FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Palace Hotel, San Francisco [Master Thread]
Old May 31, 2007, 8:47 pm
  #33  
dibby
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YEG/SFO
Programs: AC, UA, HH, MR, and the other usual suspects
Posts: 360
My experience wasn't so great

I stayed there about a week and a half ago for 5 nights on a SPG reward stay. My impression - not bad if you're on a bus tour and traveling through for a night, but not a place to stay for very long or if you're there for business. Beautiful public areas, but service was very uneven. Family members used to stay there on visits when we lived near SF and I remember it being a much more luxurious place than it is now.

As Plat, no upgrade (I did ask) and I was in a basic room looking across at other rooms on the other wing of the building (remember to close your curtains/shutters). Refrigerator in the room kept cycling off and on loudly every 10 -15 minutes through the first night. Furniture was chipped and worn. The desk chair was stuck in the lowest position and the adjustment mechanism wouldn't budge. I had work to do at the desk, so called down. After multiple phone calls and trying to coordinate things, the refrigerator was replaced (with a much quieter one!) and an office desk chair appeared in the room while I was in the shower. The maintenace person who replaced the fridge was efficient, friendly, and professional. The front desk/guest services people were pretty confused.

Room service was efficient, but there were three different prices for the service delivery charge (not the tip): $3.50 per the room service menu in my room, $4.00 per the breakfast order card, and $4.50 per the room service waiter who brought breakfast. The waiter told me the menu was old, the cards were outdated since a recent price change but the maids kept putting them out, and he would replace the outdated menu on the first day - it was still there when I left. The hotel services book in the room is also out of date - I had to call down to check on services and times that are no longer available. The guest services person I spoke with knew it were out of date and needed to be replaced, but it didn't sound like there were any plans to do so.

On my last day, the concierge reserved the airport shuttle for me and quoted me a price. The shuttle left early (by about 10 minutes - I was checking out) and I missed it. The fare I was charged (she did call to get another one to stop by) was more than the quoted price.

They did, after most of this, offer to recredit 1/2 the points I'd spent on the stay. I asked for parking for the rental car I had for a few days and received that instead (parking is pricey downtown).

On the good side, the public spaces are lovely, the pool area is very relaxing, and the portion of the staff who seem to know what they're doing were a pleasure to encounter. The location was very convenient for the meetings I was attending, and for shopping in Union Square.

If you're just going to be there for a day or two in transit, it will probably be okay. But don't expect much above a tourist hotel in service. Maybe it was because I was on a reward stay, I don't know.
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