- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Palace Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels
2 New Montgomery St(between Stevenson St & Market St)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 512-1111
1 free Breakfast!
Enjoy breakfast for 2 with our Memorable Mornings package. Book online http://bit.ly/tdnHCD or call (877) 782-0108 & mention promo code LCF
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
Kristy L. said: "I really love Citizen Space as I've found wickedly smart people from across the globe to bounce ideas with. It's great place to meet interesting folks who are movers and shakers. I've also attended really good seminars here too.…" read more »
375 reviews for Palace Hotel
Review Highlights
"Favorite spot in the hotel: The Garden Court."
(in 51 reviews)
"I loved the high ceilings in the room."
(in 32 reviews)
"Fancy fancy fancy afternoon tea."
(in 17 reviews)
Loading...
375 reviews in English
-
Review from Glenn L.
San Jose, CA
1/31/2012
Stayed here during NYE weekend and we were able to book a room for a really reasonable price! On top of that, the location of this hotel is great! Close to a lot of places, especially the event we were trying to go to for NYE!
The room overall was clean! Had no problem with it!
The only thing that turned me off about this place was the valet parking of 48 dollars for one night! Other than that I'd recommend this hotel to everyone! -
Review from Erin M.
San Jose, CA
1/29/2012
Nothing 'Palatial' about this hotel.
I had been to the Palace Hotel for many events in the past, but had never actually stayed overnight. Our company held a block of rooms the night of our company party, so we decided to stay over. I had high expectations; however, the hotel did not deliver. Let's recap:
-- Rooms: older, but furniture in decent shape. Not my style, but not horrible.
Here's where the hotel earns its single star:
We discovered vomit along the side of the bed, bedskirt, and wall. Disgusted and horrified, we called down to the front desk. They did not seem to feel the sense of 'urgency' that we obviously felt. While they agreed to move us to another room (yes, 'agreed'), it took 45 minutes for someone to arrive with our key. And, their attitude was so cavalier that it took FOUR calls down to the front desk to get someone to come up and bring us a key. On the fourth call, I raised my voice and finally got someone to take action. Once we had the key in hand, we had to relocate all of our belongings, unpack (again), and rush to get ready for the party. Needless to say, there was no returned call from the manager, nor an apology from the hotel. I am not sure what I was more disgusted with - the idea that there was vomit in our room, or that the people working in the hotel could have cared less (at least their tone could have conveyed some sympathy for the situation...not the case here).
Basically, I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. The gross situation could have been remedied by an apologetic staff, but clearly they have different standards. I also believe that their housekeeping staff could use a refresher course in maintenance. Clearly we have a discrepency in the word 'clean.'
Huge "boo" for the Starwood Hotel collection -- perhaps they take the college football approach and remove this hotel from the Starwood 'conference.' -
Review from Karen R.
Palo Alto, CA
1/17/2012
Came here for high tea after a long absence with my mother and best friend. To summarize: service was rude and terrible, food low-quality and ambiance has definitely gone downhill.
I don't know who the Palace Hotel thinks they're fooling, but I am sorely disappointed. This is supposed to be the arbiter of taste, style, and SF high-society of the last 100 years--more suited to high school proms and huge Martha Stewart weddings now. They have all of the fittings for a lovely high tea, the gold tea service, fabulous little tea strainers, etc. but they still serve stale tea sandwiches with foie gras cream in a city that is one of the most culinarily discerning in the world. We informed the waiter, who was very brusque, that none of us eat foie gras and could we have our sandwiches without or substitute in some of the other sandwiches? At first he did not understand what we were talking about (foie gras is on your menu, you should know what it is) and then insisted that we could "just scrape it off" when the sandwiches arrived. GREAT.
