- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
The Fairmont Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
950 Mason St(between California St & Sacramento St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 772-5000
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
317 reviews for The Fairmont Hotel
Review Highlights
"The Tonga room and the bar in the lobby are both GREAT."
(in 44 reviews)
"My boyfriend recently brought me here for high tea."
(in 14 reviews)
"RIght outside the hotel you can catch the Cable car."
(in 19 reviews)
Loading...
317 reviews in English
-
Review from Holly E.
Dallas, TX
1/28/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Love the Fairmont and it's old world ambiance. When you walk through the front entrance, your mouth drops. This place is gorgeous. (Straight down the street there's a stunning bay view on a clear day.)
My room was perfect. Comfy bed, great toiletries, had a beautiful view of the city and a slight bay view. The maid took great care of us, too.
Room service was atrociously priced. $85 for two omelets and a carafe of coffee, but whatever. It was good, but definitely not worth the price.
My only real complaint is the noise that pulsates through the building at night. (Mom, stop laughing, I've grown up now.)
I think it comes from the Tiki bar in the basement. Not sure when it starts or ends because I was in and out, but if I were trying to get sleep, it would've been a deal breaker. It was that loud.
Speaking of the Tiki bar, it sucked. The drinks tasted like Kool-Aid and it was full of non-Fairmont clientele, if you know what I mean. I'm surprised this place is represented by Fairmont! The service was not friendly either.
Overall, the Fairmont is awesome and still hotel chain of choice. -
Review from Chantelle A.
Woodbridge, VA
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
From its convenient location in Nob Hill to the quality service, no wonder this hotel is the official San Francisco hotel for every U.S. President since William Taft. I felt like King Jaffe Joffer from Zamunda when he arrived at the Waldorf in New York...but, a lot smaller and prettier :). I almost felt like rose petals should have been thrown at my feet and some horns should have sounded when I entered this hotel. The lobby is so...regal...I felt underdressed in my jeans and Tom Toms...where is my fur coat?
Be sure to stop by the legendary Tonga Room for a huge, strong and expensive drink, stop by Cafe Centro for an amazing Cafe latte and pastry, take a look at the Rooftop Garden, and just spend some time relaxing in the lobby taking in all the history.
Also, be sure to get a room in the Tower with a city or bay view....nice to wake up to a shining sun and watching the city going by.....Listed in: Bed Time Baby!
-
Review from Raji R.
1/24/2012
We had amazing service from everyone at the valet to the bell desk and more - The only thing we didn't get here was double beds as we requested - which made things a bit difficult.
We had a couple of guests over before we headed out for a night on the town, and we didn't have to worry about a silly noise complaint. Also, we asked for champagne glasses, and got an entire crate - such a win!
Turn down service = awesome, thanks for cleaning up after us! Haha, i really enjoyed my hotel experience.
Note: If you come, ask for an upgrade for rooms for double beds - some people in my party had these rooms which were HUGE! -
Review from Tricia K.
Rio Rancho, NM
1/20/2012
The Fairmont is a fluffy cloud in the heavenly city of SF. I finally treated myself to 4 days in a king room on the 26th room of the tower after many years of walking by on the way to Grandma's house. The room was great but you cannot beat the view from atop Nob Hill. The first morning I woke up and ordered room service which was set up right next to my picture window overlooking the bay. There aren't words to describe how drinking coffee and eating croissants while gazing at one of the most magnificent cities in the world makes one feel.
The Fairmont is a couple of notches above the more mainstream chains downtown (of which I have stayed in) and worth the $$$ if you truly want to treat yourself and enjoy a piece of old SF. Walk the halls late at night and check out all of the historical pictures as they are beautiful. Don't miss the Tonga Room either!! -
Review from Angie B.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a beautiful hotel at the top of Nob Hill. While I did not stay here, I did walk through a few times & it's worth a visit.
