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270 reviews for The Westin St. Francis
A Great place to be when your in town.
People are soo friendly and helpful can't ask for anything more.
The city is fabulous!
Great location, once you're there. Fighting the traffic to get there is another story, but if you'd managed, you've then got the cable car and the glories of Union Square.
Here's your tip, if you can be out by 8am, park at the garage 3 blocks away for $6 instead of paying $56 at the hotel.
A wonderful stay at the Westin as expected! Everyone here was very nice and helpful! I stayed here for a wedding and because the wedding was held here, they gave us great rates as well.
The hotel itself is very beautiful and of course, excellent location in San Francisco!
I did knock down a star because I was surprised at the bathroom! It wasn't as nice as others I have seen.
The hotel was very accommodating to us especially after an incident that made us known that night! ;)
I would definitely recommend staying here if you're going to be in the San Francisco area and want to be near everything!
We have stayed several times at this place and each time its good. I like that they have a plasma tv and you can hook up your ipod or whatever on it. The bathroom amenities are superb, and I appreciate that they do have an iron and a full size blow dryer (not those stupid mini ones). The room was a decent size (for being in SF) and I would say about 400 SF.
The best part was the good view of Union Square. I was there on the 2nd weekend of Nov and you can see them putting up the Christmas tree and the ice rink in Union Square.
We rented a room for the night so we wouldn't have to worry about driving back home after the Thriller Bash this past weekend. We stayed in one of their rooms with a sweet view of the city! We had an awesome time at the party since it was all you can drink and we got there early before the lines got too long so we def got our money's worth.
I will definitely stay here again. The beds were comfortable, they're pet friendly (a huge plus since I have 2 lovely pups).
Would recommend this place for out of towners since it's close to everything in SF - shopping, Union Square, chinatown, the embarcadero etc.
My only complaint? One of their employees was extremely rude to my cousin and for the price we paid for the room, she did not deserve to be treated that way. I'm still rating them 4 stars since the stay overall was fabulous and I wouldn't let one rude employee ruin our stay.
PLEASE READ - GOOD REASON WHY NOT TO STAY HERE
I was planning my proposal and prepaid for a King Grand Deluxe three weeks ahead of time. When I checked in on Friday evening, I was offered an upgrade to a suite. Normally, I would jump on this like a cougar would pounce on 21 yo boytoy, but I digress. I asked about the view and when told it was limited, I turned it down. I was then told nothing about the room I was going to get, just given the key cards. I had to go up to the room to realize that I was not given what I had prepaid for (lower floor, not deluxe, peeling wallpaper, phone did not work, pubic hair in bathroom). When I called the front desk, I was told they did not have any more rooms of the category I, not reserved, but pre-paid for. When I asked to speak with a supervisor, Morris Chu came on and was very confrontational on the phone. He offered to charge me just the rate of the room I was given, but that was not ok with me. I wanted the room I pre-paid for. It was a special weekend and I wanted a nice room. When I told him I was not happy with his solution, he said "well, you always have the option to check out at any time." Girlfriend and I packed up our things and checked out at 2AM and paid last-minute rates at another hotel. BOOK THIS HOTEL AT YOUR OWN RISK, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
THANK YOU for being friendly to my puppy! :-) It had been awhile since my husband and I had been to the city because it's hard to find a dog sitter at times, but the Westin made our decision quite easy--let's take a weekend trip AND take Kobe!!!
They gave us a Westin Heavenly Doggie Bed, an oversized stainless steel bowl, a bag of doggie essentials, and the cutest little "Puppy Sleeping" door tag to hang from our door handle!
5-stars for amazing service, amazing location AND for being so pet friendly!
The walls are so thin I could hear other people's toilet flush all night long. And the doors slamming in the hallways. The location you cannot beat. We ate at Micheal Minna for dinner. Tiny portions for a lot of money. The complimentary breakfast was good. All I can really say is the location is great for San Francisco visitors.
Absolutely phenomenal.
Beautiful, grand, and luxurious, topped off with absolutely astounding views (from the higher levels) and fabulous location, the Westin St. Francis is truly a San Francisco gem. Beyond the appreciation of its aforementioned qualities, every little detail made this my weekend here amazing and unforgettable.
