Fantastic Hotels Within a 10-minute Drive of San Francisco Airport

There is no shortage of places to stay in San Francisco. The town is practically crawling with hotels — it is the birthplace of Airbnb after all. There’s an option for practically every type of traveler — usually with easy access to downtown and the trendier neighborhoods.

But when you’ve got an early morning flight out of SFO, a centrally-located hotel can quickly turn from a blessing to a nightmare. In easy traffic conditions, it takes about 30 minutes to drive from downtown San Francisco to the airport. But, unfortunately, San Francisco is not known for its easy traffic conditions.

If you’re considering going the airport hotel route, there’s no need to imagine a dingy roadside motel where the sound of planes rumbles walls and the bedsheets are of questionable cleanliness. SFO has a slew of hotels, mostly within a five-minute drive of the international terminal. And they boast many of the same perks you’d want in a city hotel. Some are located right on the San Francisco Bay, offering fantastic views. Others have fine dining options or massive swimming pools.

Whatever you’re in the mood for, you don’t need to settle for lesser quality above location. Scroll through to discover nine of the best airport hotels, all with incredibly easy access to your terminal.

The Westin San Francisco Airport

This Westin aims to be a center of wellness for those traveling through SFO. You can jog on the bayfront trails near the hotel, swim laps in the indoor pool or start sweating in the fitness studio. But you won’t need to run to get wherever you’re going. The hotel is located a five-minute drive from the airport and about 20 minutes to downtown San Francisco.

To book: from $152 per night

El Rancho Inn

This hotel has been operating near the airport for more than 70 years. And with that length of experience, they’ve developed a handy “Park, Sleep & Fly” package that allows travelers to sleep the night before their flight, leave their car in the parking lot for up to eight days, get breakfast before leaving the hotel and jump on the free 24-hour airport shuttle, that will get you there in less than 10 minutes.

To book: from $114 per night

Bay Landing Hotel

This cozy hotel is as close to a bayfront cottage as travelers through the airport can get. Guests in the 130 rooms can look out over the bay or gather near the lobby fireplace. Once it comes time to grab your flight, the free shuttle will take you from hotel to airport in five minutes.

To book: from $159 per night

Villa Montes Hotel

This smaller hotel only has 41 rooms, but has all of the comforts of a larger hotel — fitness center, sauna, and stellar concierge services. Villa Montes is about a five-minute drive from SFO and just a few minutes’ walk from the San Bruno Caltrain station.

To book: from $130 per night

Aloft San Francisco Airport

Aloft hopes to make the check-in process less rigid. You can use an app to communicate with staff, find out when your room is ready and grab food from the bar or food counters whenever you like. Of course, the hotel also offers a shuttle service to the airport that runs all night, every night.

To book: from $143 per night

The Dylan at SFO

You don’t need to choose a giant chain hotel to get an airport location. The Dylan is a boutique hotel with only 58 rooms, located less than a mile away from the airport. The smaller size ensures you’ll get more personalized service but it’s not so small that it lacks basic amenities. There’s a free shuttle service that runs 24/7 to get you to and from the airport with ease.

To book: from $124 per night

San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront

In San Francisco, there’s no need to choose between easy airport access and waterfront views. This Marriott boasts views of the San Francisco Bay from its rooms, but it’s also got a shuttle that will get you to the airport in less than 10 minutes.

To book: from $199 per month

Millwood Inn & Suites

Guests love this hotel for the location. You’re less than a mile away from both BART and Caltrain stations. Once it comes time to travel, the hotel has a free shuttle that will get you to the airport in about 10 minutes. It’s only about three miles away.

To book: from $129 per night

Grand Hyatt at SFO

You truly can’t get any closer to SFO than the Grand Hyatt. You can take the SFO AirTrain straight from your terminal to the hotel doors. There’s on-site upscale dining, views of the airport runway from your room and even dedicated spaces for yoga and massage. It’s all very San Francisco, but you don’t even have to leave the airport.

To book: from $179 per night