jb3t

Stayed here a few weeks ago after staying the previous three days across the street at the Westin Gas Lamp.

- Hotel is beautiful and classy. Was upgraded to a "suite", which was tiny and in the back corner facing two concrete walls but it was fine.

- Took breakfast, which was only continental... it was small but fine. Service was excellent.

- service was impeccible. The server for breakfast was a true professional. Front desk also excellent.

- Parking... About $42/nt. However, I was there for work and ended up back at hotel about 4:30 and out in AM by 8:30. I was able to park right on the street near the hotel. There are also plenty of lots in the $20 range.

- Location is great. Can walk just about everywhere.

switchyj

Aw didn't think about the parking.. Did you prefer the westin or the grant?

jb3t

Both were good and have their pluses and minuses.

- At the Westin, I was upgraded to a pretty nice suite with a very large private patio overlooking the city. Breakfast was a continental buffet and easier to get in-and-out. However, I was told at checkin that because they upgraded me, they would not honor a 4PM check-out, which I really needed. I had to call Ambassador Service and they worked it out for me. It also took 3 phone calls to get my Green Choice points. However, none of these things ruined the stay. This is probably one of the nicer Westins that I have stayed at. Oh… And it has a pool, which the US Grant does not.

- At the U.S. Grant, they put me in a small suite facing two walls in the back. However, I did book this hotel last minute and during the week of Comic Con... so rooms were a few and expensive. The service was top notch all around and the hotel was first class all the way.

I would definitely stay at both again and my decision would probably come down to price and upgrade potential. If all things were equal, I may favor the Westin just because it's more my style.

bhrubin

Just returned home after 2 nights in Signature Suite ($423) for my national conference. Really loved the hotel, even though the suite configuration was odd--but expected from other reviews and the fact that this is a historic property.

Service was PHENOMENAL. Really standout, akin to being at a StR/Four Seasons. From valets, bellmen, front desk, room service, housekeeping, everyone was incredibly friendly, eager to help, and efficient in getting the job done. Email communication and responsiveness with management and concierge in advance was extremely good, as well. Very impressive.

We'd brought our 110 lb. Ridgeback, having gotten permission several months before despite the 50 lb weight limit. We found a water bowl and food bowl waiting for us, along with a bag holding a retractable leash and 2 dog toys, which was a very nice touch. We saw several other smaller dogs in the lobby, and all of the staff seemed to love our dog and others. Definitely a dog friendly hotel.

Our Signature suite (7th floor) was fine. It was strange having one of the higher level suites with a view out onto the narrow space between two wings of the property, but it was what it was. Being set back, the suite was very quiet despite being in such a busy area and street. The living/dining area was a bit cramped but served its purpose. The bedroom area was surprisingly spacious considering there were 2 king beds! There was a wall with openings into the living/dining area, so it wasn't a proper one bedroom suite, but it worked for our purposes. The bath was spacious with 2 sinks and a huge shower--though pressure wasn't fantastic, probably due to the fancy multi head shower apparatus splitting the pressure. Still, we were pleased, especially knowing that other rooms/suites in such a historic property can be small. It was nicely furnished, though I think the carpet could use replacement.

Food and beverage was very good. We ordered room service breakfast twice and had our final lunch with my colleagues in the private dining room in the Grant Grill. All were great. Service and food quality both were very impressive. (We also dined at Ketterman Exchange and Juniper & Ivy, both about 10 min uber rides away which were amazing, as well as nearby Spike Africa's Grill which was fine.)

The lobby is really beautiful, spacious, and a nice place to relax. We spent a fairly unusual amount of time in the lobby because it was so inviting and quiet during the day, even with people coming through.

Internet was pretty solid. Valet parking was $42 but extremely efficient and easy. There were plenty of plugs in the bath and bedroom/living areas. The hotel location for us was great, just a block from the Gaslamp district with tons of restaurants and bars and only a 15 min walk or 3 min uber ride from the convention center. Close enough to action without feeling like you were slammed with tourists or conventioneers.

All in all, this is a very nice historic hotel. I can imagine that the newer SPG properties might offer more spacious or regularly configured room types, but I doubt they offer anywhere near the service levels of this property. If I were traveling alone or for business, I'd consider the W or new Westin, as well...but I'd still likely opt for this hotel due to its incredibly high service level, depending on the rates offered, of course. Either way, I definitely recommend this hotel.

Melodsal

Any more recent experiences?

I made a reservation earlier this week for my wedding anniversary and then emailed them to give them a heads up in the hopes that they can help make this a special stay. Have not received even the barest of courtesy replies. Thanks!

bhrubin

It is a holiday week, so I'd consider that. I had tremendous responsiveness from the hotel concierge and management in advance of and during our Oct stay. You can also copy an SPG platinum advisor.

Melodsal

Thanks. I forgot about Thanksgiving and will give them one more week before looking at other options.

bhrubin

I find being proactive to be of value and would recommend you simply resend your email again on Monday--copied to the hotel manager and hotel concierge, as well as the SPG Platinum concierge.

Kagehitokiri

adding to what bhrubin said, i think some (not saying necessarily in this case) may have unrealistic expectations re entry level front line staff at front desk / call centers (although hopefully platinum line is not 'entry level')

Melodsal

Just to update. I re emailed yesterday and got an almost instant reply from the concierge. ^ (although reservations is still politely ignoring me)

bhrubin

^^^

Glad to hear it! I always email more than one source at any hotel; you never know what inbox is closed or what email address is no long valid, so sending to multiple points of contact is always best IMO.

Hope you have a great stay!

Melodsal

Finished my anniversary stay last weekend at the grant. It's a very nice and historic hotel but I am distinctly unimpressed by the levels of service offered. It has a great location and the concierge and the maps they provide are also excellent.

My SNA cleared so we had a fairly large and very beautifully decorated landmark suite. The suite itself definitely gets five stars. When we arrived we found a bottle of prosecco and some chocolates which we assumed was because I told them in advance we were celebrating our anniversary. They didn't leave any note with it and it was left next to another bottle of wine which was definitely for purchase and on top of the minibar, so it took us a while to figure out whether those were for refreshments for in room purchase or complimentary to help us commemorate our special occasion.

My main complaints are all service related. The hotel facilities and room itself are definitely very nice.
1. Toiletries and toilet paper were not topped up daily. When I called to ask for a refill of moisturizer it took more than half an hour for the moisturizer to arrive. (They now provide Elemis toiletries)
2. Errors in billing at checkout for the platinum breakfast benefit with the credit not being applied for the last morning. Despite multiple emails I have not got a reply (similar to my experience after making the reservation when I wanted to tell them it was my anniversary). I will probably have to call them next week to get this straightened out.

Starwood Lurker IV

We would be more than happy to look into your concerns and reach out to management on your behalf. If you could email us at [email protected] with further stay and SPG details we'll be happy to look further into the billing error and reach out again once we have more information.

Thank you.

Joanne Hart
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

Melodsal

Kudos to the great Starwood social media team and thanks for helping me resolve this! You guys are the best. ^

ringingup

Glad to hear! I stayed at the US Grant last year and whilst I liked certain aspects of the property, I had a few annoying issues that spoilt my stay, including, like in your case, a wrong folio that took quite some time to fix!