Be sure to head down to the parking level to walk down the long sloping hallway where there are a bunch of old pictures/historical info (more seen along the hallways leading to various ballrooms on the lobby level - these are more focused on the various events, dignitaries & celebrities who have visited over the years).
Also try to make a reservation at the Tonga room, the "disney-style tiki bar", where it rains every 15 minutes & there are huge fruity drinks with an asian-polynesian inspired menu. We didn't make it there - stood in line for a while & decided not to wait, but people who had a reservation got right in. Next time will make a reservation! -
Review from Miguel R.
1/20/2012
I am into the past. I am into views. I loved this hotel!!!! It is right between Chinatown's better part and Union Square. All you do is walk down Nob Hill a little and there is the trolley! Hint: There is a side entrance close to the trolley stop that you can also take to the Tonga room. We actually climbed up all the way from Union Square to Nob Hill. Believe me, it is as tiring as it looks and we didn't even have much luggage. Take the trolley!
The rooms are nice. They do not look like they have been renovated recently but they still look nice! They are not small rooms either. The walls in our room were a nice warm yellow. The beds are great! Really comfortable and not creaky at all:) The hotel was gracious enough to allow us a late check out!
The lobby is gorgeous! Huge marble columns and beautiful staircases. A great place to hang out for a while. The hotel has a business center and we were able to print out our return flight tickets for free!
Of particular interest is the Tonga Room! I am not into the Tiki thing but I think I would have enjoyed it here for the sheer kitsch of it! It looks really cool in there. The lighting is cool too! It's like a bit of Disney in SF haha!
If you are a sucker for the past you will love this hotel. If you like modern things well, you will be reminded of the hotel in The Shining haha!Listed in: Magical San Francisco
-
Review from rob. r.
San Jose, CA
1/23/2012
The SF Fairmont has the look and feel of an old-world 5-star hotel but sadly several small little details keep it from being a 5-star hotel.
First off: when I asked the concierge where I could mail some letters I was told there was a mailbox just outside and around the corner from the entrance. Not a huge deal, I can certainly walk & the weather was cold but clear but really? There is no collection box inside, even for their own mail?
Second: We had reservations for The Tonga Room for dinner and we arrived a few minutes early to find a 15-20 person line in front of us, some with reservations as well, some without & yet the answer from the hostess was "just stay in line & we'll get to you in turn," in the end ~20min after our reservation time.
The last complaint was probably equally our fault, we thought it would be easy to get reservations for their Holiday Tea as a hotel guest but that fact seemed to not matter one bit to the maitre d who bluntly told us the next available table would be after Christmas, 10 days from our visit.
The room itself (in the newer tower section) was amazing, huge bathroom with shower and a tub, the bed was large and comfortable, the TV was huge. Just be prepared for the usual large hotel lack of free wifi and minibar charges. The bellhop even warned us of the motion sensors in the refrigerator that will auto-bill your room if you disturb the contents.
On the plus side, the valet parking albeit expensive, was helpful to a fault, even alerting us that our destination (The Disney Family Museum) may not be the best choice for our 2yr old of we were looking for Mickey Mouse, et al.
Also: keep in mind this place is BIG so be prepared to walk to your room, the lobby, dinner, etc, and be sure to take the elevator to the top of the tower to get a great view of Nob Hill! -
Review from James A.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have worked in hotels, and know how they operate inside and out. When I walk into a quality hotel, there is a certain vibe that you get that give you this sense of calm. This hotel has IT!
Just an absolute gem of a hotel, and I cannot explain to you enough how beautiful it is! The Fairmont Brand is on top of its game. Well done! :) -
Review from Evie B.
12/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was really excited for a weekend getaway with my husband and booked The Fairmont because we had such an amazing time at the one in Sonoma. It was a decent deal through http://hotels.com, but upon arriving I couldn't help feeling shuffled along in the check-in process (with no wait behind us) and a less than welcoming concierge staff.
