14Trips Chief Travelista, Vanessa DellaPasqua, got a bit of insight into the Harbor Court Hotel, located in our very own San Francisco, this past week. The gracious people at Kimpton Hotels were kind enough to show us around the property, and Vanessa was able to snap some pictures of this SF gem. Her impressions follow:

“Located in the historic YMCA building, the Harbor Court is a little piece of San Francisco history. The Kimpton Group bought the building two months before the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, and converted the 400 room establishment with one bathroom per floor to its current layout, with 131 private rooms. With the demolition of the Embarcadero Freeway following the earthquake, the Harbor Court now enjoys unobstructed Bay views from 28 of its premium rooms.

I liked the cozy lobby, a bit tucked away from the foot traffic of the surrounding streets, and the warm feeling it radiated. Who needs holiday decorations when your welcome space looks like this?

The lobby was deserted at 3pm when I arrived, but I was informed that the hotel offers complimentary wine and appetizers every day at 5pm, ensuring that the space would be much more crowded shortly!

I was next shown upstairs to room 728, one of the Bay View rooms. Although modest in size, it was still quite spacious for a city hotel: a large king-size bed and a desk framed the wonderful Bay Bridge view from the room’s side-by-side windows. Amenities in the room included an i-pod dock/alarm clock (to wake up to your own rhythm), a flat screen TV (perfect for catching up on the latest news), and a leopard-print robe (in which to relax!).

The bathroom was a decent size for a (historic!) city hotel as well; functional in its layout, despite the fact that the tub will not soak your knees and shoulders (at least not simultaneously!). Aveda toiletries were a nice touch that would make forgetting your shampoo at home a total treat. The Harbor Court also offers complimentary high-speed wireless internet in all of its rooms, for those who can’t do without breathtaking views even while traveling on business…”

For more pictures from Vanessa’s tour, visit us at our home on Flickr. And stay tuned to 14Trips.com in coming weeks to catch some great deals at the Harbor Court: 14Trips has negotiated exclusive rates with Kimpton that will make heading to San Francisco a real pleasure, whether for business or for leisure. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly luxury travel alert to receive our favorite deals from the best properties around the world in your inbox every Thursday.

If you’re an advance planner, check out today’s deal of the day at the universally adored D2 Hotel in Thailand. When you book your trip between April 6th and October 21st, you’ll score a complimentary night at one of the chicest hotels in Thailand’s charming northern region.

The D2 is an Ethos Travel property, so you can be sure you’ll be getting the utmost in both luxury and sustainability. Modern and understated, rooms in this Chiang Mai resort are a welcome respite from the bustling world outside. Be sure to check out the night bazaar,which is right on your doorstep!

If you’d like to receive deals like this right in your inbox, head over to 14Trips.com and sign up for our weekly luxury travel alert.

San Francisco. Home to the Golden Gate Bridge, the de Young, Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Park, some of the nations finest shopping and dining, and of course, 14Trips! Maybe we’re a little biased, but it seems like if there’s one American city everyone can agree is a joy to spend time in, it’s the city by the bay.

Today’s deal of the day is perfect for an impromptu visit to our fair city. Hotel Nikko is a real gem of a property, located right in the center of everything worth doing, and their winter rates are quite a bargain. Save 15% when you book your trip before March 31, 2008, and you can score a room at this elegant and understated SF staple for just $169 per night. Use the cash you’ll save to do some shopping in Union Square (where they recently opened a Barney’s NY) or take BART (conveniently just steps from your front door) over to Berkeley for a decadent meal at the famed Chez Panisse.

Don’t forget to post some pictures from your trip on the 14Trips Photo Travelog, and sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive our favorite picks in your inbox every Thursday.

Each Wednesday, 14Trips features our favorite image from our user-generated Flickr pool, the 14Trips Photo Travelog. Join our group and post your favorite travel photos from your most fantastic globe-trotting adventures. And don’t forget to sign up for the 14Trips weekly luxury travel alert so we can keep you posted about potential photo ops to come!

Today’s photo comes from Margaret Bashwiner:

“I never expected Amsterdam to be so stunningly beautiful. I found the city to be surprisingly peaceful at dusk, strolling across canals and down quiet and winding European cobblestone streets.

Boats ranging from tiny, recreational tugboats to larger, more ornate houseboats line the waterways throughout the city. This shot was taken on a winter afternoon so there was no activity on the water but plenty of activity elsewhere throughout the vibrant city.”