The Red Victorian is a very unique hotel - certainly not suited to everyone - in one of the most amazing locations you'd want to stay in San Francisco. It's an easy Muni / trolley ride into any of the main tourist spots / CBD and an easy walk to Golden Gate Park, awesome music and bookstores and an absolute tonne of food and drink options.
It's an alternative-styled hotel with a mix of dorm and private rooms with shared bathrooms. Because of the communal nature, not everything is spick and span all the time but a cleaner comes through every day and there are a tonne of bathrooms to go around. We never had to wait to find one on our floor. The kitchen is incredibly well-stocked and not just with pots and pans but also a heap of shared food, which helps to reduce waste. Breakfast options are in huge supply - just cook it yourself - and there are juices, fruit, spreads and breads available throughout the day.
We loved the multitude of arts installations through the hotel, tucked into nooks and crannies and the very unique welcome message on the old school rotary-dial telephone on arrival. Everyone we met at the Red Victorian was a like-minded traveller, very welcome and patient with my 6yo son and super happy to sit and chat about travels, politics and the world.
We made great use of the games, books and jigsaw puzzles as well as the huge leather couches in the large communal area downstairs. That area looks out onto Haight Street and you can sit there for hours watching the world go by.
If you like sustainable travel with a twist, this is the place for you.