The lobby was beautiful except that it was a bit of a tourist trap and made it difficult maneuvering even just to get to the front door, where there was always a line for taxis. I didn't mind the crowds so much as the drunken santa who was trying to organize his own personal tour while being quite loud and obnoxious.
Our room was on the seventh floor and it was frigid when we walked in because the window had been left open. It took about 10-15min to get it to a temp where my husband and I could feel our fingers and toes again which is never fun. As for the amenities, it was a nice room with no real bells and whistles. Coming from the Fairmont Sonoma where the bathroom was huge and there was a balcony and fireplace, this was sort of a letdown.
However, my biggest complaint of all would be the lack of soundproof walls. We could everything in the hallway and in the room next door to us. We heard dogs running down the hallway as well as kids racing each other late into the night. And it sounded as if there was a party of sorts next door which ran until the wee hours of the night as well. Normally I could tune out the noise, but the walls were so thin it was difficult to do so. The bed was only moderately comfortable.
I would recommend staying somewhere other than the Fairmont only because it definitely didn't "wow" us and ended up being a dent in the wallet for not the greatest experience. Also, to valet your car will cost you $50+ per day...ouch! -
Review from hunter w.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011
This review is for the tea at Fairmont.
Attended their "Nutcracker Tea" today with ~12 family members & was incredibly disappointed. For $50+ per person you got very little and the service was horribly rude or sloppy. No one went out of their way to make us feel welcome (and several of the guests were also staying in the hotel). Tiny scones, awful tea sandwiches (dry, small)
The "nutcracker" consisted of one 20something wearing a toy soldier costume and i think he still had his hipster goatee.
I've been to "high tea" at other hotels and this was the worst. heck, we could have done a better Nutcracker Tea at Peet's
Amazed a high quality hotel brand like Fairmont failed so severely. The lobby is lovely - just come to take your pictures with the tree and gingerbread house. Skip the services. -
Review from Sheila R.
Saint Louis, MO
Updated - 2/6/2012
We stayed here again on vacation and have noticed that the hotel appears to be declining. It's DEFINITELY time for some updates, in the main building anyway. From seeing little cigarette burns in the drapery sheers to furniture dents to chips in the wainscoting, etc, and cigarette butts on our windowsill outside; it's definitely time to spruce up the rooms. Housekeeping leaves something to be desired as well - we shouldn't have to ask for toilet paper and washcloths, not at this price point anyway. The Laurel Room was as wonderful as usual and I think it says something I noticed the same staff - clearly they know how to retain employees. Oh - and this time we had free W-Fi also as part of our membership in the President's Club. I saw less of the nickel-and-dime stuff that's so irritating. Perhaps I'm a hotel snob - okay, I *am* a hotel snob - but this property needs to step it up if they want to compete with the Mandarin Orientals and Peninsulas of the world. If you're looking for a solid 3.5-star hotel and want to pay too much for it, this is the place. If you're looking for an 4/5 star experience, go elsewhere. Unless I hear that the Fairmont is undergoing large room renovations, I think we may stay at the Mandarin Oriental or Ritz Carlton next time. :(
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/28/2011
We stayed at The Fairmont on vacation and we really liked it a lot, although I think they could work… Read more »
-
-
Review from Yuan W.
Santa Clara, CA
12/12/2011
No, this is not the Mandarin Oriental. Nor the Peninsula. Nor the Four Seasons. Not even the St. Regis.
Anyone who thinks they are going to get any of the above just don't get it. This is a very very old hotel; the age is reflected in every corner of this place. We spent an hour just walking around, looking at old pictures on the wall. This is a very special, unique place. When you walk around here, you can almost feel the ghosts of past hundred years giving you the tour, but it's not creepy. You can imagine people holding court here, a place to gossip for the socialites. Us? We are just imposteurs. In fact, the weekend we were here must have been something special because there were *at least* 30 or so Ferrari / Lamborghini parked outside. I wonder if they have to pay for the $60 overnight valet too...
