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Palace Hotel
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: SOMA
2 New Montgomery St
(between Market St & Montgomery St)
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 512-1111
2 New Montgomery St
(between Market St & Montgomery St)
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 512-1111
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208 reviews for Palace Hotel
great location. super convenient to bart and muni. walking distance to union square, embaracardero, soma, the mission, with all the great museums and restaurants in the areas.
fast friendly service and the rooms are really comfortable.
So I took last Friday afternoon off for a little alone time. With the baby and family life in full swing I don't get the opportunity for alone time very much lately. But, Friday was kind of an oasis for me and I decided to do a bit of pub crawl up Market Street with a stop at "The Pied Piper" the bar located in the Palace Hotel.
Lovely Bar. Dark wood, comfortable seats, cougars cougars everywhere and lots of bourbon to drink (that was a nod to the rhyme of the ancient mariner for you under read yelpers which is most of you these days). Moving on - I pick a lone seat in the middle of the bar and order a Manhattan. I pull out a book and then I hear the following from the end of the bar - "Oh my goodness - that is a strong cocktail."
Mother Fucker. The guy at the end of the bar has decided he wants to talk. Of course the guy at the end of the bar is mostly gay whether he knows it or not. Since I'm a therapist and this person has decided to ruin my alone time, I decide to use my therapy skills to make someone uncomfortable. The following is the exact conversation that occurred.
Sad Man - Hello there young man my name is William, what are you doing here at the Palace?
ME - Just trying to enjoy a drink alone. Why are you here William?
Sad Man - Oh I got stranded in SF last night when BART stopped running.
ME - Surely there are cheaper places to grab a room than the Palace
Sad Man - Well I have a standard for thread count in sheets.
ME- I'm guessing they must be at least a 600 thread count here.
Sad Man - Perhaps you should come up and see for yourself.
ME - Are you gay William? Cause my sense of you is that you are but unless you're drunk you probably would never say something like that. My guess is that you were married for awhile and most of the time were fucking around with guys but just stuck around in the marriage cause it was good for your business reputation.
Sad Man - oh my god you know me.
So then William launches into how a man like him will never be accepted in our society and than is why he drinks too much and works to hard. But I'm confused by his monologue as he has decided its time to move to the seat next to me and place his hand on my leg.
ME - William I'm still confused - you live in the Bay Area, the most accepting place on the planet for middle aged average looking gay men. When you say "a man like you" do you mean a self loathing alcoholic or a gay man?
It's fun to be a therapist. I love me some gay men but don't interrupt my alone time when I'm paying 14 dollars for a cocktail.
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watch out if booking a room on their website. it declares a "book now and save more" rate --- which doesn't exist. after you've hit submit, and get your cc statement, you'll see they did not "discount an additional 15%" . (in case your wondering, yeah, i did address it with the concierge - he said they get about 3 to 4 complaints per month regarding this website issue...whoa! right?!)
conclusion: be weary of these corporate slicksters
This place is old , dirty and in need of a renovation. The only reason this is a 4 star hotel is because of the lobby and the history behind the building.
I booked this hotel through Priceline so I didn't know what I was getting into until after I booked; it was supposed to be a 4 star hotel but the only that that should be listed as 4 stars is the lobby. The building needs to be renovated, the bathrooms were dark and dingy with broken tiles, a disgusting ceiling and wallpaper that was coming apart. The bed was nothing to write home about either and because the walls were so thin we heard every conversation within a 100 ft radius. Don't stay here if you plan on getting any sleep!! And don't book this hotel unless you get an amazing deal and are a heavy sleeper. This is NOT a 4 star hotel!
Beautiful hotel, reminiscent of the Biltmore in downtown Los Angeles. The rooms themselves were quite nice as well, although lacking complimentary water; instead there was a $7 bottle of water on the table, which I accidentally opened prior to seeing the price card.
As for ambiance and sound, I don't know if it's because this place is old or what, but it was quite noisy to stay here. You could hear everyone in the hallway, doors closing, and so on. I probably would not stay here again, particularly if paying the full price. But, the hotel itself is great for just a meal or reception...