That was the savory, the teas were overfilled with tea leaves so very strong and bitter, but I suppose that's what you pay the money for since the tea sandwiches are so disappointing. The sweets tray was plunked down unceremoniously (quite un-befitting the luxurious confines of the room), nothing too special happening there that I would recall other than the rose petal jam that clearly was left sitting out on tables. Usually, when I do high tea, there are some items I am desperate to get seconds of, but after this experience, I would not go back to the Palace for a traditional afternoon tea experience. DEFINITELY OVERPRICED for the rude service and terrible food!
Oh, and there was a huge party of teenagers making slutty poses for Facebook photos there while we were, dressed like skanky gypsies/Ke$ha wannabes, so at least that part was awesome. -
Review from Meesha R.
2/6/2012
I was here for a NYE event and I really loved the giant sized ballrooms. I've never stayed here overnight but I thought the ambiance and the cleanliness of this place was top notch! The security is on the ball cause they were catching people sneaking in with the VIP parties. Bathrooms were spacious, the crowd that was here was classy and I enjoyed the catering/drinks!
-
Review from Walkt S.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
Was promised early check in, greeted by a rude front desk woman ( Kristin , I believe her name is ). She was very snotty, went into the back and didn't come out to update me for about oh, 10 - 15 minutes. waited for 45 minutes after the actual check in , said the room wasn't ready. When my NEW car was brought out to me by valet, it had a scratch on it , like it was scrapped along the parking structure.
The room was dark and dowdy. Why do people pay so much to go here when there are better run hotels?
Left a really bad impression on us of a once great hotel. 2 stars for the lobby and location.
Bummed. -
Review from Dennis O.
1/6/2012
I was here during New Years Eve for the Arkyut New Year party and a night's stay. Pricey.
Never thought I would see anyone charge 15$ for a gin & tonic served in a plastic cup that looks like it came from an airline which is filled with ice. The whole drink is probably only equal to a shot.
Or even charge 5$ for a small solo bag of M&Ms...
Excellent hotel, you may have to forgive them for the views on some rooms since they are next to a lot of tall buildings. Yeah the walls are too thin and you can hear the next room playing loud music and clinking glasses. Bathroom has no ventilation so you need to open the door.
Housekeeping people were pretty helpful though.
Like everything else, the hotel is pretty to look at, just not comfortable to stay in...
Or even pay to stay in. -
Review from Noel M.
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
We decided to ring in the New Year at the "luxurious" Palace Hotel with the Arkyut party. Luxurious compared to what? Motel 6? Obviously, I wasn't impressed with the $500 rooms. Small, with no ventilation and pretty aged, the bathroom fixtures were literally falling apart.
We were escorted to the party between 9 and 10, that's what happens when you stay at a place catering to old wanna-be socialites. Yeah, also not impressed with the large, fake, vintage jewelry wearing, snooty hags that were not happy with the mini skirts crawling through their halls.
What exactly did we get for our $50 NYE ticket? A single stilt walker as entertainment, a decent DJ and the opportunity to purchase $15 drinks. I did appreciate the fact that we didn't have to dance on top of each other, the multi-room layout spaced people nicely. At the end of the night we were expected to wait in a long line to exit although there were multiple ways out...um, no.
The downstairs is misleading with it's mural and marbled beauty. They need to make the same effort to upkeep the rooms too. -
Review from Vb L.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This hotel is stunning. The minute you walk into the door you can feel the royal air - from the floors to the chandeliers. The staff is polished and super nice. I used to come with a friend for lunch in the restaurant and I remember it to be pretty good.
So why only three stars? The bar. Hubby and I went into the bar on Christmas Eve Eve and it was so...blah. It was sad. The bartender clearly didn't want to be there. We ordered something to eat and it was so...blah...I can't remember what it was. We had one drink and left. The doorman made up for the bar though. I give out candy canes to everyone and when I gave one to the doorman he hailed us a Town Car instead of a taxi. What a sweetheart!
TIP: The next time you're in SF, stop by the Palace Hotel and take lots of pictures! -
Review from mike c.
