Aug 13, 2016, 8:06 pm
Palace Hotel, San Francisco [Master Thread]
Mar 30, 2018, 3:59 am
#242
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
Sep 13, 2018, 11:57 am
#245
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Sep 15, 2018, 1:15 pm
#247
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
That being said, if the StR rate is so much higher than that of the Palace (or RC), I’d recommend the Palace or RC. I think the StR and Palace both have nice breakfast options, but the StR entry level rooms are nicer and larger and the overall StR service is top drawer. The StR is also a smaller and more initiate property with fewer rooms than the Palace. The RC has a Club Lounge, but you have to pay for that.
So it really comes down to what the comparable rates might be and what you like most for value-add. Neither the StR or Palace have a lounge.
FWIW, I’m a frequent guest of the StR. But in Nov, I’ll be staying at the RC since it’s rate ($500+) is a lot less than that of either the StR ($800+) or Palace ($700+).
Sep 15, 2018, 1:29 pm
#248
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,092
Thanks! StR is $50 higher than Palace. Both are Amex FHR rates (and I'm plat preferred) so breakfast would be included.
Sounds like your view is StR would be nicer way to go?
Should also add it's for a special occasion, so not sure if that would swing it one way or other
Sounds like your view is StR would be nicer way to go?
Should also add it's for a special occasion, so not sure if that would swing it one way or other
Sep 15, 2018, 1:33 pm
#249
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Both hotels treat Plats well. But I’m Plat100 Ambassador and a very frequent guest at the StR. (I was just there Labor Day weekend and July 1-4. My Expert Review from Labor Day weekend: https://www.flyertalk.com/hotel-revi...francisco-2835)
For a special occasion, I’d always choose the StR over the Palace.
Oct 4, 2018, 9:56 pm
#250
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Singapore
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum (Sky Team Elite Plus) / Marriott Ambassador Elite / Singapore Airlines PPS club
Posts: 52
Strike at Palace Hotel
We are staying at the Palace Hotel in SFO and they have been hit by significant union driven strike action from housekeeping and F&B staff.
in front of the hotel is a group of noisy staff members striking and protesting. They woke us up at 7am this morning with their shouting. House keeping has been limited (probably to checkout/ins only) and Make A Green Choice is imposed on all guests. This means we get 500 points in return for not receiving any house keeping, no choice given. Breakfast was a joke this morning with a stripped down buffet - i.e. at best Four Points or Courtyard quality.
It looks like they try to keep the hotel running with the remaining members of staff. They are very friendly, incredibly hard working but it is obvious they are not trained. It feels like they have finance, marketing and HR doing breakfast and housekeeping duties.
All in all a bit of chaos and if you have a choice I would not stay here until the strike has been called off. Again, I sympathize with the hotel management facing this difficult situation but they simply cannot provide the service you would expect from this hotel.
For now they do not know when the strike will be over - it could be at least several days. Just giving you all a heads-up.
in front of the hotel is a group of noisy staff members striking and protesting. They woke us up at 7am this morning with their shouting. House keeping has been limited (probably to checkout/ins only) and Make A Green Choice is imposed on all guests. This means we get 500 points in return for not receiving any house keeping, no choice given. Breakfast was a joke this morning with a stripped down buffet - i.e. at best Four Points or Courtyard quality.
It looks like they try to keep the hotel running with the remaining members of staff. They are very friendly, incredibly hard working but it is obvious they are not trained. It feels like they have finance, marketing and HR doing breakfast and housekeeping duties.
All in all a bit of chaos and if you have a choice I would not stay here until the strike has been called off. Again, I sympathize with the hotel management facing this difficult situation but they simply cannot provide the service you would expect from this hotel.
For now they do not know when the strike will be over - it could be at least several days. Just giving you all a heads-up.
Oct 4, 2018, 10:16 pm
#251
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
We are staying at the Palace Hotel in SFO and they have been hit by significant union driven strike action from housekeeping and F&B staff.
I sympathize with the hotel management facing this difficult situation but they simply cannot provide the service you would expect from this hotel.
I sympathize with the hotel management facing this difficult situation but they simply cannot provide the service you would expect from this hotel.