Stay in the main building if you don't mind the dated interiors and want to feel the history. -
Review from The D.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
Beautiful Hotel! My wife and myself decided to treat ourselves for our anniversary. So why not spend a wonderful night at the hotel on top of the city. Everything about the hotel was above my expectations. Honestly I was hoping to stay at other various hotels but I'm glad we ended up staying here.
-
Review from N B.
Denver, CO
12/6/2011
Absolutely lovely! The hotel is gorgeous - it has an old time glamour feel. The staff is just wonderful. Especially Craig in sales and Megan and Monica at the front desk. We had a slight snafu as we booked our room under my maiden name - entirely my fault - and Craig upgraded us to a tower suite and sent us a bottle of wine and four delicious cheeses!
The rooms are beautifully decorated and comfortable - they aren't inexpensive, but the rooms with views are worth it!
The bar is lovely - classy and cozy with loads of super comfortable chairs and low cocktail tables to relax in after a long day of shopping or perusing art galleries - and a great place to meet friends for a drink before heading out to dinner.
All around wonderful - a special place - and worth the $$.
Enjoy! -
Review from Kelly D.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2011
The rooms are tiny and a little bit dated, but the lobby at Christmas time is truly magnificent.
Hands down THE most upper crust hotel in San Francisco, don't miss the Tonga Room, because there is nothing else like it, anywhere. -
Review from selina n.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is solely based on my class visit to the gingerbread house. (I have been to the Tonga room so you can check out my review if you like). Last week, I took my kindergarten class to see their ginormous gingerbread castle in the lobby... my students loved, loved, LOVED it (they said it was worth all that up hill walk). Mind you, this gingerbread house is for ALL ages. I was very impressed by their staff and how kind and courteous they were to my students. We were greeted in the front with hellos and Merry Christmases and yet another staff opened the door for us once again greeting us with Merry Christmas. Not once did I receive a stank eye or complaint from staff about bringing a class here. Thank you Fairmont Hotel for making my students day.
-
Review from Stephanie A.
South San Francisco, CA
11/9/2011 1 photo
I've been here on two different occasions. One was a birthday party and the other was a 25th wedding anniversary.... Both parties were from the same family lol. Ballin!
First time I came here, omg. Once you walk in the lobby its like you're in a royal palace or something! The furniture, the beautiful staircase, the intimate lighting.. all the little details make this one gorgeous, top notch hotel. The birthday party was at the Crown Room at the top of the hotel. Look outside the window: BREATHTAKING views of the city! Very romantic. Especially at night with all of the lights! The wedding was held in the ballroom. The walls, table settings, stage, decorations in the ballroom were soooo nice! This is a great place to hold a wedding reception or debut! That staircase is especially ideal for picture taking :) -
Review from yelp o.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
This isn't the most convenient hotel if you want to be within walking distance of shops and restaurants of union square, but I live in SF so I don't care much for that. I love the history of this hotel and enjoy walking through the hallways and reading old aritcles about its past. The rooms are standard (I've only stayed in the new building) but the views are spectacular. Staying at the fairmont for our one year anniversary was memorable. The service was good and there are enough dining options within the hotel so you don't have to hail a cab or walk down the hill.
-
Review from Luke R.
North Hollywood, CA
9/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I don't get what there is to complain about with this place. I thought it was amazing. I've stayed in a lot of very nice hotels and this is up there. The lobby area is beautiful to look at. The rooms are large, well appointed, clean and bright. The bathroom is larger than the one I have in my own home.
Sign up for the rewards club (I think it's called the "President's Club") and get free wi-fi and discounts on the in-house spa.
Oh, and if you feel like sitting outside before heading inside for the night, there is a lovely garden area with benches, paved walkways, and soft lighting. Take your drink out and relax.
The location is great. You are mere blocks away from Union Square, Knob Hill, the Wharf, and China Town. Plenty of good restaurants and bars within short walking distances too. -
Review from Katie A.
Madison, WI
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Classy but old...