12/17/2011 4 photos
As one of the Grande Dame hotels in San Francisco, this hotel shines especially bright during the holiday season. Coming here for a corporate holiday party, I was BLOWN away by the venue, the event itself, and the staff who hosted this party. When you first enter the main doors, you'll see the strategically placed gingerbread house, testament of the Christmas season. During the day, the high ceilings and brightly lit hallways are not as readily noticed. The party was held in the famed Garden Court Restaurant which adjoins the hotel's main ballroom. In removing the partitions, the hotel organized a huge party hosted by a local bank for its loyal customers. Here's what made it spectacular:
1. Teddy Bears and a fireplace with hanging stockings - check.
2. Large decorated Christmas tree, marking the large bar area - check.
3. Numerous food stations serving a variety of food from their famed Sunday brunch - check.
4. Santa Claus, seated and handing out Santa hats - check.
5. Boisterous party-goers, some dressed to the "nines" - check.
6. Coffee, tea, and ice cream bon-bon station as you exit to the complimentary valet parking on Jessie St. - check.
7. Live music playing holiday music in the two flanking rooms - check.
If you're in the City looking for some inspiration to get into the holiday spirit, visit any of the older hotels in SF and enjoy their decorations. This one certainly did the trick for me! Happy Holidays! -
Review from Gene B.
Park Ridge, IL
12/25/2011
Took my family of six for Christmas brunch, and one can instantly detect that the gratuity is mandatory, as the servers could not even be shamed to rising to the level of indifference. A forty minute wait in a line nearly a block long (so glad I made reservations!) began the ordeal. 15 minutes before we even got a glass of water, which then came lukewarm without ice. A glass of Iced Tea took one half hour. Two of the six water glasses were dirty. A request for ice was met with just a stare of hostile disbelief by our waiter.
The buffet had a nice selection, though items that quickly ran out (crab claws, salmon encroute) would go twenty minutes or so before being replenished. I did observe fellow guests dropping serving spoons on the floor, taking a bite of an item and returning the other half to the serving tray, and some other rather unpleasant manners.
Waited twenty five minutes for the check, and then our waiter had the chutzpah to point out the line for additional gratuity, as apparently the mandatory 15% is shared among all the other people who ignored us.
Hint to management: if your people don't work on Christmas, don't try to serve brunch. Never again for any brunch date. I would have felt giving the $750 to the homeless guy out front would have gone to someone more deserving. -
Review from Riccardo S.
New York, NY
12/22/2011
Had a two-day ricochet through SF, and chose the Palace in the hopes that this Luxury Collection property would give me a little bit more than the Spartan-cool comfort I'm used to at W properties. The staff made the experience.
Points of note:
- Warm and friendly staff upon check-in, and throughout my stay.
- A Concierge that could teach classes in resourcefulness and suggesting "just the thing you're looking for" in area dining.
- Very comfortable beds (beware if you think you're just going to take a 30-minute nap).
- Location, location, location!
- Kyo-Ya. Go ahead - try the restaurant in the hotel. You just might thank me.
Protip from a hyper-active New Yorker up at 6AM on a Saturday - order room service coffee/breakfast. Nobody else nearby will be open to serve you.
All in all - comfortable rooms. Truly spot-on service. Just ask - the superb staff will deliver. -
Review from Scott G.
12/12/2011
This use to be my go to hotel when in San Fran. Sadly, it has been replaced by The Omni, mainly due to location and the free apples they provide in the lobby. Yes, it is the simple things in life, isn't it?
The Palace is certainly a grand old lady of a hotel. It's stately presence and ornate decoration provide the curious with a view into what a grand hotel must have looked like in it's prime.
The common areas in the lobby are charming and comfortable. The first time you enter the hallway corridor you might be taken aback by how wide the hallways are. Not sure if the architect purposely did this to communicate the hotel's stateliness or if people just had larger luggage back in the day. These halls are so big and wide, it almost feels like you have been shrunk down by 50%. Perhaps, not too exciting to the average guest, but it entertained me.
