As the name suggests, the family-run Handlery Union Square Hotel is on the doorstep of San Francisco's Union Square and the main shopping drags. With such a central location and competitively-priced rooms, the venerable Handlery, with its elegant cream facade, attracts the full cross-section of families, twentysomething revellers and trans-Atlantic business people. The standard, or "Historic" rooms, are soberly-decorated in dark brown, cream and white. They are compact, but just about big enough, and are equipped with a large flat screen television, a mini-fridge, a cumbersome cafetiere, an ironing board and a decent safe. The beds are comfortable, but the air-conditioning is pretty noisy and you have to pay $10 a day for Wi-Fi. Downstairs, there is an unlikely outdoor pool, a business centre, a small gym and a bar/restaurant (The Daily Grill). The Handlery's staff are helpful and plentiful, but the overall ambiance is a little dated and mundane. 6/10