As the third part of my honeymoon, we were looking forward to our stay in San Fran. I was impressed with the Fairmont's exterior and service we received throughout our stay. We also paid extra for the balcony with really made it worth it and was HUGE with a great view! The room was surface clean, and the bed super comfy. The concierge was excellent, room service food was good. The location was good being at the top of the hill and not down in busy Union Square.
Cons: rooms need updating badly, dirty curtain sheers (visibly), shower curtain liner kinda gross, old furniture (couches, chairs), musty smell.
I can't believe how much it costs to stay here, and for that amount, you would expect the place to be updated. Next time we will probably stay in a newer hotel for the same price. -
Review from Charles S.
Salt Lake, UT
8/24/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The Fairmont is beautiful! The location is fantastic! We were able to walk nearly everywhere we wanted to go and a couple of different cable car lines go right past it for longer journeys.
The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They were always looking for ways to make our stay more comfortable and enjoyable, including the huge room upgrade we were given at no charge!
There is a TON of history in this old building and rumor has it there are a few ghosts. We didn't see, hear or smell any of the ghosts, but we really enjoyed our stay. -
Review from Ava D.
Euless, TX
8/26/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I really don't know what is so great about this place. It's not any better than other hotels I've stayed at, in fact in some ways it is worse.
Gripes:
1. It's located on top of a very steep hill! So if you plan to walk to and from it, it's quite the workout (a plus I guess), but if you have any kind of bags/luggage it's too cumbersome. If you have any kind of back/leg problems, be ready to spend on either a rental car or cab each time you come and go.
2. There is NO laundry bag in their ridiculously large closet. All other hotels - the Marriott's/Starwood's/Hyatt's always have a bag for laundry/dry cleaning.
3. There is no complimentary water whatsoever. I can excuse this because maybe you need status for this.
4. The bathroom is tiny, but there is a walk-in closet. Really, a walk-in closet when traveling? I'm not going to pack so much stuff that I need such a large closet. But a bathroom with counter space to place my toiletries would be very helpful. Instead all my stuff is spread around the room.
Positives:
The room size is pretty large and stately, which is good, but when all these other things bother me, I can't get excited about the room size.
Like previous comments, the lobby is rather magnificent.
You have the opportunity to ride the Cable Car ($6/ride), which I is San Francisco symbol.
All the staff I interacted with were helpful and nice to talk to. -
Review from Tim H.
San Mateo, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Really not loving this hotel. I know it's a Fairmont and I know it's on Nob Hill...but that's where it ends. The exterior of the hotel and the lobby/bar area are stately and extravagant. The rooms are terrible! I have had better accommodations at a Holiday Inn Express...not joking! The bed was super small and uncomfortable. The furnishings were old and I don't mean they were traditional, they were that too, but they were dated/old. The food here was pretty good and the views of the City and Bay were nice but that's about it. There are so many nicer hotels down by Union Square so nope, I won't stay here again.
P.S. - There really isn't much of a neighborhood around this hotel so therefore, you're pretty much stuck unless you cab somewhere. Remind me again why people like living here?!? It's foggy from 5pm until noon...might as well be in Pacifica! -
Review from Dan C.
San Diego, CA
1/17/2012
The facilities are beatuiful, everything you would expect for a hightend hotel. We tried to go to the bar for a drink and there were no opentables and they would not let us sit directly at the bar and order food and there was no one there! So we went to our room and were able to order a quesidilla and wings for 60 bucks. We went back later that evening after going out on the town for dinner thinking we whould have an night cap(they were not busy) and we had to flag down the server and after 15 our drinks were not delivered, my wife was so angry she went to the bar to see where they were and they would not give her the drinks. Wehn they did deliver them they forgot hers..oops. If your going to pay 400+ per night please pretend to act like a 4 Star hotel. Not that much to ask.
-
Review from Annette D.