The rooms are nice and updated. They've kept the old wooden doors to the hallway, but then when you step into your room it feels more like a modern hotel.
The location is decent for finding food and stores around, although because it is very close to the financial district, which shuts down after happy hour and on the weekends, you will find some businesses having more limited hours. -
Review from Joshua B.
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Got an excellent deal here on a last minute room ($150 on Hotwire) and was actually impressed by the quality and size of the room. Maybe it's b/c I got a handicapped room, but I had tons of room to move around the room itself, the bed was comfy and the bathroom was spacious. Definitely a welcome change considering some of the shoeboxes I've paid a lot more for - and esp. nice considering this hotel is all historical and what-not.
Everything seemed in excellent condition (clean, shiny, towels and linens well stocked). Flat Panel TV was large and worked fine, and the black-out shades actually closed together (yay).
Plus I got in and checked-in in a matter of minutes (yay) - after a long day of traveling and working that's a big plus.Listed in: San Francisco Faves
-
Review from Chris N.
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a fun old hotel to stay at in San Francisco.
The lobby was nicely decorated for Christmas, with several dining options to choose from without leaving the hotel. Be sure to check out the Pied Piper bar, their hand-made bar mix is fantastic and the truffle fries were a highlight of the trip.
Also be sure to sign up for their rewards program (Starwood Preferred Guest), it's free and you can get your room upgraded. The room itself wasn't all that fancy, but it was sizable and the location was great.
The only real problem we had was with the service. It took about 20 minutes to check in, even with only two people in front of us, because there was only one person working the front desk. There were several other people walking around behind the desk, but none helped the customers. Later, when we got to our king room, there was only one robe in the closet. Come on! We requested another, and it took about an hour to get it up to us.
Overall it was a nice stay in a fun part of town. Easily accessible from BART (parking was something like $50 a night), with several bars and restaurants within walking distance. Not quite a 5 star experience, but solid nonetheless.Listed in: Hotel Adventures
-
Review from J E.
Oakland, CA
1/27/2012
Came for loverly afternoon tea. I don't know anywhere else in the US you can get quite as a fantastic setting for any meal. The waitstaff wasn't overly attentive, but came by often enough-really not that much to check on for tea. They were always there to put hot water in the pot, which is really all you need. A pianist was playing in the room, the china was gorgeous, fresh flowers everywhere, delicious goodies. What else do you need!?
-
Review from EVELYNE E.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2011
This review is for Holiday Tea at the Garden Court (please see photos).
As a native San Franciscan, I have been enjoying the Palace Hotel and it's crown jewel, the Garden Court, since I was a little girl. Our school choir was invited yearly to sing at lunch on Christmas Eve. It was love at first sight. As a child the room was magical and simply spectacular, and as an adult it surpasses my childhood memories.
It brings me great pleasure to bring friends to the Garden Court (throughout the year) and introduce them to its beauty and enjoy their lovely afternoon tea service. But in my opinion, Holiday Tea at the Palace is like no other.
This holiday season, I hosted a fabulous Holiday Tea for good friends and their children (ages 2-11). Jason Villagomez was my liaison at the the Palace Hotel and he was a pleasure to work with - a true professional. He was lightning quick to respond to my questions. His customer service skills truly exceeded my expectations.
The children were thrilled with the gigantic tree, Santa and Mrs. Clause, the tea sandwiches (PB&J with sprinkles, ham & cheese and egg salad), not to mention the crowns & tiaras, giant lollipops and box of cookies they all got to take home. My nephews especially loved having sparkling cider in champagne glasses. What a treat!
Each guest is invited to take a photo with Santa, and the photographer happily took a photo of our entire group. He kindly asked me for my email address and emailed me the photos of our group. What a nice touch.
