I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Handlery Union Square Hotel in San Francisco, and I can confidently say it was a wonderful experience from start to finish. One of the highlights of my stay was the exceptional service provided by the staff. Joyce, in particular, stood out--she was incredibly kind, funny, and genuinely helpful. She went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect, and her warm personality made a lasting impression. The rest of the staff were equally welcoming and attentive, always ready to assist with a smile. The hotel itself was very comfortable. The rooms were clean, well-maintained, and provided a relaxing space to unwind after a day of exploring the city. I also really enjoyed the pool area--it was a great spot to relax and recharge, adding an extra touch to the overall experience. read more

I've never felt so mixed about a hotel before. I've stayed at a lot of hotels in the city at this point, so it's hard to rate one without comparing it to the others. Appearance-wise, the Handlery definitely falls short. The hotel feels pretty dated overall, and I noticed peeling paint on both my bedroom and bathroom ceilings. The room itself was also on the small side, and the TV was so tiny it reminded me of the TVs I had as a kid. There were a few other little things that felt outdated or poorly thought out. The cups are too small for the coffee machine unless you're careful not to fill it with too much water. The coffee is Wolfgang Puck, but it comes in sachets rather than pods, which I'm not crazy about, and instead of actual creamers you get powdered packets--not exactly a gourmet coffee experience. The air-conditioning unit is old and noisy, although I actually found the sound almost ambient and didn't mind it. The water pressure in the bathroom isn't great but I loved that the water got hot quickly. The elevators are old and sluggish, but on the plus side, I appreciate that you don't need to use your room key to operate them. The handle on my toilet was loose, but I was impressed by how quickly the hotel fixed it after I reported it. The bed only came with two pillows, but it was pretty comfortable. More importantly, my room was surprisingly quiet, which I really appreciated and made it much easier to get a good night's sleep. The fitness center looks a little depressing, but the machines worked well, and thankfully it was pretty empty when I used it. Where the Handlery really does well is cleanliness and service. The hotel was very clean, and everyone I encountered, from the front desk staff to housekeeping, was consistently courteous. I also really like that the hotel is family-owned. There are photos and stories on a hallway wall about the multiple generations of family members who have managed it, which gives the hotel some personality and history that you don't get from a big chain. Overall, there's a lot about the Handlery that feels dated and could use some updating, but the cleanliness, quiet room, courteous staff, and family history gave me plenty to appreciate too. It's one of those hotels where I kept noticing flaws while also finding reasons to like it. read more

I made the unfortunate mistake of dropping my ID in my room before I left. Housekeeping found it fortunately, but now it has been nearly two weeks and they have not mailed it back to me like they said they would. I have spoken to people at the front desk, spoken to a manager, and tried to call the housekeeping line multiple times but nobody picks up. Apparently only housekeeping is allowed to mail property back, not even managers which is just absurd. I realize this started with my own mistake but the degree of "It's not my problem" attitude I have gotten is enough for me to recommend against anyone staying there ever. If you have a problem they will absolutely not help resolve it. read more

The Handlery was clean, staff were polite and everything was great! It's not often that the showers in rooms are super clean and this one was. We had two rooms and they both were clean. Only thing missing is a hair dryer but that's ok! Location is great, right in Union Square. Parking is limited so we parked at the street side and that was fine. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - View from across the street - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

The Handerly Hotel was recommended by a close friend. I had to attend a conference in San Francisco and it was a good fit since it is located a block from Union Square. The holiday atmosphere at Christmas time was amazing. It was all lit up and super busy. The King Size room I stayed in for a few nights meet my needs and gave me an opportunity to rest before my meeting. I was fortunately enough able to check out local restaurants near Union Square. We went to John's Grill which was two blocks from the hotel. This room had a lot of great amenities that I do not find in more hotels I stay at. For example, they had a toothbrush and toothpaste gel and mouthwash in the bathroom. There was also a hair dryer, refrigerator and bathroom scale. A bathroom for going to the on-site pool and sauna. The garage staff was helpful and helped me unload and whisked my car away. The front desk staff was great and was always accommodating when visiting the lobby and assisting me with directions. Overall, this was a great stay and look forward to another one in the near future. read more

