Just like JerryFF, we were also offered 2 double on Exec flr last week when check-in, or a Junior Ste in tower 3 on 17th flr. We picked the Junior Ste. It was nice size room w/ sofa area and a good working desk. Exactly, it was more convenient for us since the garage was also in tower 3. Overall, service was good at front desk and v nice at the lounge. We plan to stay at SF Hilton again next time we're back in town.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by OttoGraham: I flew through San Francisco this past weekend, and booked a $109 per night rate at the San Francisco Hilton on O'Farrell Street.</font>
My girlfriend and I was there too! We arrived on 8/31 and departed 9/3.
Quote:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">When I checked in at about 4:00 p.m. Saturday, there were two massive lines of people waiting to check in, with one clerk working the HHonors line, three on the regular line. I waited for something like 40 minutes to get to the front of the HH line.</font>
We arrived at the hotel around 10:10 in the morning and there were only a few people in the line. I smiled and politely asked for an upgrade [HHSilver] and the agent on the front desk said the only thing available was a smoking room on the 42nd floor. When we got off the elevator on the 42nd floor, we could definitely smell it -- but when we entered the room, we left immediately. They switched us to the 34th floor, with a balcony. Non-smoking.
The non-locking swinging bathrooms doors were definitely a little strange.
My girlfriend loved the breakfast and the evening tea time (especially the bottled water, since we walked for miles every day all over town ). No chicken wings made their appearance during our stay there, but did enjoyed the mozzarella sticks and the miniature egg-rolls.
$109 is great rate. The lowest that I could find was $120 per night (direct from their website), which was what we paid.
Just got back from a stay at the Hilton SF (on Mason st), here are my thoughts:
1. location - close to public transport, only a short walk down (2-5 mins) to powell street where there is powell street station, bart, muni, cable car, trams. You can catch the bart to OAK. Although this is in an inner city downtown location, close to shops, it isn't the safest place if you walk the wrong way - ie through tenderloin. You also don't feel too comfortable going out at say 2am to get something to eat, when the room service closes at 10pm or 11pm.
2. Parking - I didn't park there but parking is around $30 a day. There is a carpark directly across the road which could be worth considering.
3. Rooms - quite tight in size. But still enough space to fit a desk with chair, single seat chair and small table and a king bed. The TV had heaps of cable channels, including my favourite - Animal Planet. There was an adjoining balcony with 2 chairs and table outside with magnificent views of the city, bridges and bay. If using a dialup connection you are charged $1 for the first 60 mins, then 10c per min thereafter, unless u hang up and dial in again. Beds turned down everynight, with 4 ghiadelli mint chocolates. Bathroom consisted of the using hilton fare, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioners, soaps. Nice, new interior.
4. Amnenity - as a gold, was offered 2 bottles of water from the mini bar. That was all
5. Lounge - ok, breakfast is poor, only pastries, fruit, yoghurt and cereals. Evening canapes vastly better including hot dim sims, dumplings, vegetable dips, cookies, etc. Alcholoic beverages are subject to a pay honour system. All seating is sit down table type seating except at the end which has a lounge. This is worth getting if its available. No papers or reading materials. They are prompted packing away canapes at 7pm (runs 5-7pm). Lounge requires key card access to open doors. Spectacular views
6. Restaurants - only ate at Cityscapes on the 46 floor, very very mediocre food for the price and small servings. Except for the view, please avoid. Ask for the special seat which is in a seperate closed off area if available.
7. Which room to get? Avoid Tower 3. Tower 2 is also quite worn, definitely go for Tower 1 as it has been completely refurbished. Level 30-44 are the exec floor rooms. Some have balconies, some don't ask if you want one with a balcony or not. As a gold, no problem with a upgrade to an exec floor room.
8. Business centre - has full high speed internet access readily available from 3 PC's.
9. Gym/pool - very nice and warm pool and jacuzzi. Sheltered from the SF weather as it is surrounded by Tower 3. Gym is being moved to Tower 1.
All in all, a nice hotel, fit for its 4*+ rating, but only if you get tower 1.
I'd definitely agree with kawoh on some issues of the trip report -- like the fact that not all rooms at the SF Hilton are created equal. With 1,900 rooms I guess there has to be variety.
I would guess that the majority of rooms within the hotel are not worthy of the 4 star rating. I've stayed in a couple not-so-nice ones, as well as several that were o.k. to nicer (in the most-recently-renovated part of the hotel).
__________________ "The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine
Thanks for the trip report. I found that the trip report was kind of on the negative side but the overall summary at the end of 4* being a bit generous. Sounds like maybe its a 4* if in Tower 1; otherwise more like a cautious 3*. I think it hard to put a good consistent product out there when you have close to 2,000 rooms.