The tea sandwiches for the adults never disappoint. Smoked salmon, smoked duck breast with fois gras, turkey with cranberry butter, pear with blue cheese and cucumber with sun dried tomato. There is something for everyone. Between the tea sandwiches, scones and desserts, you will not leave hungry.
Peter and the rest of the staff were attentive and wonderful with the children. I could not have been happier with party, from start to finish. When hosting a party at the Palace, you are in good hands. It was truly a top notch experience. -
Review from Paul T.
12/3/2011 5 Check-ins Here
The Palace is part of the Starwood Hotels and Resorts luxury collection. It's a historic hotel in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Built in 1875, it captures the timeless elegance and sophistication of the Gilded Age.
The guest rooms lack contemporary amenities such as modern lighting controls, USB power jacks, iPhone-compatible radio/alarm, etc. On the plus side, they are moderately sized. As opposed to the tiny, windowless rooms at the Westin St. Francis.
The central air conditioning system struggled to keep the room at 70 degrees. When I alerted the front desk, they quickly sent a maintenance person , however, when they were unable to resolve the problem, the front desk staff was simply unapologetic and indifferent.
On-premise dining is very limited, no upscale choices.
Valet parking is $48.00 per day.
2.5 stars rounded to 3.Listed in: Hotels & Resorts
-
Review from Bill H.
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
I dropped into the Palace Hotel's Pied Piper Bar a week or two ago for Friday drinks with colleagues. I've been searching for a nice, quiet place to get a drink near work, and this place certainly fits the bill. We were taken to a cavernous (and gorgeous) back room for drinks and free nibbles. You'll definitely pay for the perks, though -- the drinks are not cheap.
-
Review from Prax Y.
Menlo Park, CA
1/3/2012
Not a luxury hotel any more.
This used to be my fav SPG Luxury Collection hotel in San Francisco just till few years ago.
I stayed there recently and I was in for a shock.
It is still a beautiful property. Unfortunately being attended to by snobbish set of service crew. Bell crew, concierge are excellent. Front desk is mixed bag.
Housekeeping was the worst for me. I had to call back twice to check on what happened to my request. Instead of a simple explanation for the delay, this lady starts arguing that it has only been 45 minutes and not an hour !! Really?
Anyone from SPG listening? -
Review from Mike T.
Fremont, CA
1/2/2012
Went to the Palace with high hopes and expectations. Stayed at many starwood properties and this was by far the worst experience I ever had.
There was no cold water coming out of my sink. 2 calls to the front desk and a day later still no fix. Next the robes were all tattered. Lastly the shower would not drain the water and once again no fix.
Starwood needs to spend some money on this property and bring it up to par with the others. -
Review from Jen Z.
Berkeley, CA
12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
As everyone says, the lobby is GORGEOUS. We had to wait quite a while in line just to check in. Unfortunately the rooms aren't pretty in the old-fashioned way... they just seem outdated. The room service was tasty though they forgot one of our items.
Our sheets had a few holes and were slightly ripped? I'd probably stay somewhere else next time though the location is great. -
Review from Ben Y.
Monterey Park, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
The hotel is in a good location and the restaurant area has a pretty impressive glass ceiling. Nothing special in terms of service and the rooms are pretty average. There was a tour group here and the guide was talking about the history of the hotel so i guess the place has some kind of historic significance.
Overall i'd say if you can get a room for around 100 bucks a night it's not bad. -
Review from Ana T.
San Jose, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a really nice hotel and has a unique look and feel to it. I stayed overnight here during New Year's Eve 2011 because there was a party going on in their ballrooms. The look of this hotel does resemble a palace due to their choice of chandelier lighting and decor. Asides from the regular rooms, the suites have an extra living room that has a door leading to the bedroom.
-
Review from Jennifer L.
San Francisco, CA
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ugh. I like the Palace, it's lovely, but my meeting planning experience here has not been easy.
