I don’t know about you, but I love taking mini-vacations in and around my city. I love moseying around in my hotel robe, lounging by the pool (weather permitting), visiting local hotspots, shopping, and kicking it with friends.
What can I say? I’m a sucker for staycations.
So, I was excited to collaborate with the Hilton and #BayAreaBloggers, Renee Angelique and Shalini Srivastava, for a relaxing staycation at the Hilton Union Square in lovely San Francisco.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post! Special thanks to Hilton Union Square for sponsoring our staycation and staycation activities at the Hilton Union Square.
THE TEA ON THE HILTON UNION SQUARE
The Location
Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Hilton Union Square is minutes away from just about anything and everything you could want or need. It is steps away from luxury shops and bargain stores – I’m talking everything from Louis Vuitton to Target. More importantly, it is surrounded by various eateries and bars that are easily accessible by foot, public transportation, Uber, or Lyft.
The Hotel
The Hilton Union Square is HUGE! It has over 1900 rooms spread across three towers.
Some of its notable amenities include:
- Breaktaking views of the city;
- An outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi;
- A health club (aka gym);
- A Business Center; and
- Parking
Our Room for the Week
Renee, Shalini, and stayed on the 44th floor in a Two Doubles room with a balcony and skyline view overlooking the city.
As expected, our room was clean and comfortable.
Hands-down my favorite part of the room was the balcony. We had a gorgeous view of the city, and it was the perfect place to chill and catch up on emails.
STAYCATION ACTIVITIES
Pictures by the Pool
We started the weekend with pictures by the pool. And by “we,” I mean Renee and Shalini. They did not come to play with these poolside shots!
Don’t judge me, I found solace in chilling at the table and taking pictures with the greenery near the pool.
Playing Catch-up at Palamino
After a little over an hour of taking pictures, we hopped into an Uber and headed over to the Embarcadero for small bites and drinks at Palamino.
Total ride time to the Embarcadero: approx. 8 minutes. Location is key!
Dining at Urban Tavern
After settling in and cleaning up, the girls and I headed downstairs to Urban Tavern for dinner.
Our dining experience began with starters and drinks. I had my usual – a Lemon Drop – while Renee and Shalini had the Age of Avion.
Then dinner came…And it was nothing short of delicious!
I’m glad we took everyone’s advice and ordered the Chef’s Butcher Block because it was exquisite. The steak was juicy and well seasoned. In my opinion, the smoked paprika (pictured below) was the supporting star of the dish because it took the entire meal to a whole new level of deliciousness. I liked it so much that I tried to recreate the seasoning when I got home. Unfortunately, I failed miserably so I’ll be re-visiting Urban Tavern again soon.
Aside from that, the veggies were fresh, and the sides were incredibly flavorful.
Overall, my dining experience at Urban Tavern was great!
KJ, our server, was very personable, great at making suggestions and providing in-depth details about the drinks and dishes we ordered. The atmosphere was casual but intimate, which made it easy to chitchat with the girls.
I would definitely recommend Urban Tavern to (1) guests that want a tasty meal and specialty drinks without having to leave the Hilton and (2) anyone looking for a restaurant with good food, good service, and good vibes.
After Hours at Cityscape
Our last stop of the night was Cityscape.
Located on the 46th floor of the Hilton Union Square, Cityscape boasts stunning 360-views of the SF Bay Area and is perfect for cocktails and conversations. The music was set at a volume that was low enough to hear each other speak but loud enough to enjoy, there was ample seating, and the atmosphere was relaxed yet classy. Hint-hint, this would be a great date location.
I ordered the Noe Valley, which was refreshingly sweet and tangy, and the girls had the Cucumber + Kiwi cocktail.
I thoroughly enjoyed my drink… Can you tell?
Kicking it at Cityscape was the perfect way to end the night!
THE MORNING AFTER
Robes, Reflection, and More…
Overall, I had a great time kicking it with these blogger babes at the Hilton Union Square. Special shout out to the Hilton Union Square, Urban Tavern, and Cityscape for making it a memorable weekend.
If you are in the city for a weekend and need a place to stay, Hilton Union Square is a great option. With good food, comfortable living, and stunning city views at your fingertips, you are sure to have a good time at the Hilton Union Square.
Want to see live footage from my staycation? Click here.
Until next time, xoxo.
Michelle Ijeoma