tom s tours Best Hotel Food: The Grand Cafe and Petit Cafe in the Hotel Monaco (501 Geary S t.; & 800/214-4220 o

Best Hotel Food: The Grand Cafe and Petit Cafe in the Hotel Monaco (501 Geary S t.; & 800/214-4220 or 415/292-0100) pr ovide first-class dining just an elev ator ride away. S ee p. 73. Cortez in the Hotel Adagio (550 Geary B lvd.; & 800/228-8830 or 415/775-5000) offers excellent cuisine, but while the ev ening tapas menu may be too sophisticated and pricey for a family meal, br eakfasts ar e w ell ex ecuted. See p. 79. Ponzu in the Serrano Hotel (405 Taylor S t.; & 866/ 289-6561 or 415/885-2500) has a great menu of pan-Asian cuisine. S ee p. 76. The best hotel restaurant for kids has to be Puccini & Pinetti, where kids can design their own pizzas. tom s tours It s next to the Hotel AbRi (127 Ellis St.; &866/ 778-6169 or 415/392-8800). S ee p. 79. The Dining Room at the Ritz-C arlton (600 Stockton St.; & 800/241-3333 or 415/296-7465) is one of the most highly rated restaurants in town. See p. 96. If P rice I s N o O bject: F or extr eme luxury and pampering, top honors go to the St. Regis (125 3rd St.; & 415/ 284-4000). See p. 87. The Four Seasons (757 M arket S t.; & 415/6333000) tom s tours is a close second. S ee p. 86. If you pr efer mor e traditional opulence, the Ritz-Carlton (600 S tockton S t.; & 800/241-3333 or 415/296-7465) provides a sumptuous hotel experience. See p. 96. If Price Is the Deal Breaker: The most charming budget option near U nion Square is the Golden Gate Hotel (775 Bush St.; &800/835-1118 or 415/3923702). Rooms are small but clean and HOW TO FEEL LIKE A SAN FRANCISCO FAMILY

2237 M ason St. (near Chestnut St.), San F rancisco, CA 94133. &800/352-7366 tom s tours or 415/776-8688. F ax 415/776-2811. www.sanremohotel.com. 62 units. $75 $89 double. No rollaways or cribs. AE, DC, MC, V. Self-parking $16 $19. Amenities: Laundry facilities. In room: No phone.

The hotel s overall feel is intimate, funky, and friendly, and the colorful lobby is very inviting. Ozumo is a great Japanese restaurant off the lobby, but it s not really a family- friendly destination. In fact, and herein lies the rub, the hotel itself was designed mor e for couples tom s tours and business trav elers, as it has no double-double r ooms. You can r eserve a twin-bedded room for the kiddies, but you ll be sleeping elsewhere because the maximum occupancy her e is two, unless y ou splurge on the two-bedr oom suite. That basically makes it suitable for couples toting a bab y or families with kids old enough to sleep in their own non-interconnected guest room. But the great waterfront location, excellent rates, and full use of the YMCA next door (including its O lympic-sized pool, fitness center, and ev en a bab ysitting facility) make the H arbor Cour t wor th looking into. Check the website for packages and weekend specials.