And, yes, I even ate the food, as I attended a conference here. They did a wonderful job with the vegetarian pasta, though the stuffed chicken was quite lacking. The desserts were decent, and the salad was wonderful (mesclun mix), with an interesting cilantro cream dressing. The hospitality was great as well, but because of the noise conflicting with a good night's sleep, it gets a 3-star.
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I wanted to stay in this historic Palace Hotel since I had a couple of free SPG weekend free nights to use. I've stayed at most of the SPG hotels in San Francisco.
Check in was terrible - ended up waiting 15 minutes in line because there was only one person working the front desk. No one would help her. As a platinum member, I am use to getting free upgraded rooms or at least put on the top floor with a view. I was given a honeymoon suite in pH Las Vegas and a suite over looking the La Ramblas in Barcenlona - and this was a total 180.
At the Palace Hotel, I was given a room with NO view, one of the inside rooms. The room was bland, and there was nothing luxurious about it. Since it was a free weekend stay, I guess we didn't complain about it that much since we would be out and about. I also know noticed I was one of the select few on my floor to get a paper, so I know there wasn't that many platinum status members staying at the hotel.
I found out the SF 49ers were having a dinner for the former owner Eddie D that night. I saw former 49ers stars which kinda made my day.
The maid staff was the worst. I even left a good tip for them after my first night. We used up the shampoo, conditioner, and soap and they did NOT replenish it. And as a platinum guest, I didn't even get another free bottle water. How cheap is this hotel??!!
The gym was quite small and they didn't even provide water. At least the Westin SF gives ppl working out bottle water, but NOT this place.
The atrium is nice I will admit. The only thing this hotel has going for them is the name because I will not stay here again nor recommend it. There are plenty of other fine hotels in SF to stay at. Disappointed in the service and room quality. As a platinum member that has stayed at SPG hotel for 75 nights plus a year, they are far behind other SPG hotels
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Our stay (for a family vacation to celebrate my mom's 75th birthday) was everything we could have hoped for--great rooms, excellent service, convenient location. Everyone loved it, from my 21-year-old niece and her boyfriend, to us middle-aged folks, to Mom.
Although there were some initial missteps with the room assignments for my family, the hotel staff quickly and politely gave us new rooms. Moreover, the entire staff--to a one--was notably pleasant, efficient, responsive.
The rooms themselves were immaculate, comfortable, and pleasant, classy without being pretentious or trendy. The sizes varied quite a lot. The street-facing handicapped room was enormous, but kind of noisy--even for noise-hardened New Yorkers like us. The whistles they use to summon cabs began to drive us crazy after a while. Some of the bathrooms had fancier showers than others, but all were nice.
We enjoyed the indoor pool, but the pool room was freezing and the Jacuzzi was a bit rundown.
TIPS
1. Ask for a room that overlooks the glass-roofed swimming pool (floors 5 and up). You'll get light and relative quiet that way.
2. Breakfast at the Garden Court Restaurant is a transporting experience. The food is decent--but the setting is to die for. Despite what the menu seems to say, you CAN order buffet foods a la carte. Just ask the wait staff.
3. The BART station (Montgomery stop) is literally outside the hotel's front door, so you can do your bit for the environment (and save $$) by taking SF's excellent public transportation from the airport. The streetcar stop is also steps from the hotel's door.
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This review is for the afternoon tea only.
First the pros: the Garden Court where the afternoon tea is held is gorgeous. High skylight ceilings, gold paned windows, chandeliers, and beautiful flowers and plants, this place seems ideal for an afternoon tea experience. Unfortunately the afternoon tea experience did not match the splendor of the Garden Court room.
I love afternoon tea and have definitely had more than your typical experiences. Why are people willing to pay $40 for a pot of tea, some little sandwiches, and pastry desserts? It's all about presentation, relaxation, and a delightful experience that you are paying for and we did not get any of it.
Unrelaxing: We actually got there at 2:30pm which is the last tea setting and we were the last table to leave. Throughout our whole time there, staff was clearing other tables and changing the setting for evening so it was distracting and noisy. The piano player did play a few songs but stopped about 1/2 way into our tea experience.