Burlingame, CA
12/29/2011
Just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary at the Fairmont San Francisco! They really now how to roll out the red carpet. From the doorman to the front desk we were warmly welcomed- the lobby is simply amazing! Completely dressed to the 9s. Gigantic gingerbread house and beautiful, enormous Christmas tree. The service was impeccable. Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in our room! We stayed in the tower with a view of Alcatraz, the golden Gate and Marin. Bed was plush- frette sheets! And the marble bathroom was large and very clean. We've stayed in many hotels, but the Fairmont is special. Traditional SF elegance at its best. Highly recommended! Join the Presidents club and Wi-Fi is free.
-
Review from Dom G.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have come to this legendary place for a number of times and they always fabulous ! Love the place and most of all, I really love their staffs and services.
-
Review from Jedd J.
Chicago, IL
11/28/2011
Very old fashioned. Large rooms and closets for SF, room smells a bit musty
-
Review from Tiffany H.
La Jolla, CA
6/22/2011
I purchased the Groupon where we got the Deluxe King Tower with a city view for $187 (normally priced at $375). Valet was another $50 but it was worth it. One of the most beautiful hotels I have ever been in. Got to see the sunset over San Francisco from our room and it was breathtaking, to say the least. Of course, the hotel itself is lovely just to walk through. The different rooms, the layout, the architecture...absolutely stunning.
The location is great too with a gorgeous view from atop Nob Hill the moment you step out. Chinatown is easily within walking distance.
The only reason why I'm taking off one star is that the walls are thin since the hotel is somewhat old. I could definitely hear people above me as well as conversations in the hallway.Listed in: Groupon Deals
-
Review from vee v.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2011
3.5 star...
Our firm had our 10th anniversary celebration in the Penthouse suite. Top notched / Breathtaking view. Their menu is scrumptious!!!! Sauteed shrimp was yummy, just enough seasoning and garlic!
Came here once for a wedding on rooftop, gorgeous hotel.
Held several fashion shows/event in their Grand Ballroom. Huge! The only complaint was, the garbage area/door was open during our rehearsals, so it reeks of horrible smell.
i have yet to stay overnight... -
Review from Graham Y.
Lynden, WA
6/24/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The Fairmont- WOW
Gorgeous deluxe hotel that is worth every penny. Loved it. Our room was larger than my college dorm...was more like the size of my first house! The view we had was not great but OK. The rooftop garden terrace, not really on the roof, was nice but since its SF it was a little chilly.
The architecture was amazing. will go back given the chance. Super service. When the concierge was slammed the bellhops hopped to it! They tried very hard to help despite the lack of knowledge and my lack of ability to understand through the thick accents. We were always pointed in the right direction.
Don't rent a car take a cab, MUNI, BART, or walk. The hills would be good for you! Loved the special touches such as chocolate strawberries and champagne on our anniversary. Loved it! -
Review from Domo S.
San Francisco, CA
7/8/2011
This is one of my favorite hotels in San Francisco.
Building: I love this hotel's architecture. The inside of the hotel is amazing and beautiful. It reminds me of an old world hotel. The outside garden and fountain is a great place to take your drink and smoke a cigar in the spring and summer.
Location: Solid location but you have to deal with the hills if you are on foot. Save your feet... take a taxi.
Staff: Friendly, helpful, and quick to please.
Rooms: Large, clean, and well appointed. Splurge and get a room with a balcony if you can (and then order breakfast in the room). Good size bathroom and huge walk in closet.
Food/Drink: The lounge is great and you must eat at the Tiki Room. Room service is prompt and delicious. -
Review from Raider J.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/10/2011
I just came back from a business trip here. When I arrived, the Hotel Mgt took great care of me and my business colleagues. I got reserved parking at the front entrance of the hotel and got my favorite room with the views of Coit Tower and the Bay.
The Fitness Ctr is one of the best of any hotel and the service is always outstanding. One of the best things about the room is the cable tv.......it has 50+ channels.......a cool thing when most hotels only offer 10.