We nabbed a suite on the 27th floor of the new towers, and I am so glad we did because it was absolutely breathtaking. It is modern yet classic, intricate and simplistic, at the same time. The rooms come with every amenity imaginable; their florist is amazing and of very high quality as I've truly never seen more beautiful roses. Of course, who needs a view, amenities, or silly flowers when you have the most comfy luxurious signature Heavenly bed waiting to eat you up with its snugglicious goodness. It took quite a lot of effort for me to not buy the entire bed set as I have literally never had a better night's sleep in my entire life.
The customer service was wonderful and friendly, very accommodating to fit us in for massages at the last minute; excellent efficient room service, delicious food. (*I should note this complement does not apply to the lounge downstairs, which I was not impressed with whatsoever; this, unlike Michael Mina, which is just utterly stupendous).
Our stay here was so amazing, being we had the time off we asked if it would be possible to stay another night (at the rate I booked months earlier), and opps if all possible can we NOT move rooms? This is typically unheard of at most upscale hotels at 90% capacity, but they just replied with a smile and a no problem asking us if we wanted complementary champagne sent to the room for our patronage. WHAT?!?! Thank you Westin for a beautiful, absolutely perfect weekend in San Francisco. I can't wait to see you again.
Bar Review:
Escape the mad streets attend opulent bar enjoy the rush without the michael mina price and leave.
so this review is not really for staying in the hotel . but 1. a party in the alexander and victor rooms and 2. also a wedding in the same rooms.
for the party, the elevator situation was just a disaster. people would cram into the elevator and in cramming, they would accidentally push almost all the buttons going up. so the elevator would then stop and take forever to make the roundtrip.
the ventilation was also poor. the place got so hot, the windows started steaming up. i felt like i couldnt breathe.
for the wedding, i dont know why the staff was in such a rush. did they have to go home? the salads were literally thrown in front of us. one guys salad was rotating around on his charger, they had thrown it with such force.
dont have a wedding/party here!
I definitely have mixed feelings about this hotel - aside from the poor experience we had at their bar - there's a lot of good and bad with the place. I think that puts me over the top and gives it the 4 stars is the location. If you go to SF for the things that I like to go to - people watch, good eats, and shopping - then this hotel is located in a primo spot - right in the middle of union square! If you've got a good view, you can look down from your window and see the always colorful hearts that decorate the square. That alone would say that I'd be back to the hotel.
The service we received from just about all the staff was great as well - it's definitely what you'd expect from the Westin St. Francis. The rooms were on the smaller side - but I'd attribute it to the fact that it's SF.
I definitely can't complain about the bed... tons of pillows (which I love) and the sheets were soooo inviting! The decor of the room also gave you a little bit of a modern touch without taking away from the fact that the hotel has been around for quite some time. The restroom seemed a bit weird though - it was very narrow and went the entire width of the room. Hard to explain - but... weird.
Regardless, I'd definitely be back to stay because the location was perfect and the service was great. I thought that I'd be a little loud because it was so busy outside, but I slept like a baby =)
This hotel is located in a GREAT location, right in union square. We had a view of the park area (across from Levi's) from our room. There are two parts - the new side and old side.
Although the room was old, it was still had a lot of style and luxury.
My recent stay was over labor day weekend, in the older side. It was still very comfy! The bathroom didn't have ventilation and we had the old-style toilets with the bar handle flusher. BUT the shower had TWO shower heads!
Because it was older, it had the vintage chandeliers and door knobs. The king size bed was more comfortable than my own!
The walls were thin... I could hear my neighbors TV on all night. But that didn't bother me since my trip to SF was not centered around the hotel room.
Aside from the room, the lobby is HUGE with plenty of shops and restaurants to visit. The service is great!
First time in 9 years, my mom and I reunite with the city of Golden gates. Our mutual friend recommended Westin St Francis. Best thing about the hotel : Absolutely fabulous location. All the cool boutiques and restaurants are nearby and all the hip stores are within 5-10 minute walk. Everywhere I wanted to go was within walking distance. The hotel concierge people are also helpful and nice, recommending us places to grab a bite when I ring them up at midnight, my blood sugar crashing.