Presentation: The presentation of the food was less than stellar. Although other tables received their scones, sandwiches, and pastries on a 3 tiered tea setting, our waiter brought our food merely on plates and sort of in a haphazard fashion, first bringing some sandwiches and then coming by again saying, oh, and here are the salmon ones, as though he just found them in the back. He also brought out our scones and desserts and again, brought out the chocolate covered strawberries as though he found it somewhere else. The plate of desserts were sloppily placed on the plate with one of the fruit tarts mushed on the plate. There was no fancy porcelain cups, plates, or dainty spoons and the desserts and pastries were not unique, dainty, or beautifully presented.
Taste: The sandwiches did not taste good. The bread was dry and a bit crusty and the waiter did not explain what the sandwiches and pastries were as typically done in afternoon tea experiences. Nothing exotic either, the pastries were a disappointment for sure. They looked like desserts you would find at a pastry buffet, not something you would pay $40 for.
Hurried: As we were trying to enjoy our tea, our waiter came by with a box and told us to take our time but that we would need to take care of the bill now. What is the point of afternoon tea if you are rushed? The whole point of it is that you can have a pleasant afternoon of great unhurried conversation and we definitely did not get that.
Fortunately, our waiter understood our frustration. He was gracious enough to charge us for only 1 tea service so basically 50% off our total bill. He didn't need to do that but that definitely showed his professionalism so we appreciated that given the cost of the afternoon tea.
If you are going to have afternoon tea, do not have it after 2:00pm. We were really excited to have afternoon tea here given the ambiance but we were disappointed with our experience.
Definitely still on the lookout for the best afternoon tea in San Francisco as I haven't found it yet.
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Located in the Financial district of San Francisco, the Palace Hotel is definitely one of Starwood's best properties in the United States!
You can expect a high level of service throughout your entire stay. Everyone, from the doorman, the concierge, housekeeping, the front desk representatives and front desk managers, were very polite and made us feel very welcome.
The concierge was very knowledgeable and helped us with just about all of our questions and our overly complicated requests.
The hotel itself is absolutely gorgeous!! It is a very historic hotel, so the detail throughout is amazing! The bathroom, however, lacks counter space!!! Other than that, everything is absolutely fabulous!
Highly recommend it if you're visiting San Fran!!
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Beautiful hotel, upscale bar, incredible service, large high ceiling guest rooms, great location. Took the Bart from SFO and it was a breeze.
Giving 4 stars out of 5 for one reason - I think something bit me in bed: 4 times in one night. Not sure what it was - not sure if I want to know! :)
I know I'm a fool for taking a car to a hotel in San Francisco - but you see Yuki Sushi and Barefoot Coffee are all the way out in Santa Clara. For me, no trip to SF is complete without several trips to those spots.
I chose the Palace when in town for Cisco Live 2009 - the Palace was a very nice hotel, and I could not hear the other residents through the walls. The decor was very plush, and the biggest bonus was that I could open the gigantic window in the room to let in the night sounds of downtown SF.
It is the little things like that - most hotels don't have any history, let alone working windows. This place would be the tops if they had free internet.
I did manage to find garage parking very close by for 25$ a night which is the going rate at any case. If you have the hotel valet your car it is 50$ a night.
This hotel is average and doesn't play up it's history as much as the westin st. francis for some reason. I was given free breakfast coupons for my stay and I had the choice of the buffet or a standard breakfast - I opted for the buffet. Fresh fruit, yogurt, and other buffet-type foods. The servers are very attentive and polite/chatty.
this hotel is out of the way on the far end of 2nd street, but it is very near the bart station if you want to get anywhere in the city ($1.50) or to the airport ($8). I took a taxi to upper van ness ave (middle of the city) and it cost almost $30 with tip - plan ahead and walk or take public tansportation.
good service at the front of the house, but not quite up to the level of the other SPG hotels in the city.
great for:
the folks/grandfolks
people who like to eat at buffets
people who like to walk great distances
people who need to be near the financial district
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We stayed at the Palace for 4 nights and it was perfect!
This is the most beautiful hotel, and everything was perfect.
