A cable car glides by the front of Hotel Union Square in San Francisco.

What exactly is a “kids’ suite?” I wondered.

I decided to find out.

I met my husband and our children, ages four and one, after work last week at the Hotel Union Square in San Francisco. Even though I arrived just 20 minutes after they checked in, when I opened the door it looked like a cyclone had hit the handsome, spacious room.

The kids were having a blast.

Roman had found a little play kitchen and was mixing, blending and cooking.

Parker had dumped out pile of wooden blocks, but had since moved on to a toy keyboard upon which she was writing an original composition.

I stepped over a football and Chinese checkers to hand Dan a glass of complimentary Cabernet from downstairs in the posh lobby.

Dropping my backpack on the bed at the other end of the suite I had my “aha” moment.

Kids’ suite. So, this is what they mean….

Built in 1913 for the Pan Pacific International Exhibit, the historic hotel has great bones and sturdy walls that could tell many stories. During Prohibition, San Franciscans thumbed their noses at authority and sneaked down into to the Golden Bubble, a 10,000 square-foot speakeasy beneath the lobby. And Dashiell Hammett, author of The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man booked his fiance a suite here the night before their wedding.

The Hotel Union Square underwent a $5 million renovation last spring. The result is sophisticated and sleek — gray pinstriped carpets, exposed brick walls, sumptuous Serta mattresses and comfortable conversation areas throughout. Though the design is minimalist and contemporary, beautiful art works from Egyptian-style mosaics to jazz era paintings and metal sculpture are sprinkled throughout.

There is even the Dashiell Hammett suite, an homage to the San Francisco scribe with vintage photos and period ephemera including a Royal typewriter.

Party time in the kids suite at the Hotel Union Square in San Francisco.

But, back to the Kids’ Suite. The oversized room looks out onto Powell Street, above the cable car line. Two passes for the cable car are included with the room. The front desk offered a portable crib for my little guy, but the kids were very comfortable in the trundle bed.

After an early dinner at Lori’s Diner across the street, we came back to try out the Wii. At storytime we tapped into the book collection that covered many reading levels and subjects from Humpty Dumpty to Hannah Montana.

The Union Square location is good for families — a Walgreens is across the street and I counted at least five affordable restaurants on the block — from Blondie’s Pizza and Subway to Thai and Indian cuisines, and a steak house.

Teenagers will like the proximity to Urban Outfitters, Rasputin Records, Forever 21 and the Gap.

Drawbacks?

It’s noisy. If you or your kids are unaccustomed to urban noise, it might be too much. The night we were there was trash/recycling night which notched up the volume considerably. Despite that, we all slept well.

No fridge. This was particularly inconvenient since they don’t serve Continental breakfast and I had stopped to pick up milk and fruit for the morning but had no place to store it.

Some sharp corners and a nonbaby-friendly bathroom. Not a huge deal, but since my little man can open doors, I was constantly retrieving him from inside the plexiglass shower and off the slippery tiled floor.

Would I book another kids’ suite? Absolutely. I totally get it, and I appreciate the attention to needs of children when traveling. It was so nice not having to pack a boatload of toys to keep them busy and to have a space large enough for them to play while my husband and I relaxed and sipped wine across the room. Now that’s almost a vacation!

Photos by Dan Dion