The rooms are small though, no matter which room you get. Not really a problem when the only thing you do in the hotel room is sleeping for minimal hours and going shopping till you drop.
too fancy for me, I swear I saw a kid in tha halls riding a big wheel, or reminded me of a good movie.....
Overall this place is really good. Rooms were comfy but the beds were too squishy for me, I like my beds firm
Honestly, I don't know what the fuss is all about. The place is so busy that you don't get good/great service from anyone. You have to wait in a long que at times to see the concierge who, though good, doesn't really have eclectic recs for the adventurous traveler.
The experience was forgettable. I'll leave it at that.
cons:
too many pan-handlers and rude tourist people.
small room
no free wifi in the lobby
pros:
shower with a sit down ledge (for flexy sexing?)
location is great if you don't have a car
free wifi across the street in the courtyard
I give this hotel a 3 star rating. They are normally very friendly but being SPG this hotel NEVER has any of the upgrades I am suppose to be entitled too. I have but basically in broom closets were there is no room to even move. The staff however is very friendly and smiles whenever they check you into these small rooms. The beds are comfortable but too me it just does not have Westin standards like other properties such as the one down the street. I understand it is historical but there are things called renovations.
It's a very old hotel, but it's still a Westin. You get a heavenly bed and a rockin' location in the city! steps away from fantastic shopping and some great restaurants, this is the perfect place to stay.
Smack in Union Square.
Great place to catch a cab.
Endless fun riding their amazing glass elevators.
Overview:
Clean, historic hotel in the heart of Union Square. It's close to shopping, restaurants and great city sights.
I've stayed at many hotels in San Francisco and I definitely don't think this is the absolute greatest in the City. However, you can't beat the price or location.
Positives:
Location - Union Square
Cleanliness
Price
Charm - building dates back to 1904
Taxi availability - they were always waiting by the curb
Negatives:
Elevators - they take forever to pick you up!
Service - not the kind of service you'd expect at a Westin. But heck, I guess if you want better service, you'd pay more and go to the Fairmont :-)
Some rooms have absolutely no view, like the one I had. If this is important to you, make sure you request a city view room.
My friends talked us into coming to the Westin for the Thriller Halloween host bar event. I am not a big drinker, but my friends like to booze things up a bit. We hopped into a taxi and arrived at the Westin around nine thirty. We walked around the corner and saw a huge ass line for will call. Wow so much for planning ahead. We ended up waiting about an hour to get our freggin tickets. However we did see some interesting costumes as we were waiting in line. Once inside, we checked in our coats and went to the bar. $60 for all you can drink all night...but here is the catch Long assssss lines and mini cups. Anyways the venue was pretty big, I think there were three separate rooms. The dj played some good songs, the costume contest was a bit lame, and the girls restroom was flooded by the end of the night (gross!). Take care of that shiet! Literally! But all in all I had fun even though I have very low tolerance for booze and high heels.
I had straight up sex with this hotel
Not *in* but *with*..... um wait I did that too
From start to finish, this hotel was like the finest piece of a$$..... er I mean, sweet sensual lover. I walked in and the place was stunning, old school charm and glamor but still elegant with places to explore. Like when you first get a glance at that special someone from across the room and your sexy bits tingle.
Then Westin (we're on a 1st name basis now, that's just how I do) teased me with a little waiting. There was a bit of a line to check in but it gave me time to oogle, ohh and ahh at the surroundings and squirm in anticipation for what was to come.
And then the moment finally came, the eagle had landed... it was time to unwrap the package, seal the deal, the big hop on pop, rock the kasbah..... I opened the door to the room and.... wow.
I spent the next 5 minutes literally exclaiming to my boyfriend "IT IS SO BIG! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT IS SO BIG! HONESTLY, OH MY SHIT, THIS IS AMAZING" (um.... hello. I'm still talking about the hotel room, perv) The corner room was HUGE! It was the biggest non suite room I had ever seen. There was a living room area, flat screen, 2 walls covered in windows, double headed shower (hey heyyyy!).
Plus, there was this crazy ass 'refreshment center' that automatically charged your room when you picked up things from the mini fridge because there were SENSORS in there! It was like a mix between mission impossible and Indiana Jones. I wanted to replicate that scene where he tries to steal the fertility idol by quickly switching it for a sandbag.... but that would be doin too much for a snickers bar.