My Internet wasn't working so I had to function via iPhone (not so great for spreadsheets).
Our room went from ice box to sauna, where we sweltered for a couple of hours until engineering managed to replace our thermostat.
The business center - man I get annoyed by business centers. Do they purposely make the computers run at glacial speeds just to get more money out of us? It took me 15 minutes to print a 42 page document. Seriously?
Staff is very nice though, and I love the Garden Court, so there's that. -
Review from Ben S.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011
Loads of old San Franciscan history, however, the room smelled like an "old" ashtray and I'm an occasional cigar smoker. The front desk was very hard to reach (on the phone). I've had better luck with Comcast. Ultimately, I just gave up.
Old charm, centrally located, but I'll stick to the Fairmont or the Huntington in the future. -
Review from Marc E.
Los Angeles, CA
11/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Beautiful hotel in a great location. Central to everything.
The Lobby is amazing. The beds are super comfortable. -
Review from Jeff F.
10/30/2011
Not the best example of the luxury collection (I give that distinction to Equinox in VT) but still a solid hotel choice. You have to really appreciate older, historic hotels to truly enjoy the Palace (think opposite of the W). At a 100 years, it somehow pulls off modern luxury with historic preservation. Here's the cliffnotes:
- great location: quick hop to Union Square
- highly recommend breakfast in the Garden Court at least once
- service from the front desk to housekeeping was perfect
- great night's sleep - not as comfortable as a Heavenly bed or W bed, but still a cut above
- great gym
Recommended -
Review from kim p.
San Diego, CA
10/27/2011
For the value received from a down town hotel, I like the Hilton better. BUT since I love all things Starwood, I will never stay anywhere but the Palace or the Westin when down town in San Fran.
But let me suggest you pass on the Palace and stay at the Westin down the street. The bar is better and the value is greater. And by value I mean at the Palace you dont get as much for the amount of money you'll be spending. There just arent enough amenities and freebies to justify the high cost and low reward for the Palace.
But that said, it's a fancy place and has great staff and service. The rooms are just so-so and there are a ton of rooms with a really awful view (Of the interior of the building's inner alley)
You'll have a fine time, dont worry. It just wont knock your socks off -
Review from Nancy B.
Rancho Cordova, CA
12/28/2011
We have stayed at the Palace every year for Christmas the last several years. The staff has always been extremely helpful and our rooms are amazing. I love the historic feel of the hotel and the great location. Union Square and Chinatown are all within walking distance of about 10-15 minutes. The parking is super expensive: $48, so be prepared for that.
-
Review from Kenny O.
8/31/2011 9 Check-ins Here
I'll be honest: I've never stayed at a hotel this swanky. I get comped rooms for work often, but it's usually at a Mariott or the occasional Hilton.
I stayed here for five nights for a conference earlier this month. Upon arrival, I was already impressed by the grand interior. There's a certain majesty and charm this place has that throws you back some decades.
The rooms are clean, simple, and amply spacious. Besides that, they aren't all too awe-provoking.
The location is quite nice. You're right off Market and a few blocks from SF City Center. About a mile and some change, you can get to the famous SF Embarcadero. When it opens, the Metreon will also be right next door.
Would I come back? Sure. Will I have to be comped to consider it? Definitely. These luxury hotels don't come cheap, and I'm sure glad I got a chance to experience staying here on someone else's dime. -
Review from Al G.
Hightstown, NJ
12/29/2011
Yes, it is very pretty and yes it is in a good location...However, the afternoon tea is a total ripoff. $175 for three people to eat stale sandwiches, little pastries that were recycled from prior guests and indifferent service. Our reservation got us the privilege of standing in line for 30 minutes. The whole experience had the feel of a mess hall.
Worse of all, our complaints were not acknowledged by the hotel. So and so was in a meeting (for two days??). They repeatedly promised to have the desk manager and restaurant manager call us....they never did. Never again. -
Review from Fred W.
