I am staying at the SF Hilton right now. I can't believe what a terribly run hotel it is. Just want to vent a little here.
When I checked-in, the clerk said my recently-obtained Gold status did not show up on their system. He refused to upgrade me. He said it will take a long time for him to look up on his computer and suggested that I come back the next day for an upgrade room. I called the 800 number from my cell phone. The agent on the phone told the clerk I was gold. The clerk said "I guess if they said you are, then you are." and upgraded me. At least he was very nice.
When I got to my room, both phones were dead (no dial tone). I went down to tell the front desk. The clerk there called the phone people and the phone people called back and said "it's working - I just left him a voice mail". I said that did not make sense. The clerk said it is fixed. Of course it was not.
So, I requested another room. This time I got a nice and quiet room - at least I thought. The room is one room away from the service elevator ˇV I did not think that would be a problem. It really vibrates when the elevators go by. I talked to the guy next door (the room right next to the elevator). He said he was so scared the first night when he heard the sound. (It sounds like a mix of thunder or airplanes flying by.)
So, I requested a change (since I am staying 2 weeks) for the next day. I got an even noisier room (street side) without high speed Internet access. I went to the front desk telling the clerk my story, nicely, and she said "I guess you will have to stay in your room!" She said she put in a request and someone will call me when a room becomes available the next day and ˇ§pack up your bag and move when we call youˇ¨. It went downhill from there due to her attitude. (I was too tired to have an attitude :-()
I would describe the hotel operations there as incompetent, insincere and inefficient. I know it is a mega hotel that is mediocre but this is down-right terrible. Now I know why it is so much cheaper compared to other hotels in SF. (I knew about the location before I booked - not a big problem for me.)
The bright side is the HH VIP room is big compared to the W and the VIP Lounge has very good breakfast.
Programs: UA 1k mm, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat., Marriott Gold, Avis Chairman, PPS Club wannabe
Posts: 1,771
Hi Steven,
Sorry to hear about your problems. Obviously, just because someone can leave a voice mail message doesn't mean the phone is actually ringing in the room!
I would ask each day if a better room has opened up. If they can't provide good service with you staying for an extended period, and with low occupancy rates, when are they likely to provide good service?
I would avoid walking west from your hotel; that area of the Tenderloin is extremely bad; it's like a war zone.
I got a room 2 doors down but I can still hear the elevator. It is a lot better so I will not ask for more changes. I think they need to get some new elevators installed.
I think this hotel routinely accepts Priceline/Hotwire bids that are very low ($60-70). Even though I am not paying that rate, I think their staff are used to treating people as if they paid very little. I am not saying those people who pay less should not be treated well. I think the hotel is suffering from a bad cycle of low yield and degrading quality.
Yesterday, the concierge kept yaking away with her friend on the phone while I was waiting for her help. There are just so many employees there that don't seem care or don't seem to have the proper training. I believe there is a serious management problem with this hotel.
As far as the neighborhood goes, since I grew up in NY, it does not bother me that much :-)
Programs: UA 1k mm, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat., Marriott Gold, Avis Chairman, PPS Club wannabe
Posts: 1,771
I think you are correct that there is a management problem. My own theory is that its big size is a problem, similar to the poor service at the NY Rockefeller Hilton.
Re: the bad neighborhood, it just seems to have gotten worse over the last decade. When Feinstein was running for mayor 20 years ago, she said she was going to clean up the area around Market Street and 8th Street.
It's too bad that Union Square is under renovation. A good place to visit and eat outside is Yerba Buena Gardens between 4th and 5th and between Mission and Howard Streets. It's across the street from MOMA, which is showing an Ansel Adams exhibit. There is an Ansel Adams Museum nearby on Mission Street that announced today that it is closing due to lack of money. It might be worth checking out.
Yes Kevino. Y* B* was a nice area to visit. I stay at the W a few weeks ago - that was great although the rooms are tiny. Another plus for the Hilton is the policy for 800 number is quite reasonable - no charge unless you exceed 1 hour.
Username,
My limited experience with the SF Hilton is not good either. I was supose to stay their a week after the bombing, at a rate of $159/night (great rate). However, I had to posepone the trip for the following month. I called the manager at the hotel and was told they would not honor the rate I had and quoted me the $289/night price. The attitude was completely apathetic, she did not give-a-****. My stay there is a week away and I think I'm going to cancel and stay elswhere. There is no good reason to pay that kind of rate now. Thanks for the input.
I've stayed at the SF Hilton several times and have had consistently good experiences. Every time I have been upgraded and given lounge access without asking. On the last time, I received a rate of $149 the night of the booking.
Stayed at the SF Hilton during the Seybold convention... I arrived late at night (delayed out of FRA), but they had already blocked a Junior Suite in Tower 3... While the view was not great, I enjoyed the room and the free certificates for the breakfast buffet @ the cafe... Towers Lounge was closed...
I found the staff on the 17th floor pretty nice and efficient. The problem is the general staff downstairs - both the check-in desk and the concierge. I have learned to avoid them whenever possible.
username -- First of all, please accept my personal apologies for your experience. This is certainly not indicative of the service we hope to provide, and we've already spoken with the hotel about it. They've expressed a strong desire to speak with you directly to address your concerns, but your FlyerTalk profile doesn't have any contact information.
I'd greatly appreciate it if you could e-mail me directly with your name, HHonors account number, and the complete details of your stay. We'll then forward this information to the hotel team so that they can follow up with you.
Again, please accept my apologies.
Best regards,
Adam Burke
Vice President, Marketing - North America
Hilton HHonors Worldwide
adam_burke@hilton.com
Last time this Gold member ckecked in to the Hilton San Francisco, I got a Tower room.
Tonight when I checked in they were ready to repeat same. So I said how about a suite for this Gold member? The clerk gave me a suite in the older part of the hotel on the 7th floor.
A hallway.
A giant size living room.
A normal bedroom.
Access to Towers for breakfast.
Later this week, I'll be at the Palace (SPG). Now that I'm Gold with SPG, I'm looking forward to see what they have to offer.
Booked a super-low rate at the Hilton Fisherman's Wharf through hotelres.com (OK, I've seen the less-than-stellar reviews of the property, but I was really curious). Asked a question similar to dhammer about an upgrade for this lowly Gold, and was given a very large one-bedroom suite.
Alas, being California, all the suites are non-smoking, so this addicted personality settled on a generously-sized room where he could indulge his socially unacceptable habit in private, instead...
No suite here at the PHX Airport Hilton, though. Actually, I'd be happy with a room where the heat was sufficient for these cold desert nights.
Nice property, decent location – 2 blocks from Union Square, 5 min. walk to the edge of China town, 1 block to cable cars. Upgraded to JR. Suite – fine – I received a love seat and a bigger room but the walk to the elevator is a long one. Two bottles of water and some small (GHirardelli) chocolate squares. Towers service is nice.
Many galleries VERY close by, restaurants too