They let as check in early, and the room was great!
The hotel staff are awesome especially the concierge! they made our trip, they recommended us where to go and how to get there.
We actually took the history tour they have in the hotel and learned a lot about the place, if you can take the tour it is very interesting.
There restaurants are a bit over price.
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Last week, I was at the Palace for a three day conference. Being from tha Town, I didn't stay overnight but did manage to get a feel for much of the hotel.
Parking: $48/day valet is a little pricey but sometimes necessary. If you can, take BART, as the New Montgomery exit dumps you right at the side door of the hotel.
Service: Valet, doormen, bellhops...all were very friendly and helpful. Even though we weren't staying there, they helped cart around and store the five boxes of books we had to bring with us. It really pisses me off when people don't acknowledge this sort of service and assistance. Hello, that door did not just open on its own, your bags did not magically appear in your room - say thank you and tip nicely, please. Being rude is so declasse.
Restrooms: Clean and spacious, with an XLerator hand dryer (love these!) and separate vanity area. Although there's a sign outside the restroom that says restrooms are for hotel guests only, I plan to keep The Palace on my list of clean places to pee downtown.
Having already Yelped the Garden Court, I decided against eating here. Turns out, I had a chance to sample the food anyway when we were invited to a VIP party in what must have been either the Governor's or Presidential Suite. The living and dining area of the suite (the only part I saw) were elegant with inlaid wood floors and marble, from what I remember. Unfortunately, the food did not deliver what I would expect from such an establishment. The slice of beef roast I had from the carving station was a perfect medium rare, though a little less tender than it appeared. The biscuits, rolls and spinach phyllo were all reminiscent of Pillsbury - not that there's anything wrong with Pillsbury, it's just a sad shame to bite into when you're not expecting it.
Finally, I did spend a few minutes here and there relaxing on the couches under the beautiful atrium or catching up on emails in one of the many chairs sprinkled throughout the lobby.
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Definitely a gem in San Francisco. I'm always welcomed when I walk in whether I'm a guest, having lunch or visiting a guest. Your eyes will automatically scan every inch with fascination. You can feel the history within the building.
The standard rooms aren't the largest but they have a comfy feel to them without feeling old. When I usually think comfy a picture of an old cottage room pops in my head, but that's not the way I'm referring to "comfy." The bathrooms on the other hand are rather large, I like that!
My favorite part of the hotel is the GARDEN COURT. I've had the Sunday Jazz Brunch here and lemme tell ya, I WILL BE BACK! Live music and the room was so vibrant. It's buffet style, really really good buffet. What an assortment of food from around the world. It didn't seem like mass production. I like how they rely on their restaurants (Kyo-ya and Maxfield's) to cook up deliciousness. I've also had client breakfasts and lunches here, the atmosphere has such a welcoming aura and it's not too noisy, what a way to make a great impression! **You should Yelp the Garden Court to read more**
And the service, the excellent service. Everything from room service to the concierge to the Garden Court servers has been great. I did have ONE REALLY BAD experience with the front desk when I was trying to contact my brother while he was visiting. Once the front desk agent realized I wasn't a guest she threw me to the side to assist others and didn't put any effort into helping me when the line died down. I have yet to write the Palace Hotel a complaint, she does not belong there!!!
I have one random question lingering in my head and I know it's kind of inappropriate. Where in this hotel did King Kalakaua die? I'm from Hawaii and that's why it's burning my curiosity. Hope that didn't scare anyone away, the Palace Hotel is definitely a must see/stay.
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Impeccable service from doormen to bellhop to front desk. Everyone was very professional and made the visit memorable. Elevators were fast too (which makes a difference, I hate waiting around for an elevator)
We had a standard king room and found it comfortable and enjoyed the classic look of it. (I'm getting a little tired of the ultra modern minimalist aesthetic that seems to be the trend). Loved the high ceilings and crown molding. The bed was one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in. Made me wish I went to bed earlier. absolutely divine. The robes provided were clean and soft, however I felt the towels were a little thin and rough. The bathroom was clean, spacious, and shower was great. (good options on water pressure),
Only drawback was that the walls were thin and I could hear our neighbors quite clearly in the morning. To be fair I have yet to stay at a hotel where the walls were sufficiently sound proofed, what's with that anyway? Still, it wasn't bad enough to detract much from the stay.