God, this place was packed with pleasant surprises. Like the perfect lover, just when you thought it was great, it gets better.
Oh and that bed...... mmmmmmm.... I'm going to melt in place just by thinking about it. There's nothing better than rolling around in fluffy pillows and swimming in a sea of sheets all night. I just could not get enough. You know when you're at that point of doin it where you get kind of lucid with a mix of sexy and goofy?? Like you're not really sure where you are, you drink out of the actual bottle of champagne because you can't be bothered to pour it into a glass, you taste colors, you feel like you're on a boat?? (Um, that happens to everyone right?) Yes, that was me ALL NIGHT in this bed.
Best thing of all, I pricelined this fucker and got a blow my mind kind of deal. EIGHTY FIVE DOLLARS! And on Memorial day weekend to boot! It was my boyfriend's last night in civilization before he lives in a hut in Uganda doing aid work for 3 months so the good girlfriend in me wanted to go all out... but the Asian in me would rather kneel on rice for an hour than pay full price for a hotel. The Westin was the answer to my prayers... that is if God answers dirty, whore-ish, filthy, raunchy prayers.
A couple of my best girl friends and I decided to get a hotel room our junior year in high school - just because we had finished finals and summer was about to start.
We went to a fabulous dinner in Union Square one night and went back to the WSF to go back up to our hotel room.
My two girl friends and I were wearing little cutesy, strapless summer dresses and needless to say - we looked good. As we approached the elevator lobby, the girls and I were giggling about something stupid and all of a sudden -- we stopped.
Three gorgeous, beautiful, sexy BIG, 6'5 tall black men were waiting for an elevator -- and they all turned around when they heard us. I was momentarily blinded by a big phat ring on one of the guys' finger and the bling bling BLING around their necks. They were all sporting some fly, flyyyyyyy Italian, custom made suits, and they all had Gucci luggage.
They all smiled at us. I remember I had to crane my neck up to see their faces. I didn't say anything - "Damn, I wish I didn't have braces" - I thought to myself. As they got on the elevator, the girls and I just stood there.
"Well, are you girls coming in with us?" one of the men asked.
I nodded shyly.
Two wrinkly cougars on the prowl with their saggy boobies decided to bum-rush into the elevator with us. They stared at us and smirked - then looked up at the guys.
One of them gasped and said, "Ohmygoddd." She nudged her friend who also gasped and put her hand to her mouth.
I have never even seen a cougar speechless.
The men got off on the fourth floor -- and one of them winked at us as they left. The elevator door closed.
"Who were they? I liked that one guy's gold necklace." I told my girl friends.
"WHO WERE THEY?!?! Those were players from the NEW YORK YANKEES! DON'T YOU KNOW THEY'RE IN TOWN?" yelled one of the cougars.
"Whatever." I said to her. We went back to our room and I immediately looked up, "NEW YORK YANKEES."
Oh. That's cool that I stayed in the same hotel as them.
The place I called home for 4 nights was the Westin in Union Square.
We were able to get a steal on priceline for 75 bucks a night. However, as I read more reviews on priceline, basically anyone who books through a discount site gets placed in the "older" portion of the hotel. Also if you want 2 queens instead of the 1 king it was going to be a 20 dollar increase per night. We had 4 people in our group so we needed the 2 queens of course. But at $95 a night it was a still a great deal.
The room wasn't huge but not small, just enough room to put our stuff down and catch some rest. It's located on one of the 4 sides of Union square. We chose this location since basically all of the night clubs/bars were within walking distance. Also all of the shops surrounded us.
We didn't spend a lot of time in our rooms but when we did we laid in comfortable beds and soft sheets while enjoying HDTV. The cleaning crew made sure it was really tidy.
I was going to give this place a 4 star but when we checked out I forgot my watch and ring in one of the desk drawers. I realized a couple of hours later and went back to the front desk. They were really nice and helpful by giving me a key to the room to go back up and get it. She gave me the key even though my name was not on the room because she remembered my face when we checked out. Remembering a face is just a little extra touch this hotel brings to the table. I will stay here again the next time I am in SFO.
