceiling lights didn't work, the heater didn't work, there was no duvet cover, paint was coming off the walls, the bathroom floor flooded after showers, the room was extremely humid and loud (single glazing right on a busy street). The common areas of the hotel are just as bad: the carpets, lift, walls etc are all in terrible condition.
On a positive note, the customer service was good: the manager was friendly, responsive and apologetic, we got given a portable heater upon request, as well as a full refund for the booking when we decided to leave after just the first night. However, they were cheeky enough to ask us not to write a bad review about the hotel which we didn't appreciate at all given all the issues we raised with them.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Woody Island, Canada7 contributions28 helpful votes
Not that I’m aware of.... though I’d recommend taking the BART from airport and then a city bus ... get a Clipper card at airport. This card can be loaded with monetary value and thereby gives you access to all SF public transit ie Bart, buses and city trains
Dear Casey,
If you don't mind using BART than the best option for you would be to take BART from the Airport to Civic Center station. From Civic Station you can take a taxi (about 7-10 min) or the bus 19, that is already circling at 8 am.
For your flight back I can suggest many different options, including public transportation, taxi, airport shuttle, etc. We can discuss them in detail and choose the best one for you, when you'll be here.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Looking forward to meeting you in person,
Alexandra.
There are more places to choose from in the San Francisco area.
PRICE RANGE
C$95 - C$187 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Calista Hotel
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan FranciscoDowntown San Francisco / Polk Gulch / Downtown / Lower Nob Hill
NUMBER OF ROOMS
28
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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