I'd like to return when I have more time to explore the hotel's historical aspects.
The Palace Hotel is a beautiful historic landmark in San Francisco. I strongly recommend taking a free tour of the hotel to learn about the hotels interesting history. The tour lasts about an hour and a half and afterward you are ready for a fabulous lunch in the garden room. The garden room's gorgeous decor, colored glass ceiling, and 6ft chandeliers are truly something special! The staff is attentive and the food was really good! Their biscuits are amazing and the dessert is decadent and to die for! The menu was reasonably priced for how fabulous the ambiance was. It is a great spot for a romantic date or special celebration. It was a special day!
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Very beautiful! Breath taking! My best friends wedding was here and it was just breath taking and elegant and classy and just breath taking!!!!!!
i stayed here for a conference at moscone
short walk to moscone
beautiful historic hotel in a great location
the room is older and more traditional than the usual modern style i like and they are a bit on the small side but i was happy
i attended an event in the garden court and it was an amazing space. beautiful.
Best thing about this place is the lobby and common rooms. I love old hotels, but this one needs a facelift. And the walls/doors are super think so you hear EVERTHING. People's wake up calls, alarm clocks, coughing...you name it. Am a huge Starwood person and this one bit the duct for me. The standard rooms (and I was told I was upgraded to Superior) was really small. Disappointing for such a well known place. I would also say that in choosing a location (I redeemed a free night bc I got one through a promotion and I live in SF) for a Starwood hotel if you had a choice, I would go with Westin St. Francis (if you like old school and location is impeccable) or go with the newer rooms at the Westin, St. Regis, or even W (I normally hate Ws bc they are just too cool for school and rooms are tiny). But, the location of all of those are better in my opinion and rooms are also better.
The Palace Hotel is such a San Francisco institution. I like to think of it as my home in the city. When I walk through the doors I am instantly relaxed.
Walking down the corridor to my room, I notice the details...sconces on the walls, old fashion doorknobs and vaulted ceilings. Hotel key card in hand, I open the door to my room. Vaulted ceilings are not limited to the halls, but can be found in the guest rooms as well. Comfortable beds complete with down comforters and pillows beckon you. A cushioned and upholstered chair with ottoman (naturally) is ready for you to sit and read a book. Modern conveniences like flat screen TVs and bottled water with The Palace Hotel label are yours to enjoy.
No visit to this historic landmark would be complete without dining or taking tea in The Garden Court. Breathtaking is not an exaggeration. Domed glass ceilings in the atrium allow natural light to filter in during the day. A piano player entertains you while you sit and enjoy some bubbly. Delicious food and drink complete the scene.
Mmmm...heaven.
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Because I am awesome, selfless, amazingly good at what I do, and painfully humble, I often (almost never) have extremely prestigious awards bestowed upon me. Most recently my fans were able to see me stumble and shake myself through an acceptance speech while nervously trying to eye my Executive and Immediate directors out of the corner of my eye. Fun!
Since this review isn't about my superiority complex and how much better I am than 99.9% of the population, I'll get on with it: The Palace Hotel is beautiful and a San Francisco landmark. I have been to large, lavish events in several of it's large, high-ceilinged ballrooms and I am always impressed with the presentation and space. However, if you are here for a breakfast fundraiser/awards ceremony, hold onto your salmon and eggs like they're an oxygen mask and the seat in front of you in a plane crash. The waiters like to jump the gun. And NOooooo,,,they were not just trying to keep me skinny. I should be so lucky. They were not discriminatory...they were handsy with everyone's breakfast.
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If you're visiting town, even if you're not staying there, walk into the lobby and check it out. It's a gorgeous old hotel, and a piece of san francisco history.
If you're throwing an event like a formal awards breakfast, the boston ballroom will hold 200 to 300 people easy. And if you're having the hotel cater it, they make some fantastic scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and capers.
