San Francisco hotel has Good intentions

San Francisco’s new Good Hotel in the hip SOMA area aims to do just that, with eco-friendly design and a “philanthropy concierge” to help guests help others.

Even the buildings are recycled. For months, the Joie de Vivre boutique chain has been renovating the former Hotel Britton and Flamingo Hotel floor by floor, outfitting guest rooms with furniture from reclaimed wood, lamps made of recycled water bottles and pillows covered with vintage fabric from the former hotels.

While the work goes on, the 117-room hotel has been open for business, said spokeswoman Nancy Uber. For its Nov. 6 grand opening, the innovative lobby is expected to debut, featuring artwork by artists with developmental disabilities, a bench made of felt blankets and a table crafted from skateboards. In another eco-perk, drivers of hybrid cars get free parking.

To do even more good, guests can participate in a carbon offset program, donate to local charities or volunteer at the concierge desk with One Brick, a nonprofit group that recruits helpers to restore wetlands, support charity events and perform other services.

Hey, this may be more cleansing than going to confession.

The 411: Under opening rates, the hotel says, rooms start at $119 per night. But on its website, I found rates as low as $84 per night for two-night weekday stays. The hotel, at 112 7th St., also has a restaurant, called Good Pizza. For reservations, call (800) 738-7477 or visit the hotel’s website.

Check out another eco-conscious San Francisco hotel, the Orchard Garden.

— Jane Engle, assistant Los Angeles Times Travel editor

[Photo: The lobby of the Good Hotel in San Francisco features a bench made from felt blankets; Christian Horan]

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 31, 2008 at 11:02 am by Jane Engle and is filed under California, Eco-Travel, Hotels, San Francisco, Weekend Getaways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.