Pacific Grove, CA
8/18/2011
For the price I was expecting something along the lines of a Hotel Monaco, what we got was more Motel 6. Dont get me wrong, awesome building, poor business plan. Room service was so expensive its a joke, charged $55 for 3 days of internet...really? Our 11 day trip cost me over 150 bucks in internet, and it wasnt really a choice if you need it for work. Parking was 46 a day, lol, was 20 in a place less than 2 blocks away and a nicer building. Bedding was not "luxury", neither was the lack of outlets and sub par bathroom. Ate dinner in the Sushi place on the main floor, lol another joke. Lack of channel guide on the tv...is it 2011 or am in in a time warp?
Good things, the Staff were wonderful, helpful and very friendly. The pool is beautiful at night, to bad its in major need of a renovation. Hallways needed more cleaning. Meh -
Review from Brad W.
Chicago, IL
10/12/2011
* Beautiful lobby is all that is beautiful. Rooms are drab and bordering on dingy. Need renovation.
* Internet costs $36 for 48 hours. Most I've ever paid.
* Pillows are small & lumpy, not at all luxurious as you'd expect.
* Walls are thin, you will undoubtedly hear your neighbors and housekeeping. But, it's an old building and I'd rather cope with that than tear it down. IF, that is, the rooms were up kept.
* Can't comment on the food- too expensive to bother with.
* Nice location so you have a lot of food to pick from within a short walk.Listed in: Hotel
-
Review from La C.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011
I heart this hotel. It was 15 years ago that I spent my wedding night here and returned this past weekend to celebrate my 40th bday (technically still 39 for 2 more days, ha). The rooms haven't changed much, newer furniture and a flat screen are the only difference I noticed and that is ok. This place has old school charm, elegant, classic and comfy. The bed was to die for and the bathroom although small had an excellent shower and great vanity area. The service is quiet charming too, great bellman and registration girl, super friendly. This place knows what they are doing.
-
Review from Angela C.
7/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Palace Hotel has an older, classic feel to it and is situated in the heart of San Francisco. However, the rooms were on the smaller side for a hotel of this caliber. One group in our party got a room with 2 doubles and another group got a room with a single King - it was a tight squeeze either way. There wasn't a very big walkway to get from one side to the other.
Some things to note about the room:
- there's an empty mini fridge and flatscreen tv.
- shower pressure was great.
- loved the smell of their shampoo/conditioner/bodywash!
- very comfy, plush beds.
We also checked out the pool on the 4th floor. It had a nice little gym, a sauna, a lap pool, and one whirlpool spa. We really wanted to relax in the spa, but people were hogging it and it's tiny anyway (only a 4-person max). The pool closes at 10pm so we didn't really get a chance to enjoy it.
One last thing - their Sunday brunch is $68! We didn't eat there because there are too many delicious options around this area.Listed in: Norcal Edition
-
Review from Shannon L.
Fremont, CA
7/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Paper thin walls! Our room was woken up by kids fighting in the room next door and their parents scolding them. Oh why did it have to be after a long night... I was hoping to sleep in.
Other than that, it's a classic, swanky hotel with a great location. Right in downtown and walking distance to BART, it can't get any better. I've actually been here before for a bridal fair but this was my first stay.
On the 4th floor, they have a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and gym which are all really nice and in good condition. Unfortunately, my heart was set on the jacuzzi but there was a 4 person maximum and it was filled to the brim by people hogging it. The pool area closes at 10pm so I was out of luck.
In the mornings, you will also find complimentary coffee in the lobby. I can see the appeal of this place for tourists and special occasions but the rooms aren't as wonderful as I had expected. They're on the smaller side and the walls... I just can't get over how thin they were. -
Review from Pamela S.