Programs: HHonors - Diamond; Priority Club - Platinum; AS - Gold
Posts: 4,111
Was SF Hilton being usually cheap here?
Last month I had a two-room stay there plus incidentals. A couple of days after check-out the points for one room, online booking bonus and 500 airline miles came through.
This past Monday I snailed a copy of the folio to HHonors breaking down the credit I believe was still outstanding. Kudos to both HHonors and the U.S. Postal Service that additional room and incidentals were accounted for by Thursday morning!
However ...
The total was slightly off from what I'd requested according to my calculations. I have finally decided that what they [SF Hilton presumably] did was to specifically exclude the tax and tip on my one meal from points credit.
The few times I've had tax/tip charged to my room at other Hilton properties I received points for the net total charges on incidentals, so I'm assuming it was a decision made in San Francisco rather than by HHonors in Texas.
First time there as a diamond (been there several times before). Generally, same treatment as Gold, which is fine. Smallish, but high tower room with lounge access, etc.
What is new (as in open 3 or 4 days) is a great new health club and spa. I went to the 16th Fl. to go use the gym, and it wasn't there. Now, there's a spa level (below lobby level). Fantastic. The gym portion was overall, an A- (as compared to a regular health club). I also had a massage - the facility is very very nice, even the massage tables are electrically-adjusted. Teas and dried fruit while you wait. Great massage, too, with not-outrageous prices. (All kinds of options - I asked what one of them was and she said "They put special oils on special places ...blah de blah" at which point I bust out laughing.) A great improvement to this hotel. They have done a very good job at making you feel like you aren't staying at the City's largest hotel.
I stayed at the SF Hilton last week for my firm's annual business meeting. My rate was prepaid by my firm. When I checked in, I presented my HHonors gold card (mostly so that I could get points for my incidentals, which were on my own dime). I didn't expect a room upgrade or anything else, given that I was on a convention rate with pre-assigned rooms and there were 1300+ people from my firm staying at the hotel.
To my surprise and delight, I was upgraded to a higher floor room in Tower 1 (which is supposed to be nicer than the other 2 towers). I had a fantastic view of San Francisco, including a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I was also given lounge access and 2 free bottles of water. I was very impressed! The room itself was quite nice, with high quality linens and tasteful furnishings. Turndown service with chocolates was provided.
All in all, a good stay (although the neighborhood around the hotel is a little dodgy).
This is a very nice hotel, with a nice lounge and great view! I had called the hotel in the morning to ask for an upgrade to high floor, balcony w/view, and king bed. We were scheduled to arrive after 10pm and it was our anniversary, we are diamond, hotel was full, and I really wanted a nice room. This is the first time I have ever called ahead to request an upgrade before arrival. Well the plane was late, so we didn't arrive til almost midnight. We were told we had a room on 26th (out of 45!) floor w/balcony, but 2 double beds! Our reservation was for a king, so I asked her if there were any king rooms! She left for a few minutes, and returned to say we could have a junior suite on floor 43, but no balcony. She told us if we didn't like it, there might be something better the next day. The room was great, 2 sitting areas, fabulous view, nice bathroom. She even called us within 5 minutes to see if we liked it, or wanted to change the next day! We kept the room, and really appreciated her calling us! I would definately return to this hotel! I liked this location better than the Hilton at Fishermans Wharf!
I'll add my own Kudos to the SF Hilton. My wife and I have stayed at both the SF and fisherman's Warf in the last month and the SF Hilton wins hands down. The front desk staff was superb. We were able to get a late checkout on Sunday , even with the Hotel starting a convention. The Fisherman's Warf wanted to charge us $20 for an extra hour (as a gold I have never been asked to pay a fee for late checkout, its either available or not).
I'm going to be there for four night starting on July 12. How can I contact the hotel for an upgrade? What floor should I ask for? I need two beds, I'll have my daughter with me.
i went to the sfo hilton two years ago. its a nice place, but a bit convention oriented. i dont like the back/side of it is in the not well lit tenderloin area which is home to sleazy strip clubs and massage parlors/whore houses. the front is ok, its on or near the o'farrel/geary streets area, very trendy with dept stores and boutiques. restaurants are good. i had the greatest french toast ever in this hotel, it was in the restaurant right next to the bistro called "intermezzo" (hope names and layout havent changed since late 2000). the sunday brunch on the 45 or 46th floor is fantastic, though its 45 bucks a person, or was...
We arrived on 8/31 and departed 9/3.