Excellent hotel. The staff was very pleasant the entire time, from the front desk to housekeeping. The rooms in the new part of the hotel were certainly much larger - while the old tower was recently renovated and is fine, the folks in my group that ended up in the new rooms had much larger rooms. Somehow our rate included free breakfast each day - a full breakfast, not a continental, and I probably would have paid for it anyway.
One thing to note - we called ahead and were assured that we wouldn't be charged if we had some boxes FedEx'ed to the hotel, and then at checkout I was charged $55.00 for "package handling." They ultimately agreed to waive it, but that shouldn't have been a problem.
One of the most comfortable rooms I've ever stayed in. This is a beautiful hotel - and the staff were very pleasant.
LOVE THE LOCATION
I was on the 21st floor and had a great view of the city - Coit Tower, the bay, etc. it was very nice.
My all time favorite hotel. Of all time. (Yes, it deserves to be said twice.)
The first time I stayed here may have been the first time I have ever stayed in a hotel. So am I biased? Maybe.
First, the glass elevators give you an amazing view of Union Square, one of my favorite places. My best friend Alison and I went up and down in them a dozen times. I would almost stay there just for the elevators.
But the rooms, the rooms are what sell me. The beds are so incredibly comfortable - totally the opposite of the typical hotel bed - with the most AMAZING linens. The bathrooms are huge, the showers are perfect, and there's even something wonderful about the toilets that I just can't quite put my finger on. And the views! Even if you get some obscure view of a parking lot, it will be the best view of a parking lot you've ever seen!
The only downfall is the price. You are definitely paying more for the location, but it's so close to EVERYTHING that it's totally worth it. The cable cars stop right in front, Neiman Marcus and Saks are just a block away, and if you don't want to leave, there are even stores (Goyard, Victoria's Secret) attached to the hotel.
I got married at the Wynn, but my heart belongs to the St. Francis.
Bottom line, I would live there.
attention lovers:
best elevator to have a cute makeout sesh over a beautiful downtown san francisco view ;)
So dark I thought a black hole had landed in Union Square. The Phantom of the Opera may show up any moment.
If I ever need a hotel, I go through Priceline and hope to get a fabulous place. They didn't disappoint me. Maybe I should write a review for Priceline?
I got a room at The Westin St. Francis for $80 (tax included) for a Sunday and a Monday night. When I got there, I wanted a room with a view of Union Square. I could get it, but it would be an additional $35 a night. So the final total was $115 a night.
For a Westin hotel with a view of Union Square -- I will take it.
There was a bar downstairs that looked nice. I didn't go in, so I can't judge too much about it, except that it looked like an okay place.
When I got to my room, I saw my room and it was nice. Nice bed and tv. Plenty of space to walk around. And best of all, the room I got had a nice view. Please look at the pictures I took from my room. the bathroom was nice and clean. I liked the double showerhead. The water pressure of the toilet was strong. When you flush, it seemd like it would suck everything in the bathroom. I guess if you are trying to conserve water, that isn't the best thing, but I liked it.
The location of this hotel is perfect. From the airport, I took the BART and got off on Powell and walked about 3 blocks to the hotel. It is an easy walk from restaurants, bars, clubs and places to shop.
Great value alert at the The Westin St. Francis. We stayed Friday till Sunday morning for just under $290.00. Perfect location to enjoy downtown SF adjacent to Union Square. Nice room great view with drum roll king size heavenly bed man that's one comfy bed. Only drawback as mentioned by other yelper yes elevators are very slow and scary as shit definite E ticket ride but for the value, location, view and Heavenly Beds 5 stars baby, I will be back - you bet!
My wife and I stayed here during a recent family/work cross-over trip to sf. They put us in the recently (last week?) re-done old wing of the hotel- the original hotel, I believe. Holy cow they did a great job- our room faced Union Square? I felt like a railroad robber baron for sure.
Here's my advice: Beg to be placed in the "old" wing- beg! So worth it. It makes the newer rooms look sad by comparison.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/23/2008
It's a decent Westin location- above average marks for the history, but it's still a modern,… Read more »
I'll never forget the party we had at this place on the night of November 4, 2008.
Great service, great rooms, and their ballrooms were all ready and running well before 4pm.