Raleigh, NC
9/28/2011
Stayed here for a recent convention while in San Francisco. Old established hotel that has that 'past era' feeling. The Garden Court is a spectacular room! Sunday buffet in there looked delightful, but the $75 price tag was a tad rich for us as we didn't have time to linger and enjoy.
Our first room just didn't work for us as there was a strong cigarette smell in the room. But just one call to the front desk and we were quickly moved. The rooms are really small, but adequate. Would have liked a coffee maker in the room though...
Oh, and the rooms aren't sound proof though and I was woken at 5 AM by the person in the next room making phone calls... :(
The location was great as we were able to walk to Union Square for tour buses, or to catch the trolley or cable cars. Lots of shopping within walking distance too.
All in all a pleasant stay. -
Review from Anu J.
Manhattan, NY
11/29/2011
My husband and I stayed at The Palace hotel for 3 nights and really liked it.
To start with the pros, the room we got was spacious, clean and nice with a very comfortable bed and big bathroom..
The location is great. It is in the center of everything. Market st is just around the corner. We walked to union square, and to the famous sf embercadro - pretty much everywhere.
The hotel lobby is beautiful and the staff friendly and helpful. The hotel has an antique-y look.
The fitness center on the 4th floor is pretty good with pool, jacuzzi and sauna. The gym equipment is also in a good working condition.
The concierge desk people were nice and helpful. They helped us ship our box of wines to New York that we bought on the wine tour.
There is a Starbucks next door with free wi-fi hotspot.
Now on to the cons, the restaurant inside the hotel is very loud and pricey, cant comment on the food as we didn't actually eat there.
The wi-fi was not free and also not available. It worked in the hotel lobby, so a lot of people crowded in the lobby.
Overall, it was a good experience and we recommend this hotel. Will stay here again. -
Review from FlipTop B.
Los Angeles, CA
6/14/2011
You can dress an old hag in an evening gown, but she's still an old hag.
No matter how fantastic looking (it looks wonderful, grand ambiance)
No matter how fast the elevators are (awesome!)
No matter how clean and neat the place is (very)
If the service is terrible then nothing else matters (good menu though)
If the walls are paper thin, wear earplugs (spacious rooms, very clean).
I requested a room away from the elevators for quiet, I got one - next to the workout room/pool entrance. Stupid? or smart-ass move? You decide.
EVERY order placed either with room service or in the restaurant was wrong. And it seemed the customer-facing staff were resigned to accepting screw ups.
I'm compelled to say something about this place since the ambiance is quite wonderful, but the service is sub-par, and to me it's the total experience that makes a stay worthwhile. -
Review from Kimberly A.
Berkeley, CA
7/26/2011
This review is only for afternoon tea in the Garden Court, as I've never stayed in any of the hotel's rooms, but I've been to afternoon tea several times.
Fancy fancy fancy afternoon tea. I mean, some diners wear jeans and t-shirts, but the food and drink is very fancy, and the PRICE is very fancy.
The pastries are not the most impressive tea service pastries I've ever had, but here are some of the ones we were served on my most recent visit (April 2011):
* a sort of cream puff sort of thing, filled with coffee-flavored cream
* dark-chocolate-covered strawberries
* a raspberry tart
* a rectangular piece of shortbread, half dipped in dark chocolate
* a chocolate tart kind of thing, filled with a fudgy substance
* delicious fresh-baked scones (served w/lemon curd, clotted cream, and rose jelly)
As for the little sandwiches, here's what we got:
* smoked salmon w/caper mouse, chopped dill, and caviar
* sliced turkey w/cranberry butter and asparagus
* smoked duck breast w/foie gras cream and raspberry
* cucumber w/sundried tomato mousse
* sliced bosc pears w/pointe reyes blue cheese cream and honey
The Garden Court is gorgeous, the whole domed ceiling being composed of what I assume are leaded glass skylights, large ferny plants scattered throughout the room, a piano player playing discretely in a corner ... it's very classy and a lot of fun as an outing once in a blue moon.