If you're at the awards breakfast eating the scrambled eggs, keep an eye on that plate if you get up for a minute; The staff is always trying to clear the table before you're done. I think they know how good the eggs are.
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If you ever have a chance to take a trip to San Francisco and spend a little dough while doing it, this is the place to stay.
The Palace Hotel is the most beautiful hotel that I have ever stayed in and the history behind it makes the ambiance so much more whimsical. 5 Presidents have graced their presence here, and I'm sure made a lasting impression on our fore fathers as well!
The rooms all have high ceilings making them look and feel gigantic! The decor is tudor style, but brand new furniture. We had a very large plasma screen right in the center of the room just above our refrigerator. Mind you we had the standard room, and it came with a refrigerator and a safe. What a nice surprise.
The beds were extremely comfortable, and the linens were so soft, I never woke up in the night cold and grasping for another blanket.
The food was amazing too. We had breakfast in the lobbey restaurant. Aside from the beautiful decor, my boyfriend had the eggs benedict and swears it was the best he's ever had. He wanted to meet the chef! haha.
Also the staff was completely accomadable. They were all so nice, and the bell and vallet boys were very helpful! House keeping was super quick. I called for some more towels and they came in literally 1 minute.
My stay was perfect!
P.S. Try out the Pool and Gym area on the 4th Floor. It's not shown on the hotel map, and we never quite made it there since we had so much going on during our visit to SF. But I heard that it's an indoor pool with a skylight that is simply gorgeous! There's a spa and a sauna there as well. Man I loved the Palace Hotel.
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No free internet? This isn't a fucking log cabin in tahoe.
Otherwise awesome.
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I have stayed at the Palace on many occasions for business.
The Hotel rooms are comfortable, warm and inviting. A combination of old school and trendy. The Garden Court is a beautiful room for dinner or a business meeting. It reminds me of the Getty Museum in Malibu..
Stay at the Palace and enjoy the ambience of old SF with a trendy twist..
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Agree with other reviews that this grand ol' dame of a hotel's common areas are truly exceptional and impressive. The rooms, not s0 much.
Prior to this trip, my last stay here was 12 years ago, when it had been recently renovated and branded as the 'Sheraton Palace'. I thought then, that the property was too nice to be pegged a Sheraton and I hate it when hotel chains put their names in front of great old hotels (yes, that means you Fairmont Copley Plaza!).
Happily no longer pegged a Sheraton and designated by Starwood as a member of their 'Luxury Collection'. Unfortunately, not quite worthy when it comes to its guest rooms. They're a little warn and not well maintained.
Yeah, my guestroom ceiling is 14' high, but the room's floor lamps are cheap and all sporting crooked shades. There's the huge window with beautiful drapes, but you need to have big muscles to open and then insert the supplied wood brick to keep open--otherwise the huge, heavy pane will slam down and you could lose a finger. Nice toiletries in bath, just ignore the cracked sink (no, its not like its an antique) and don't mind the small swing mirror that won't retract cause its in disrepair . No wireless Internet. Oh well. there's the wired connection for $16/day...yup $16 US dollars a day.
A truly grand old building. It is too bad Starwood isn't caring for her as they should.
Though I've been a longtime patron of the Palace and Maxfields, I've experienced a troubling incident there that causes me to rethink my support of this establishment.
After dropping in on a conference and spending some time at Maxfields I had a pair of very expensive sunglasses stolen in the mensroom by a homeless person. Homeless and street people use the Palace's restrooms often, so take care when using them. Hotel management says there is nothing they can do to stop it, and hotel security was not friendly or helpful and my loss was not covered. In other words, you're on your own when you use their facilities, meaning buyer beware.
The Palace is so great; I stay here every time I come to San Francisco. It all started when my usual standby, the W, was booked for some kind of convention, and I was forced to book at The Palace. What a treat!
First of all, there's Maxfields, which is a funny old-fashioned San Francisco bar with wood panelling, oil paintings, and old men. Unfortunately, Maxfields closes at 10 p.m. (except when it sporadically closes earlier, like at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.), but you're still within walkng distance of other hotel bars, if that's what you're into.
Secondly, The Palace has the strangest room service menu ever. They have Chinese food, Japanese food, sushi, as well as regular room service fare.
