How to Have the Perfect San Francisco Staycation

Imagine waking up to this view. (Photo: Cavallo Point)

It’s the little things that make a wonderful hotel.

It’s complimentary cheese and crackers in the fridge when you arrive. It’s Belgian chocolates on your pillow. It’s a friendly smile and good conversation with the staff who seem to genuinely enjoy coming to work each day.

Too often I stay in places that believe thread count and Michelin stars are the only marker of a fine hotel experience.

It’s not that the Cavallo Point Lodge doesn’t think of those big things, it’s that they remember the little ones.

Cavallo Point likes to say their selling point is their view….and then they have rooms to boot.

As a newbie to the West Coast, I have yet to get sick of any awesome view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the one from the rooms of Cavallo is indeed spectacular.

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I have a perfectly lovely home in San Francisco, but after enduring a cross-country move, an arduous unpacking, furniture arranging and rearranging, the cleaning, polishing and the painting we needed some time away from our new place.

The perfect ride to a perfect staycation. (Photo: Jo Piazza)

We opted for the Cavallo Point Lodge for many reasons, but mainly because it offered the chance for us to bike there from our house, about 8 miles through the Presidio and over the Golden Gate Bridge, a mile all on its own, with a final stretch curling down to Horseshoe Cove.

Whether you’re staying for a night or a weekend, this spot is the perfect place to decompress and soak in San Francisco from across the bay.

Even when the Bay is moody it is still absurdly photogenic. (Photo: Jo Piazza)

The rooms: The property was originally a military base, Fort Baker, and so 68 of the guest rooms have taken over the fort’s historic buildings, former officer’s residences with glorious San Francisco skyline views.

Fireplaces and vintage decks are some of the features of the historic rooms. (Photo: Cavallo Point)

There are also spacious two-bedroom family suites and newly built contemporary rooms with floor to ceiling windows that allow guests to watch the fog roll in through the Golden Gate.

None of the rooms has a sub-par view. (Photo: Cavallo Point)

What I loved: The property isn’t just dog-friendly, they love dogs! They’ll provide your furry friend with custom food and water bowls made by Sausalito Pottery and organic cookies and treats by Saute 2000 and Lucky Dogs Bakery, all local. The can accept a maximum of two friendly dogs per room for a one-time non-refundable fee of $100. You’ll see dogs and their humans strolling all over the property, even enjoying a glass of wine on the porch enjoying the view.

This is what greets you and your fur baby on arrival. (Photo: Jo Piazza)

What you have to do: The lodge offers cooking classes for both guests and visitors. During our visit we met up with cooking school director Chef Jayne Reichert for her “Cooking from the Farmer’s Market” class.

All of these ingredients were purchased from the farmer’s market just down the road. (Photo: Jo Piazza)

The menu was both decadent and delightful—shaved fennel, citrus and lobster salad, ossobuco on soft polenta, sautéed dreens, oven roasted cauliflower with currants, and pineapple fluff cake (which I promise was like a party in your mouth in the tropics).

Reichert’s love for local ingredients paired with her deep knowledge of the science behind cooking made the class wildly enjoyable and useful for any level of cook.

My husband will make this pineapple cake for everyone who comes to our house from now on. (Photo: Jo Piazza)

What else you have to do: The resort fee includes access to the fitness center, the spa, morning yoga classes, parking, and a shuttle to San Francisco and the Sausalito Ferry Terminal. If you’re staying over the weekend make sure to pencil in some time for the Marin Headlands nature hike from 10 am-12 pm. There’s also daily yoga every morning and bonus evening yoga on the weekends.

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Where to drink: Enjoy live music in the Farley Bar on Mon.-Thur. from 6-9 pm and a daily wine hour in the lobby every day from 4-6 pm.

Where to eat: Executive Chef Justin Everett has made Murray Circle one of the Bay Area’s top culinary destinations for inspired cuisine using mostly ingredients locally sourced from Northern California.

How to relax: Get a classic massage and relax by the spa fireplace or indulge in some holistic healing with one of the spa’s renowned shamans. Yes you read that right, Cavallo has their own shamans on staff here to help craft your personal inner healing journey. If you’re staying midweek, make sure to head to the Cavallo website to download a voucher for the midweek spa special which includes 20% off any facial, massage or body treatment.

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