During my stay this week, Barry Bonds, his entourage and 100+ gorgeous models were there.........so cool!
The Fairmont treats VIP's with old town charm and class!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/5/2010
I stayed here over the weekend for a business trip and just returned today.
This hotel is old school… Read more »
-
-
Review from Alicia A.
Contra Costa, CA
7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
4.5 Stars.
My auntie is a huge fan of this hotel! Thanks to her I've had the pleasure of attending a birthday party in the main room (idk the name. it's the one where right when you enter, then walk straight past the bar), another birthday party in the Presidential Room and a wedding anniversary in the Gold Room.
Out of the three that I've been in I think the Presidential Room is the best. It's not as big as the Gold Room or the Main Room, but it has the BEST view of the city! Idk if it's on the highest floor, but it's definitely close it. The room is surrounded by windows all around. It fit about 100 of us very comfortably and it's a lot more intimate than the other rooms. Don't get me wrong, the Gold Room and Main Room are both BEAUTIFUL, but the nothing can compare to that amazing view! -
Review from John D.
4/2/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I know, I know, it's probably really in the 4-4 1/2 STAR range because it has NO POOL.
But I don't care because I simply love the place. We normally don't put on the dog, so to speak, preferring small less expensive boutique hotels but we've always wanted to give this place a try.
Steeped in history with a gorgeous lobby, it's hard not to fall in love with this hotel. The service was exemplary and our room was of a nice size with a view of the Transamerica building and the water beyond.
Any negative aspects? Well, yes. No pool. No coffee in the room. California line cable cars not running, and Powell lines breaking down frequently.
Ambiance/Decor - 5 STARS
Service - 5 STARS
Amenities - 4 STARS
Location - 5 STARS
HOT TIP: Join their President's Club (it's free) and you can use the fitness center (which is quite nice) without charge. -
Review from Mike V.
Updated - 10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I attended our annual attorney convention last year and the year before and also stayed here at the Fairmont and although the rooms are somewhat dated, they do an amazing job making them feel modern and luxurious. AMAZING service as well. The location is a little tough for walking so expect to take a lot of cabs. As for the food, we ate there a few days during the convention and really enjoyed it (although the service is notoriously slow so hopefully you aren't in a rush).
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/22/2010
Naturally, this is a gorgeous hotel with a great history. Amazing for conventions, and the rooms are… Read more »
-
-
Review from maureen m.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 3/12/2011
On short notice I needed to check in to the Fairmont. The reservation person hooked me up with a room that was not to be believed- full panoramic views of SF and the bay, corner, unobstructed.
As always, the place was a total class act from the time of arrival. I had trouble when my computer stopped working, and they sent an engineer to the room to get me up and running again. A prawn cocktail and caprese salad delivered by my beloved room service in a snappy 20 minutes took care of my hunger fit.
I had to leave for work really early in the morning, and room service took my order the night before, and woke me up to start my day right. They even made something for me not on the menu! A quick phone call had the valet pull my car up to the front of the hotel, and it was there by the time I got downstairs.
Let me say something about the decor. The beds are divine, and you slink into a semi-coma state immediately. The bathroom was shiny marble, with a soaking tub AND a beautiful glass shower. I felt like a celebrity sitting at my desk, gazing out over the city, while visions of Coit Tower lulled me to sleep at night.
The bar is beautiful, and uses only fresh ingredients for their cocktails. We ordered some crabcakes and cocktails, and they let us take them back to the room so we could relax, as it was a long day.
I will look for any excuse to go back to the Fairmont. An admitted "hotel ho" by nature... they are the best in the business!Listed in: Services fit for a princess, Taxi to.....and await…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/19/2010
Wheel that table right up next to me in bed, baby!
While my favorite local high end hotel is the… Read more »
-
-
Review from Joe K.
San Francisco, CA
7/14/2011
Okay, this is a wedding-related review from the point of view of a wedding photographer. The Fairmont affords some photographic opportunities as well one drawback.