The rooms need a little help, (i.e. peeling wallpaper, rust stains on the ceilings in the bathroom), but it's all worth it since they're huge, with 14-foot high ceilings, and great windows. It's an awesome San Francisco experience, but the walls are thin.
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The Palace Hotel is nice, although it seemed a little creepy walking through the halls since it's so old. But it is rather grand inside with high ceilings and the big breakfast room. Parking in the lot across the street is easy if you don't want to pay for valet.
I didn't know they had an indoor heated pool, otherwise I would've tried it out. Judging by other reviews, maybe it's good I didn't.
The only drawback was our choice to stay on the side facing New Montgomery Street. I could hear the music from the bar located across the street and was not able to fall asleep easily. They had some good cable channels showing recent movies, and also a show I've never seen before called "The Dog Whisperer." That show was so fascinating. That guy could take someone's wild, disobedient dog and make them heel in an instant. I wish more dog owners would take time to train their dogs.
But anyways, great place to stay. Choose a room away from New Montgomery Street if you're not one of the people out there til 3 am.
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All of the bedding was very luxurious. I shared a room with my Mom and we enjoyed it very much. I got up early the next morning and swam in the wonderful indoor pool. The water was a little cooler than I would like first thing in the morning but I got my excercise and enjoyed a great swim. Very beautiful and historic hotel!
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Came here for the Mother's Day Brunch. I've been here several times in the past, but this is the first time in a while since I've been here. The place is surprisingly large. I work in the area but never realized this was the same hotel I had visited as a kid until recently.
The buffet was okay. I enjoyed walking around and looking at the food (the buffet area was also rather dimly lit which I found rather odd.) I think it's clear that the downturn even hit the Mother's Day's Brunch too. I noticed there was food out even when the crowds thinned and we had to repeatedly wave someone down for coffee, tea, refills of OJ or cider, etc. In the past my memory was that there was usually enough staff for them to politely ask if we wanted more of this and that, too. And unfortunately we had someone who tended to forget our requests as well. In the past the women also usually got flowers as complementary from the staff but this year that didn't happen.
They did have a photographer who did manage to fit my large gathering on his relatively small mini-stage (we joked the stage would collapse...) although I found him to be a little rather full of himself.
Still, it was fun being able to eat breakfast and lunch in the same meal plus have 23 kinds of dessert if I felt like it. Or, well, whatever I could hide from disapproving parental figures. The bathrooms were a bit small, but clean and stocked.
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My rating is for the brunch! THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. There was a harp player, it was a bright morning, the food was high quality, there was a coffee bar with many different flavored syrups and lots of seafood choices.
There's just something about dinning with a glass ceiling above your head, surrounded with marble pillars and the clik-clak echo of silverware as you bite into some Lox with cream cheese. Love it.
The all you can drink Mimosa got us rev-ed up to gogogo for the day of sight seeing : ]
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$48 to park overnight. These are the things hotel reservation sites should tell you upfront when you're about to pay. I could make a scene but I was mildly mollified by the incredibly cheap price this Luxury Hotel had for my room. I was about to punch a hippie when I found out there was no free internet. Seriously? Isn't the Internet mined underneath San Francisco?
The room I got was handsome. Something you'd see and say "Wow, that's nice." Notice there was no exclamation point to that. It's just a classy room with conveniences you'd find in a Motel 6. As a Luxury Collection hotel, if you've been to one, you'd probably seen this one as well.
The lobby is out-of-this world. It goes from classy to "Dayyyuuum. Shaniqua, come look at dem gold in them ceiling candles!"
I'm not a fan of Market St. and the outdoor mall/soup kitchen that it has become. After your umpteenth visit to San Francisco, you should really branch out. Even though the place is within walking distance of activities, they are mostly tourist traps. And there's a rather huge gap between this hood and the second-circle of SF's tourist trap hell out to Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf.