See all

Wish I could give 0 stars. Hair in shower upon arrival. Informed front desk and they said they would send someone to clean while we were out for a few hours. We returned and the shower was not clean. Very poor service. Never booking here again. read more

See all

I had enjoyed this hotel very much. I stayed for five nights. It doesn't have all the glamour and amenities of many hotels but was more than sufficient for travelers. The staff were consistently nice and friendly. The room was clean and neat, and had everything one would need. The location cannot be beat. With less than one block to Union square, cable cars, theaters and numerous restaurants it is the BEST deal in town. I will definitely stay there again. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - View from room on the sixth . Union Square is visible in the center of the picture. Classic San Francisco. - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Do not stay here. The hotel is old and smells musty but the real issue is the beds. They are extremely uncomfortable, it is hard and has absolutely no support. The hotel will not help you as you have already checked in and the hotel is nonrefundable. Buyer beware, you do not want to stay here. I'm going to end up in the ER if I don't find another place to stay. read more

Everything! Superior food. Great prices. Outstanding service. Beautiful solid wood table gorgeous read more

As if the mold in the room, the sink leaking water everyone and the bathtub not working wasn't bad enough I have been calling for a week just trying to see if a tablet was left. The first call a tablet was found in a room with a number way too similar to mine that match the description of mine. The lady said I would have to call back when somebody from housekeeping is there I have proceeded to call housekeeping multiple times throughout the week and left messages with no answer. I called this morning and get the very first lady that I talked to and she was not pleasant. She said very rudely that she was the one that I talk to first I said I understand that, but I've had no conversation with anybody else since then and I've tried multiple times she kept routing me to a number that would disconnect. After calling again, I requested to speak to a manager. I spoke to somebody at the front desk who again was incredibly rude and unhelpful. At this point you spend almost 1000 to stay for two nights to get rude unhelpful staff members who can honestly care less once you leave. I will never stay here again and I would like a manager to reach out read more

Wonderful spot straddling union square and the Tenderloin. Rooms have nice balconies. We enjoyed the sauna, which they can set up for you upon request. Clean, comfortable rooms. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - Balcony open sliding window view of the city. - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great experience staying at Handlery's Union Square hotel last Saturday night. Upon arrival to our room, we had ample water and snacks waiting for us. Also, my wife appreciated having a separate vanity equipped with a magnifying mirror - not common with most of the big brand hotels. The location was very convenient to attend a Union Square fundraiser event for CF Foundation. Thanks for the friendly service! read more

I would not stay here again. Moldy smell and simply not nice. Some staff were nice and others not so much. It's very close to many things so there's that. This hotel is outdated and truly needs some TLC and better airflow. read more

See all

We stayed here two nights in a premier king room. The hotel is older but has charm. It was in a good location for the things we wanted to do. Room was large. They have a heated pool. No onsite breakfast but provided a coupon for nearby cafe. read more

If it had been anywhere close to what it looks like online we would have been happy. But this was pure bait and switch. Even after being offered a discount we had to leave. The smell was something else. TV was broken also. Manager was a jerk, but had very obviously dealt with unhappy guests before who didn't get what they paid for. The Westin across the street was only slightly more, but clean and didn't smell like feet. Absolute nightmare. read more

See all

During our visit couple of visits to the Bay area many years ago, we had nothing but underwhelming and disappointing hotel experiences. Handerly Union Square Hotel finally changed our unlucky streak with San Francisco hotels! (+) Very friendly and professional staff. We arrived about 4-5 hours before check in time just to inquire about the possibility of an early check in. Without hesitation, the gentleman at the front desk checked us in early and wished us well on our time in the city. What a fantastic way to start our experience here! (+) The room was pretty spacious and had plenty of square footage all things considered. The beds were quite comfortable, I did love the blackout curtains, and we had about 50-60 channels to choose from on the TV. (+) Honestly, the best thing about this place is the location! You are a 5-minute walk to Union Square. You have several public transit options all within a 5-10-minute walk. We were an equal distance away from Oracle Park and Fishermans Wharf, so that made it really convenient to hit the places we came to visit. Additionally, you have a ton of food and beverage options within a stone's throw of the property! It's hard to beat this location! (-) the hotel, while clean and well maintained, is a bit long in the tooth and can smell a bit musty in places. It's an older property, so I wasn't exactly shocked. (n/a) did not use the pool or parking/valet services so I can't speak to those. The pool looked clean, but was one of those simple, plain rectangle jobs. I really enjoyed our brief time at the Handerly Union Square Hotel and would not hesitate to recommend it or stay here again! 4 solid stars. read more