On my recent stay they gave me a room in the new tower with union square view. New, moderinstic, well furnished rooms with excellent views. i will highly recommned staying in new tower. It will definitely make your S.F visit worthwhile
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/26/2009
Location, Location and Location!! that is all this hotel has to offer . it is two blocks from Bart… Read more »
Stayed here 3 times over the past 6 months. Disappointed in service and the size of the standard rooms. Towels are totally bleached out, the boyfriend had his towel around his waist... and when he bent over.... it ripped.... right down the crack line! It was hilarious but sad.
My friend got on the phone to talk to the front desk regarding a 1pm check out (we were still drunk but hungover at the same time). The haughty front desk man cut her short and insisted a $30 charge. Pissed off me screamed across the room: 'I'm GOING TO YELP YOUR ASS' and guess what, we can check out at 2pm as a 'courtesy to us'
location was amazing, but i live in the city so it's not big friggin deal.
I got married here last April and it was just beautiful. The view, the service, food, arrangment,...were all great. The staff and specially my event coordinator/manager Natasha were awsome. I couldnt do it without her. She made one of the most stress full time of every couple getting married for the first time, that much easier. She was calm, collected and super helpful. She stayed through the entire evenng and made sure everything went well. Our guests are still talking about it every where we go. Although in general I think weddings are over rated but it was Worth every penny ( if you are going to have a wedding :)) .
This place made me feel fancy.
I think if I had to live in a hotel, this would be very "me": it's a hundred-plus year old SF landmark that has been updated and fine-tuned to give just a hint of contemporary boutique hotel. It's a luxury hotel, but you don't get that obnoxious feeling of "look at me! look at me!" that comes with most hotels with a $300 a night price tag. I don't really know how to best describe it other than I felt like I was Kate Winslet in Titanic. Or Eloise at the Plaza. Just really old-fashioned fancy.
The hotel has really expensive boutiques in the lobby, including one of my favorites, Baccarat (every little girl's wedding fantasy maker of crystal decanters) as well as a fantastic restaurant (I didn't try it -- can you believe it was $200 a head!!! -- but I jealously listened to richer people than myself exclaim that it was "devine").
I think my favorite part of the St. Francis, aside from it's central Union Square location, is the external glass elevator ride up to the top floor. You have an INCREDIBLE panoramic view of San Francisco from that thing. Stunning. And this was my first SF trip so it was especially breathtaking. I had no idea how much I missed a real city since I moved away from Manhattan.
Based on the other reviews here I'm a little suspicious of what the hotel used to be, but I can assure you... if you're staying in the newer wing of the building you will find it worth your big bucks.
I came here for the NCSDC Awards Gala last week. Our company was a sponsor, so we got a table for ten. I got to eat and drink on the company!
This was my 2nd year attending the gala, and the Westin always puts on a good event. They are very well organized and their staff is always friendly. They had plenty of servers so the hors d'oeuvres were easy to get. Pama Liqueur sponsored the cocktail hour, so I couldn't say no to the Pama-tinis.
Usually, mass-produced hotel dinners are not very good. Food is usually overcooked and dry, but the food at the Westin has always been very good. The theme of the night was "Bollywood", so I chose the chicken and shrimp tandoori( http://static.px.yelp.... ). The chicken was moist and flavorful, and they actually used jumbo shrimp which were super succulent. They served a chocolate dessert( http://static.px.yelp.... ). It looked like a cake, but when you cut into it, it had somewhat of a mousse texture. Whatever it was, it was delicious, and I cleaned my plate!
This is a very nice venue for a banquet or party. I'll be back again for next year's gala!
the location is great! right across from union square.
i stayed here twice, the last time was for the nike half marathon. i enjoyed both stays. the room seemed more historic and older but still nice the first time. the second time, the room was more modern like the other westins - i'm not sure if they updated all the rooms or if the location of the room mattered - they seem to have a lot!
the lobby was very cool with super high ceilings - michael mina is there.
parking is expensive! $49/day with in and out privileges
I stay here for business quite often. The rooms in the Tower are modernized and updated compared to the original building.
The hotel staff are wonderful to work with and always offer me great service. The MacArthur Suite is a beautiful room with a huge living room, kitchen and bedroom.....
The State suite is a little bit larger and has a very trendy modernized look.
Stay at the St Francis and re-visit old SF history...Plus you will be staying at the heart of San Francisco close to world famous Union Square shopping and restaurants.
