This page covers four LEED certified hotels in San Francisco, all checked against the USGBC project directory, from base Certified to Platinum. The standout is W San Francisco on 3rd St, one of a small number of hotels in North America at Platinum. The list spans SoMa, Nob Hill, and the Financial District, with ratings from 8.0 to 9.0.
How these hotels were selected
Every hotel on this page appears in the USGBC project directory with an active LEED certification record. The four properties range from Certified to Platinum. No hotel was excluded because of its certification level. Star ratings and guest scores were not selection criteria; LEED certification was the only filter applied.
The LEED rating system evaluates buildings across categories including energy use, water efficiency, materials, indoor air quality, and site planning. Projects earn points in each category, and the total determines the certification level: Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59), Gold (60-79), or Platinum (80+).
San Francisco LEED certified hotels at a glance
| Hotel | LEED Tier | Star Rating | Guest Rating | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W San Francisco | LEED Platinum | 4 | 8.6 | SoMa |
| InterContinental San Francisco by IHG | LEED Gold | 4 | 8.7 | SoMa |
| Orchard Garden Hotel | LEED Certified (NC) | 4 | 9.0 | Financial District |
| FOUND Hotel Carlton, Nob Hill | LEED EB Gold | 0 (boutique) | 8.0 | Nob Hill |
What the LEED tiers mean in practice
- LEED Platinum (80+ points): the highest tier. W San Francisco is one of a small number of hotels in North America to reach this level.
- LEED Gold (60-79 points): InterContinental San Francisco holds Gold under the Existing Buildings rating system and is the largest LEED Gold existing-building hotel in California. FOUND Hotel Carlton holds Gold under the LEED EB (Existing Buildings) path.
- LEED Certified (40-49 points): the base tier. Orchard Garden Hotel earned this under LEED for New Construction, making it San Francisco's first LEED-certified hotel.
- Tier does not equal quality. A base Certified hotel may score higher on guest satisfaction than a Platinum property. Orchard Garden's 9.0 guest rating is the highest on this list.
LEED certified hotels in San Francisco: what to know before you book
Three of the four hotels are in SoMa or the adjacent Financial District, within a 10-minute walk of Moscone Center and the Powell Street BART station. FOUND Hotel Carlton is the outlier, on Sutter Street in Nob Hill, northwest of Union Square.
W San Francisco (Platinum) and InterContinental San Francisco (Gold, existing building) have the most thorough paperwork: both publish energy and water performance data tied to their USGBC filings. Orchard Garden Hotel, at 466 Bush St, was built to LEED standards from the ground up and uses a key-card energy control system that cuts room power when guests leave.
For related pages, we have a separate page for eco-friendly luxury hotels in San Francisco and another for eco-friendly business hotels, which covers properties with strong meeting facilities alongside green credentials.
The hotels
W San Francisco
181 Third Street, San Francisco
8.6588 reviews
LEED PlatinumLEED Platinum certified, one of the few hotels in North America to reach this tier, verified through the USGBC project directory.
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InterContinental San Francisco by IHG
888 Howard Street, San Francisco
8.71,383 reviews
LEED GoldLEED Gold certified under the Existing Buildings rating system
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Orchard Garden Hotel
466 Bush Street, San Francisco
9.01,732 reviews
LEED CertifiedSan Francisco's first LEED-certified hotel, built under LEED for New Construction
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FOUND Hotel Carlton, Nob Hill
1075 Sutter Street, San Francisco
8.03,042 reviews
LEED EB GoldLEED EB Gold certified, SF Green Business certified, solar-equipped, and carbon-neutral, all verified through USGBC and the SF Environment Office.
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Things to do in San Francisco, by neighborhood
Where to start in each neighborhood, and what’s on there this weekend.
All 68 San Francisco hotel guides →
Frequently asked questions
Which San Francisco hotel has the highest LEED certification tier?＋
W San Francisco at 181 3rd St holds LEED Platinum, the highest tier in the USGBC rating system. It is one of a small number of hotels in North America to reach this level.
What is the difference between LEED Gold and LEED Platinum?＋
LEED Gold requires 60-79 points across energy, water, materials, and site categories. LEED Platinum requires 80 or more points in the same framework. Both InterContinental San Francisco and FOUND Hotel Carlton hold Gold; W San Francisco holds Platinum.
Which hotel on this list was San Francisco's first LEED-certified property?＋
Orchard Garden Hotel at 466 Bush St was the first hotel in San Francisco to earn LEED certification. It was built under the LEED for New Construction rating system and opened with its certification in place.
Where can I verify these LEED certifications independently?＋
The USGBC project directory at usgbc.org/projects lists every certified project by name and address. You can search each hotel by name or address to confirm its certification tier and award date.
Does a higher LEED tier mean a better guest experience?＋
Not necessarily. Orchard Garden Hotel holds the base LEED Certified tier and carries a 9.0 guest rating, the highest on this list. LEED tiers measure building performance, not service quality or room comfort.
Are there LEED Silver hotels in San Francisco?＋
None of the four hotels on this page hold LEED Silver. The properties here span base Certified, Gold, and Platinum. The USGBC project directory lists certified buildings by tier if you want to check other San Francisco hotels.
