St Regis San Francisco [Master Thread]
 

I stayed for 3 nights in October. Got a great upgrade to a suite. The suite had 3 flat screens(one was in the bathroom). The bathroom had a huge tub and a separate shower.

strange questions, but from the pictures it almost looks like the toilet is in the shower section of the bathroom, can anyone explain?

xxxxx

Most of the reviews on this hotel on trip advisor lately are very good.
It's been 18 months or so since I was there and the stay was faultless.
We're back next month so I'll post back on what I think but as I say going on recent reviews,it's looking good :)
I've a habit of returning to hotels that I like-though this one is a tad far from home to make that a practical option for here.

But based on my last stay there,it was my hotel of choice for the up and coming visit.

Trip Report
 

Just finished a three night stay at the SR in SFO. After trepidation on the board and a bad SR experience in DC, I almost canceled, but I’m glad I kept it—I was impressed.
Checkin was instantaneous, though there was no one to take me upstairs (not that I need it, I can pretty much handle my own bags through much rougher situations than a St Regis elevator.) Upgraded to a 02 room, which was large for a non-suite and well laid out especially if you like modern décor (which, I’ll admit grew on me). By a small miracle, both the cordless phone and the bedside console seemed to work (even though there was no iPod cable for the console)
Staff were well intentioned and gracious. Concierge handled requests (of average difficulty) with speed and a smile. Doorstaff (when there, I got back REALLY late one night and there was no one around) were efficient and curious (Welcome back sir, did you have a good evening?)
Didn’t get a bill under my door for checkout, but one phone call remedied that in about five minutes.
A few nitpicks (and I’m being picky here).
*) The butler. I never actually met the butler, and I’m not convinced that s/he exists. Whenever I rang the butler button (more on that in a bit), guest services answered. That’s totally fine, I don’t mind the service express concept (so long as it works, which it did here), but if it’s service express, than call it that. Butler service is something slightly different, and I didn’t actually come across said butler at any point. . . ..
*) Lighting. My room was dark at night. Not a big deal, but I have work to do when I get back to my room, and I’d like some light to do it to. Yes, there was a desk lamp, but the complete lack of overhead lighting just led to a shadowy feeling around the room, one that combined with jetlag to keep me from getting much work done. Service Express (sorry, Butler) eagerly sent up a bellman with another lamp, which while helpful, but didn’t do a ton to solve the problem. A floor floodlamp would do wonders. . .

Two small nitpicks at the end of an otherwise excellent stay. I’ll be back.

At the St Regis right now.. The past 4 stays here, they tell me that the platinum amenity is some sort of chocolates.. but I never see it around in the room.. I'm not a chocolate person anyways and wouldn't have eaten them.. but just curious has anyone ever seen these ellusive chocolates that are given out as a platinum amenity?

Ditto as well on the butler.. never seen one here either.. even when staying in the St Regis or Astor suites.. in the other St Regis', the butler usually would come and introduce himself/herself after check-in.. but never in this property...

It is one chocolate bar (OK, not great), usually with nuts, and only provided about 1 time out of 3 in my experience (I stay there every few months). It will be on the desk if they remember it. I suppose you could call and ask for it, but honestly I don't think it's worth the effort. I don't really care that much; the Platinum amenity is only worth ~$15 to me in the best case (500 pts * 3 cents/pt), and that's not enough to get worked up about it.

Just stayed there for two nights this week.

Was upgraded to an executive room XX03. Given the apparent availability of suites, I was hoping for one, but this room was very nice.

The room is shaped like an L with the inner four walls being floor to ceiling glass.

I was there for a meeting and I didn't use any of the hotel benefits (spa, gym etc...), so my comments are limited.

I have stayed quite a bit at both the FS and the Ritz and provided I would receive a similar upgrade at the STR, I would stay there every time in SF - location permitting, of course.

platinum problems at St. Regis, San Fran?
 

Odd experience at St. Regis, San Fran. Called plat concierge on the way from the airport to add my friend's name to the res in case he beat me here. When I called, I asked them to check if, by chance, there were any standard suites available. She said there were a bunch. Great, I thought, I can hopefully snag an upgrade to a suite when I check in.