The strike is for many Marriott hotels in San Francisco, including the Palace (and my favorite StR). There also is another Marriott strike now in Boston, and previous Marriott strikes were held in Chicago and New York.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/...san-francisco/
Oct 4, 2018, 11:27 pm
#252
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Singapore
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum (Sky Team Elite Plus) / Marriott Ambassador Elite / Singapore Airlines PPS club
Posts: 52
Thanks. Well - Marriott has to fix this. Guest experience levels are unacceptable and regardless of who is right or wrong in this dispute they will start to lose customers if this continues.
Dec 17, 2018, 6:40 am
#253
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: USA
Programs: Biggly ones everywhere
Posts: 108
Disappointing - Avoid
No striking/picketing during our stay. Lived in SF for years, wife born there. Elsewhere now. Went for 2 night stay for anniversary, my wife liked the old time SF of the 1960's growing up there, never stayed in Hotel.. Garden Court is a very special room, anyone can visit from another hotel. In my opinion this is all the hotel has to offer, Pied Piper bartenders incompetent, GC ones did just fine. No dinner available in Hotel (Room Service is not a choice for me! I refuse to eat it. Late/cold/surly service, etc.)
Anniversary gift was a stale cake, but the bartender in the GC did buy us one glass of our two of Lanson.
Called day before to be certain they noted it was our anniversary. Without a prompt, man on phone noted and said "We see it's your anniversary - we've upgraded you to a Junior Suite" (Lifetime Golf SPG, Platinum this year), didn't write it down or take a name,told no upgrade available on check-in, stupid me is all I can say. Was given "Superior Room" -330 v 300 square feet) - shown two rooms, second one had the added benefit of Market Street noise and even less (How possible???) area. We did get daily water, had three service issues in room fixed on visit to front desk (One was inoperable phone). Breakfast benefit was Continental - $7 extra each for full. Nothing special, no Sunday Brunch our Anniversary Sunday.
Shower was like a chihuahua with prostate problems, Toto heated, air-blow toilet seat was just a stupid downgrade from a full sized toilet seat, bathroom with standard old-school tub and about 4-5 square feet of area to move, one sink, inadequate lighting scheme.
Compare with a grand old hotel like Chicago's Drake? - complete failure in every mode.
Did I mention that Marriott was already losing me as a customer? Nail in the coffin.
Anniversary gift was a stale cake, but the bartender in the GC did buy us one glass of our two of Lanson.
Called day before to be certain they noted it was our anniversary. Without a prompt, man on phone noted and said "We see it's your anniversary - we've upgraded you to a Junior Suite" (Lifetime Golf SPG, Platinum this year), didn't write it down or take a name,told no upgrade available on check-in, stupid me is all I can say. Was given "Superior Room" -330 v 300 square feet) - shown two rooms, second one had the added benefit of Market Street noise and even less (How possible???) area. We did get daily water, had three service issues in room fixed on visit to front desk (One was inoperable phone). Breakfast benefit was Continental - $7 extra each for full. Nothing special, no Sunday Brunch our Anniversary Sunday.
Shower was like a chihuahua with prostate problems, Toto heated, air-blow toilet seat was just a stupid downgrade from a full sized toilet seat, bathroom with standard old-school tub and about 4-5 square feet of area to move, one sink, inadequate lighting scheme.
Compare with a grand old hotel like Chicago's Drake? - complete failure in every mode.
Did I mention that Marriott was already losing me as a customer? Nail in the coffin.
Mar 26, 2019, 6:42 pm
#254
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,206
All things being equal, it’s tough to beat the StR. The StR is perhaps the best luxury hotel in the city, and certainly the best hotel in the Marriott portfolio in the city.
FWIW, I’m a frequent guest of the StR. But in Nov, I’ll be staying at the RC since it’s rate ($500+) is a lot less than that of either the StR ($800+) or Palace ($700+).
The Palace is typically a lot cheaper. It's really not comparable to the StR or RC. I will be staying there on a rate too good to pass up next weekend. Do they still provide Byredo amenities?
Mar 27, 2019, 10:48 am
#255
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
I just stayed at the Palace a couple of weeks ago, the amenities were "Le Chemin" which IIRC is a Byredo product.
FWIW, I find the Palace/StR (which are just a couple of blocks away from each other) to have a much better location than the RC but there's obviously no objective, universal answer there.
FWIW, I find the Palace/StR (which are just a couple of blocks away from each other) to have a much better location than the RC but there's obviously no objective, universal answer there.