The Addison by Kasa

A Pacific Heights Address, a Park Across the Street

Pacific Heights is the San Francisco of steep streets, bay windows and Victorian facades, a residential neighbourhood where the city's older money built its houses on the ridge above the bay. The Addison occupies a historic building on Sacramento Street, in the quiet blocks between Fillmore Street and Lafayette Park, and it works on a very different model from a classic hotel. Kasa, the operator, runs its 17 units through self check-in and a virtual front desk, and fits them with kitchenettes. What you get is the feeling of renting a flat in one of the city's most desirable neighbourhoods, with a support team a message away.

Why It Works

Travelling with a dog in a dense American city usually means one of two compromises: a downtown hotel far from any grass, or a short-term rental with uncertain rules. The Addison removes both. Lafayette Park is roughly 400 feet from the door, the pet policy is published and simple, one approved animal per unit with registration before arrival and a nightly fee that decreases with the length of stay, and the kitchenette lets you keep your own routine, for you and for the dog. That combination of a real neighbourhood, clear rules and independence is why we chose it.

Why This Location

Sacramento Street at this point is calm and residential, lined with houses rather than shops. Lafayette Park, a hilltop green with city and bay views, is a two-minute walk, and Alta Plaza Park lies a few blocks further west. Fillmore Street, about 0.3 miles away, brings the neighbourhood's cafés, bakeries, boutiques and restaurants, and the medical campus of CPMC is close by, useful for visitors with appointments there. The number 1 bus stops at Sacramento and Buchanan for downtown and Chinatown. There is no on-site parking, so drivers should plan on paid public garages nearby.

Fast Facts

• Vibe: residential, independent, historic, understated

• Rooms: 17 units with kitchenettes, stovetops and refrigerators

• Best For: city travellers with a dog, longer stays, visitors to CPMC, travellers who prefer an apartment-style stay

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: Lafayette Park, about 400 feet away, as the daily dog walk

• Dining: no restaurant on site; kitchenettes in the units and Fillmore Street's cafés and restaurants a short walk away

• Amenities: one approved pet per unit, self check-in, virtual front desk available 24/7 by text or phone, kitchenettes, non-smoking throughout

• Attractions: Lafayette Park (about 400 feet), Fillmore Street (about 0.3 miles), Alta Plaza Park, the Victorian houses of Pacific Heights

How the Virtual Front Desk Works

There is no lobby desk here in the traditional sense. Check-in opens at 4 pm and is handled through your phone, and the Kasa team answers questions around the clock by text or phone. For dog owners, that has a practical side: no waiting at a counter with a tired animal after a long drive or flight, and no awkward conversations about the dog at arrival, since the pet is registered before you come.

Rooms and Everyday Comfort

Units are equipped for real stays rather than one-night stops, with a kitchenette, stovetop and refrigerator to store dog food and prepare simple meals. The whole property is non-smoking, and the historic building keeps the proportions of a Pacific Heights residence rather than those of a modern hotel block, which suits guests who want to live like a local for a few nights or a few weeks.

Travelling Here With Your Dog

Register your pet with Kasa before arrival, as the policy requires, and remember that the fee is set per night and becomes lower for longer stays. One animal is allowed per unit. Beyond Lafayette Park, the Pacific Heights area rewards walkers with some of the city's finest streetscapes, and the Presidio's trails are a longer outing to the northwest.