Westin St. Francis, San Francisco [Master Thread]
Mar 17, 2005, 3:17 pm
#46
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Programs: SPG - Platinum, Hertz - 5 Star
Posts: 2,387
Try the Sheraton Fishermans Wharf. Continental breakfast, evening nibbles are included for SPG Gold+Plat, the rooms are a decent size and the sweet sleeper beds are as good as the heavenly bed. For about $100 less per night, the $1.25 tram or $3.00 street car ride will put you within spitting distance of the Westin in less than 20 minutes.
The St. Francis is a grand old lady and elegant, but it is a tourist destination in its own right so it is alwys crowded. Stay once to say you've been there and done that, but after a few visits its just another older hotel. By staying at Fisherman's Wharf you get less street noise and you're within walking distance to lots of trendy cafes and bars.
DF
The St. Francis is a grand old lady and elegant, but it is a tourist destination in its own right so it is alwys crowded. Stay once to say you've been there and done that, but after a few visits its just another older hotel. By staying at Fisherman's Wharf you get less street noise and you're within walking distance to lots of trendy cafes and bars.
DF
Mar 30, 2005, 1:53 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Mateo, CA
Programs: AA - LFT GLD 1MM, UA - 2P, SPG - LFT Plat, Hyatt - Plat, HH - Gold, Avis - CHM
Posts: 413
after reading all these reviews i definitely dont want to stay here, but dont really hav ea choice b/c the corp rate is $135 as opposed to ~$200 for any other properties. i would definitly prefer w
Mar 30, 2005, 5:07 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 8
I have stayed at the Westin St. Francis close to 20 nights in the past 6 months and I definitely share the sentiments that the attention to guest serivces could be a little stonger.
I do have a question for other frequent travelers there. Which do people prefer, the rooms in the older section or the newer section? I have had mixed feelings with both but tend to prefer the newer and fresher seeming rooms in the tower.
I do have a question for other frequent travelers there. Which do people prefer, the rooms in the older section or the newer section? I have had mixed feelings with both but tend to prefer the newer and fresher seeming rooms in the tower.
Mar 30, 2005, 5:27 pm
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,748
Similar disappointed experience I had posted last year of this hotel. My summary can be captured in the sentence "This hotel is a victim of its location". The location brings in enough business to get away with poor service. No incentive to improve.
Mar 30, 2005, 7:13 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,624
Originally Posted by joeboyib
I have stayed at the Westin St. Francis close to 20 nights in the past 6 months and I definitely share the sentiments that the attention to guest serivces could be a little stonger.
I do have a question for other frequent travelers there. Which do people prefer, the rooms in the older section or the newer section? I have had mixed feelings with both but tend to prefer the newer and fresher seeming rooms in the tower.
I do have a question for other frequent travelers there. Which do people prefer, the rooms in the older section or the newer section? I have had mixed feelings with both but tend to prefer the newer and fresher seeming rooms in the tower.
Mar 30, 2005, 10:43 pm
#52
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 169
boy oh boy,
I just booked the 4 nights and get 5th night free at the St. Francis and used extra 1,500 pts per night to get the tower room. Did I make a mistake spending 46,500 pts? Maybe I should book at another hotel brand? I am SPG Gold so I'm wondering if they'll upgrade me on top of the tower room.
rays
I just booked the 4 nights and get 5th night free at the St. Francis and used extra 1,500 pts per night to get the tower room. Did I make a mistake spending 46,500 pts? Maybe I should book at another hotel brand? I am SPG Gold so I'm wondering if they'll upgrade me on top of the tower room.
rays
Apr 1, 2005, 8:25 am
#54
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: Starwood Platinum, NWA Platinum, Marriott Silver, AA, UAL, USAir, etc.
Posts: 58
Happy with the St. Francis
I stay at the St. Francis about every other week. Very happy with their service, check-in, etc. Don't let the anomolies of one stay cloud your view of an otherwise great hotel.
Apr 1, 2005, 9:54 am
#55
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 10,080
Tough Call and perhaps one of Starwoods best unsolved recognition mysteries
Originally Posted by mjharad
I stay at the St. Francis about every other week. Very happy with their service, check-in, etc. Don't let the anomolies of one stay cloud your view of an otherwise great hotel.
There are some spectacular high floor guest rooms with killer views (decor like the W) in this hotel. Not that I was ever in one of these attractive guest rooms
As a Platinum I could never seem to get one.
I gave up on even considering a suite/I always had 5th-10th floor room overlooking a wall and and an A/C unit or exhaust unit in a satisfactory but non renovated room.So much for high floor request
When I asked about the best available room I was told by the hotel director of operations they don't honor best available guest room just an upgrade to the next room category.
Yet without a doubt some have gotten luckier then myself that I have spoken with and or seen post in a public forum.
The hotel told me they would do better next time in town and they didn't
A call to the hotel resulted in a response that was essentially we are sold out and probably won't be able to upgrade you again out of the main old wing.
Though on day of arrival I was told the hotel was 55% filled and of course no upgrade.
I was able to cancel my reservation and move cross town happily.
Oddly friends who had booked on a third party site had a much better room in the main tower
I love the location of this hotel tourists and all.It's exciting.Though I usually hang my hat when in town in the Financial district hotels over the last number of years.Some of the hotels have drivers that take you in the house luxury car to and from Union Square by appt complimentary
In following posts on this hotel and my own past experience this is one hotel that you will experience a total hit or miss with.