Checked in, and when the guy at the desk didn't acknowledge at all my status, I asked if, by chance, there was an upgrade available as he was writing down my room number. He said they were pretty full, but he would check. Why didn't he check before he gave me my room?

As he's looking, I ask if they have any suites (knowing that 30 minutes ago they had several). He said that all of the suites were taken (I'm only here for one night). I said that was odd, that the plat concierge told me there were some 30 minutes before. Then I asked if they had been pre-assigned to other plats. If that had been, that was fine by me. I just made plat. He replied that they were all taken by guests paying a suite rate. Hmm. Odd. He said he had no explanation as to why the plat concierge would have just told me that there were any suites available but if there were he would have given me one.

Then he begrudgingly found me an upgraded corner room. So I thanked him for that (and not in a sarcastic way).

I realize that getting a standard suite is a perk that's only available when there are suites available. But I just looked on spg.com again, and there are suites available. I called the plat concierge for her to check, and she said thatt they should have given me one ("especially since you're only there one night). However, there's nothing that she could have done except open a complaint.

They were stingy when I was gold with giving me a one category uprgrade, so this isn't too shocking. But the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. As most people will note, I throw thousands of dollars in the way of Starwood every year for business travel. And I've come to appreciate the perks. But should I really have to fight for what the program gives me under the T&C?

Ok, rant over.

ps - Most of the time I don't have to ask. Most Westin and St. Regis hotels I stay in are really good about it.

upgrade issues
 

Well Hello There,

I am sorry you were not upgraded properly as a Platinum SPG Member. If you believe you were not upgraded properly, please contact Corporate Customer Service (CCS) at 1-800-328-6242 or send them an email at [email protected] and let them know. If the Platinum Concierge said there were suites available, then they should have given you one. However, they upgrade to the best room or suite at check in, and if those suites were not available when you checked in (maybe a platinum was in some wanting a 4 pm checkout) then they do not have to offer you one.

I realize that there may have not been one available, which is why I asked if it's possible that they may have been assigned to someone else, etc. I was confused by when he said that "they're all currently reserved by guests paying a suite rate."

The general manager left me a voice mail, and he assured me that I had been upgraded. I tried to call him back to thank him for looking into it, and to explain that I wasn't questioning whether or not I had been upgraded, but rather whether I had been upgraded to the nicest available room, including standard suites. I haven't heard back.

Is e-mailing customer care the same thing as lodging a complaint with the platiinum concierge?

Hi thechosenuno,

Please contact the Platinum Concierge if you would like to lodge a complaint on this issue.

Do let me know if there are any further issues.

[email protected]

Regrettably, you were misinformed by the Platinum Concierge associate. All of the standard suites at this property were fully occupied on the date you checked in. If you know who it was you spoke with, let me know and I will follow up with their supervisor about this.

My apologies that he did not recognize you as a Platinum member in the program. That is a required minimum interaction, IMHO. That being said, upgrades are usually pre-assigned in advance so you don't lose the upgrade opportunity should one be available. If the hotel occupancy was high and he already knew this, he would not have to check. In fact, he's probably already checked multiple times before you got there. ;)

Actually, this room was assigned the night before your arrival. There were no room changes day of.

Again, the standard suites were already occupied, so I would imagine that the Platinum Concierge confused the issue.

Actually, if they gave you a one category room upgrade as a Gold member, then they exceeded what was called for according to SPG. :)

Glad to hear that. Good luck on your next stay. ^

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

I've stayed here about 4 times as a Plat, and have gotten a suite upgrade every time, without asking. Twice I've been upgraded to a really large suite, above the "standard suite" that SPG specifies.

Ame Restaurant
 

So I'm a little late on the reservation wagon for Ame this Saturday the 14th. I'm in SFO for the week and spending the weekend at the Westin Market St. Was wondering if I'd have any clout being SPG Plat and getting a reservation at the restaurant? Opentable says there is no availability, I suppose a phone call would probably be better than using Opentable.