This hotel, though nice, is a bit frayed around the edges: its wallpaper is somewhat old and difficult to clean, and the window edges need painting. Some of the furniture is in poor condition. It is at the top of a hill and has several entrance steps to the hotel itself. A cable car can take you up the hill, on a schedule. The Petite Auberge is part of a two-part hotel: the White Swan sister hotel is the other part which has a more full-time desk clerk who usually tries to service both parts.) Hot water was not available when I was there. The joint hotel does provide breakfast but not the depicted French croissants--bear claws, yes. Access to the hotel is by key card once you get one. The area around the hotel is nice, being near San Francisco's main square.