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Finally checked out this place after many recommendation I received from friens and yelpers. This place is very elegant, great location, but I expected more... service was 3.5 stars, food was 4 stars, but ambiance 5 stars. We made a reservation for 2 rooms(we had friends over from NY), and we really asked in advance if this is possible to have them on the same floor, they said OK, but this never happened. The Sunday brunch was exeptional, food was great( sea food and salmon were exeptional), service at the buffet was great as well.
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Some hotels shout (W, San Francisco). Some hotels had class but are falling apart (Westin St. Francis, San Francisco). Some hotels just simply have class but don't feel the need to shout about it. That's the Palace Hotel.
Booked using Travelocity 1 week in advance and got rate of 149 inc. taxes.
Atrium is a work of art. Reception efficient. Express check out useful. Rooms are pretty spacious for SF. Very comfortable beds, LCD TV, etc. Great A/C (ie very quiet but very efficient). High ceilings add to the drama.
Room service was great (bucket of beer and a plate of chocolate cookies at 1am, how can you fault that?!) Pied piper bar is a fun place to stop for a drink on your way out for the evening (or on your way back, or both!)
Easy parking either opposite or behind (20USD for 24 hours at Hearst Parking behind)
Starbucks just on the corner for a cheapo breakfast (or to recover from the bucket of beer from the night before)
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BUYER BEWARE! BE CAREFUL! I was ripped off by the reservations website.
I checked a date, realized it wouldn't work, then changed the date BEFORE confirming the reservation. But the website put me down for the original night. I make reservations online all the time, never had a problem before. When we got there and found out what had happened, the hotel refused to cancel the charge, so we ended up paying for two nights instead of one. RIPOFF ALERT!! WATCH OUT FOR THEIR WEBSITE!! TRIPLE CHECK YOUR RESERVATION!!!
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It has been a tradition, for the last 6 years, to take my son up San Francisco for a long weekend twice a year. Each year I take him to the Palace during the first weekend of summer vacation.
The service has always be top notch. The staff is friendly and some of them, who have been there for years, remember us each year. Especially Paul who is in charge of the front of the hotel.
The rooms have always been spotless with a fresh smell. Room service is some of the best I have had. Once we ordered a steak and it was as good as the ones you order at the well known steak houses.
Breakfast in the Garden Court is good but the room itself is incredible. I could sit for hours there (unfortunately my son can't).
Last year we had reservations for dinner but when we arrived they were packed and running behind by 45 minutes. The manager apologized for a few minutes and then picked up the phone and called someone. He asked us to go to the Concierge desk. When we arrived they had a limo that would take us to the restaurant of our choice and bring us back.
My son was thrilled with the ride and I was thrilled with the service.
Looking forward to this summer for our 7th year.
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I never knew San Francisco has its own take of London's The Savoy and I would even get the pleasure to experience it for a week and a bit on the firm's tab. But it does, and I did.
While I couldn't care less about the lavish gold, french renaissance decor that donned the lobby area and the hotel's rich history which dated back to the 19th century (modern history is never my strongest subject in school), I appreciated the excellent service, beautiful spacious room with high ceiling and big window, and great location. And although the internet connection was spotty for the entire duration of my stay, there are far worse, claustrophobic, dingy hotels rooms that I could've been stuck in that week.
The hotel decorators did an extremely wonderful job in capturing the festive seasons, with giant Christmas tree that was the main centerpiece of the open dining area and interesting interpretation of the traditional gingerbread cookie houses not far from the reception desk.
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We stayed here the Emerald Bowl weekend which fell right at the same day as my birthday. While my fiance and his buddy had gone to the game, I was able to fully enjoy the gorgeous atmosphere and very convenient location of this Palace Hotel.
Room is very spacious, classy and comfortable. High ceiling and high thread count bedding... I started to purr as we rested on the bed. Entering through the lobby, the view of the tea/dining room area is just beautiful. This hotel has history, but also updated and upgraded to meet each guest's comfort.
Wireless access is available ($10/day) in the room, but FREE wireless access is also available near the lobby area. Go to the concierge for the passcode.
I was disappointed to found out that the jacuzzi was out of order while we were staying there. We tried to swim at the gorgeous lap pool but it was too damn cold for me to dip in. After standing at the edge of the pool for 3 minutes I gave up and got out... it was cold!
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