Perhaps it is worth a try and see how it goes at present.
My past experience has been some time ago.
But regardless of SPG or the Westin Premier days I have been treated and recognized with the same top tier status levels or lower better at every brand and other property in town including the other Starwood properties.
Good luck
Apr 2, 2005, 7:34 am
#56
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
I stayed at this property several times years ago and was largely unimpressed. I would not be upset if I never stayed at this property again, but then again I would consider staying at this property again if I had to do so.
It seems as though this property has changed very little since then, save for the addition of the Heavenly Beds.
The rooms were old and small, the elevators were slow, and the service was not up to the standards expected of a hotel with the supposed grandeur of the Westin St. Francis. On the other hand, it is not a terrible hotel at which to stay, if the room rate is reasonable.
By the way, the last time I stayed at this property, I was a member of the Westin Premiere frequent guest program...
It seems as though this property has changed very little since then, save for the addition of the Heavenly Beds.
The rooms were old and small, the elevators were slow, and the service was not up to the standards expected of a hotel with the supposed grandeur of the Westin St. Francis. On the other hand, it is not a terrible hotel at which to stay, if the room rate is reasonable.
By the way, the last time I stayed at this property, I was a member of the Westin Premiere frequent guest program...
Jun 30, 2005, 2:09 pm
#58
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: New Orleans, LA
Posts: 166
Mina is good
Originally Posted by seadan
I ate at Michael Mina last time I stayed at the St. Francis. Managed to get walk-up reservations that day--they must've had a last minute cancellation. Service was great, ambiance was great, food was great. I didn't quite know what to expect, so the menu caught me a little off guard, but the presentation is fantastic. Every item is prepared 3 ways, and each dish has 3 corresponding sections. The portions look really small, but it ends up being a lot of food because you have essentially 3 items in each course 
Jul 14, 2005, 12:55 pm
#59
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Southern California
Programs: UA 1K, Delta Plat, SPG Plat, Hilton Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 346
I've stayed at this property >50 times (but only once in the last 6 months), and I can honestly say that it is at an all time low, as far as I'm concerned.
As a Platinum, staying on my corporate rate, I was given a third floor room in the old building across from the elevator above Powell Street that was the noisiest and worst Starwood room I've ever stayed in (trolleys, broken air conditioner, elevators, loud hallways!). The furniture was substantially damaged (multiple pieces, multiple places), and the Heavenly Bed was broken down / not to spec. Also, my non-smoking room smelled like smoke. And this was my second room assignment there, as the first room I was given (similar, on the sixth floor) was unclean when I arrived.
The hotel has never been able to handle volume (which it inevitibly and predictably gets every Summer), but this was the worst I'd ever seen it.
I really enjoyed this property when I stayed there before, but clearly it is not worth this kind of hassle. I'll be checking it out once more, and if that doesn't go well, that's going to be it for me at this property...
As a Platinum, staying on my corporate rate, I was given a third floor room in the old building across from the elevator above Powell Street that was the noisiest and worst Starwood room I've ever stayed in (trolleys, broken air conditioner, elevators, loud hallways!). The furniture was substantially damaged (multiple pieces, multiple places), and the Heavenly Bed was broken down / not to spec. Also, my non-smoking room smelled like smoke. And this was my second room assignment there, as the first room I was given (similar, on the sixth floor) was unclean when I arrived.
The hotel has never been able to handle volume (which it inevitibly and predictably gets every Summer), but this was the worst I'd ever seen it.
I really enjoyed this property when I stayed there before, but clearly it is not worth this kind of hassle. I'll be checking it out once more, and if that doesn't go well, that's going to be it for me at this property...
Jan 12, 2006, 10:23 am
#60
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Ex Platinum & 1MM, DL PLT, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,490
Westin St. Francis/San Francisco
Hello,
I am attending a conference in April that is being held @ this hotel & wondered if anyone could share anything about it? I've just gotten thru reading several pages of reviews on TripAdvisor.com & am somewhat dismayed-I expected better, especially for the price in question. One person mentioned no morning newspaper, several mentioned mold in the bathrooms as well as dirty smelly rooms, & indifferent staff. Does anyone, for example, know how much this hotel is going to gouge us for guest room internet? (Thankfully I won't have to deal w/the parking-highest I think I've ever seen!) Having just come back from a really bad experience @ another hotel in SF, I'm truly not eager for a repeat...
Thank you.
P.S. I did do a search of the Starwood forum before I posted this, but didn't find anything.
I am attending a conference in April that is being held @ this hotel & wondered if anyone could share anything about it? I've just gotten thru reading several pages of reviews on TripAdvisor.com & am somewhat dismayed-I expected better, especially for the price in question. One person mentioned no morning newspaper, several mentioned mold in the bathrooms as well as dirty smelly rooms, & indifferent staff. Does anyone, for example, know how much this hotel is going to gouge us for guest room internet? (Thankfully I won't have to deal w/the parking-highest I think I've ever seen!) Having just come back from a really bad experience @ another hotel in SF, I'm truly not eager for a repeat...
Thank you.
P.S. I did do a search of the Starwood forum before I posted this, but didn't find anything.