San Remo Hotel - San Francisco, CA

If you’re visiting San Francisco and want a hotel with character and history, the San Remo offers a unique lodging experience: centrally located in North Beach, steeped in early-20th-century charm and vintage style. At the same time, it embraces its reputation for the paranormal—ideal if you enjoy a hint of spookiness with your stay.

Hotel History

• The San Remo Hotel opened shortly after the great 1906 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, on Mason Street in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.

• Originally built as the “New California Hotel,” it was commissioned by Amadeo P. Giannini (founder of Bank of America) to house immigrants, seamen, laborers and artists who were helping rebuild the city.

• In 1922 the property was renamed “San Remo Hotel,” taking the name from the Italian town of San Remo (San Remo/Sanremo) to reflect its Italian-influenced location and restaurant tradition.

• Over time the hotel maintained much of its early-20th-century charm: modest, antique-furnished rooms (many with shared baths), vintage décor and a neighborhood-style lodging rather than a luxury resort.

• The building was restored in the 1970s by Tom & Robert Field, who revived its character after a period of decline.

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Haunted Hot Spots & Paranormal Activity

The San Remo Hotel is frequently cited in lists of haunted hotels in San Francisco. Among the reported phenomena:

• Room 33 & the “Painted Lady”: One of the most persistent stories tells of a woman (sometimes described as a former madame of a brothel) who haunts Room 33. Guests report hearing persistent knocking on the door; when they open it, no one is there.

  “The mysterious ‘painted woman’ roams the halls knocking on doors … She seems to stay focused on room 33.”

• Room 42 and the little girl apparition: A second ghostly presence is said to be a little girl wandering the corridors and trying to enter Room 42. Guests have reported seeing a small figure at the door or hearing scratching/knocking from within.

• Other strange occurrences:

  • Cold spots and sudden temperature drops in hallways and near certain rooms.

  • Doors that knock, open or close by themselves, lights flickering and odd reflections.

  • Some stories mention a dark shadowy figure in the restaurant area crossing the room, and unexplained footsteps or voices.

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