The Fairmont had its own television show so what can one possibly say about the Fairmont that hasn't already been said? The lobby is a smashing piece of San Franciscian neo-classical architecture and Victorian furnishings and a plethora of palms. It's a cultural landmark atop Nob Hill, and a place you should see it at least once.
There are, indeed, beautiful, ornate rooms at the Fairmont: The famous Venetian Room, the Gold Room, the Pavilion Room, the Crown Room, and the Penthouse Suite.
I've photographed weddings at the Fairmont a couple of times and found just one, and only one, drawback. If you want a good variety of wedding photos, I believe that you probably should go somewhere in addition to the Fairmont. Other venues offer me the opportunity of indoor and outdoor photography, a winery for example. As ornate as the Fairmont is, there isn't a garden or a beach, somewhere with greenery, to use as settings. I also lose the opportunity to shoot silhouettes against the light, embracing, laughing, kissing, and hugging against the setting sun. You get it.
The Fairmont has hosted thousands of weddings, and many have been high-end clientele, so expect great, if not outstanding, service. They're the ultimate pros and know how to do it with ease and grace.
A plus for a wedding at the Fairmont is that it has a room where it's possible to do a quick change from an outdoor set-up to an indoor one if the weather should turn rainy or cold. That's a real plus. There aren't many wedding venues with that sort of flexibility.
And here's a big plus: you can party all night long--well almost. Bring your own caterer and beverages and it's a party! That's pretty cool--especially for Russians. And I swear, every other wedding in San Francisco is a Russian wedding (I exaggerate just a little). -
Review from Earl Y.
Pasadena, CA
11/5/2011
For a classy place and such high status, the fairmont disappoints.
My sister had her wedding reception here, and they paid 300 per person, and the main entree was fish and steak. The fish was supposed to be crusted with lobster sauce. What arrived was plain fish without any crust and sauce so it tasted like foam. My mom (the mother of the bride) who doesn't like meat, got 2 steaks instead of having fish and steak. We complained but every word fell on deaf dumb ears. Not only that my daughter was supposed to have spaghetti prearranged as a special dish for her and it took at least 5 unpleasant conversations to get it right.
Other disappointments.
1) terrible room service. I have never met a greater idiot in my life. The person who serves our breakfast could not understand request to heat some food via microwave, which the hotel does for free. Thankfully, the guy who does it for lunch and dinner was good and knew what he was doing. So only 3 out of 6 requests were done improperly.
2) terrible housekeeping. We had left our room for maybe 6 hours, and the maid was late in tidying up. This happened to my aunt's room as well. They don't check if your soap has run out. They also don't seem to change the bed sheets as often as they should.
3) Internet service was crappy after the second day of our stay. You need to reconnect again and again after a few minutes.
4) a little bit more noisy at night time than most high class hotels that I have stayed in.
5) Tonga room food was not up to par.
I will never stay or eat at any fairmont ever again.
The only reason why I am not giving it one star is that there were a few decent people that we interacted with and it has a great location. -
Review from Lorrie M.
2/19/2011
I really dig the decor of the Fairmont hotel even though they all seem to look more or less the same from the outside. This one really exemplifies what the Fairmont has always meant to me, a fantastic high class hotel with a wanna-be old world feel and plenty of modern luxury included.
They hosted Gold Rush a few years back which is an exotic cars race similar but on a much, much, much smaller scale to Gumball 3000 so I had the chance to see their coordination, hospitality and luxury skills in action. All three were exceptional from what I can see and their restaurant was delicious and not as much of an arm and a leg like I thought it would be.
I'm a big fan of boutiques in San Francisco only because it really helps me to get away and remind me that I'm not just 54 minutes from home, but this was a treat indeed. -
Review from p w.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2011
I really love going to tea at the fairmont. The tea and goodies are excellent. They used to have a harpsichordist, but I haven't seen one in years. Maybe I just missed them. Can't beat the fairmont
