Unlike Los Angeles or New York City, San Francisco has a nightlife scene that has yet to infect our hotel lobbies. Perhaps because of their audaciousness in charging at least $15 for a top-shelf martini (yes, we mean you, Four Seasons) or because of the gaggles of tourists, few locals frequent these havens of awesomeness and splendor. The new St. Regis, although pricey and lacking a happy hour, is certainly the most beautiful and comfortable hotel bar the city has to offer. With diaphanous crosshatch curtains, the large space is open and airy, with a refreshing lack of overbearing whimsy (as at the Clift Hotel) or oppressive starkness (as at the W). It's warm, appealing, and situated at street level — the perfect place to come, as many locals do, for a cocktail or three as you check out passersby on Third Street. And if your parents are in town, this is the perfect place to drag them for drinks after dealing with the crowds at SFMOMA.