See all

We've stayed at this hotel several times and never experienced so many inconveniences in one night. We get there and they inform us our vehicle is over sized so it's $10 extra a night. Then they tried to overcharge us by putting $75 x 4 =$350 when it was $300 plus tax. Then on the day of my surgery they refused to let us get the car until we settled our parking bill. Which has never been an issue and we always pay at the end of our stay. Instead they kept charging the credit card all night long until the morning when we had to settle it in cash. Because of our budget. It was horrible and frustrating and so uncomfortable on top of the stress I already had from coming to have a major procedure done. Everyone just seemed rude. read more

We had a horrible interaction with the front desk manager, Darwin: Our flight from TX to SF was delayed over 12 hours and counting and so we had to call and let them know we couldn't make our stay and our whole vacation was likely going to have to be cancelled. We had booked the rate that was 100% refundable up to the day prior to our stay, so we were in a tough spot as it was the day-of. I booked through a third party and they attempted to speak with the front desk manager to get us a full refund since the trip cancellation was no fault of our own. They were declined, so I tried calling to speak with someone and see what we could do. I asked to speak with the front desk manager, then was transferred to FOUR different people - all not who I needed to talk to. I finally got Darwin on the line and tried to explain what happened and he continuously cut me off and very aggressively told me to go through the third-party. I tried explaining that we did already do that but I was needing a managers name and permission for them to fully refund me, but I literally couldn't get one full sentence out with him YELLING at me to go through the third-party. It was to the point where I even asked him what the aggression and rudeness was for, as I'm just asking for help on a really awful day for me and my family. Before I could finish that sentence, he was hollering at me again! He started saying he would refund me but I had to go through the third-party. I finally raised my voice and clearly told him that I just need his name and they'll contact him for a refund (this is all I needed the whole time). He refused to give me his last name at request. I was able to get my stay refunded, which I am very grateful for. But after our vacation was already ruined by flight issues, this was a very horrible addition to a really hard day. My feelings are hurt by this hotel and I wouldn't recommend anyone to stay here by the lack of care and empathy from their management. There's so many better options nearby. read more

Hole in the roof with part of it hanging down, lobby to parking is a journey but all in all, I truly enjoyed my stay here. Friendly service, clean room, location and the pool was a great touch but too cold for us. read more

We stayed here to support the hotels on strike. This was right across the street from Marriott I believe. The hotel is very dated/historic, whatever you want to call it but the employees are definitely nice. Front desk agent was super sweet, apologetic because a bonus we booked for the room was unavailable. She was fast to check in, which was good because I was tired. The valet/bell were also very fast. We parked and they told us they would take our bags up. They beat us to the room and bags were delivered in proper condition. As stated the hotel is on the older side. They have this manual elevator to take you from the lobby to the rooms. I was feeling lazy so I got in and omg the entire thing was shaking and is literally manually operated by a button you hold to go up and down. (Its for those in a wheelchair but atleast they made it ADA accessible.) I would not take the elevator if you have luggage. Despite the age, it's located very central. I think we were 10 min to historic Chinatown. (Tip, don't stare at the Uncles playing cards in the park, they looked at us sus...) Near Fisherman's Wharf as well. Within walking distance to a large parked and other Christmas events so it was worth it. Also wanted to note, their employee of the year was a Vietnamese man and as a Viet person, way to represent uncle! read more

We stayed two nights here. We had a concert to go to so we decided to stay an extra night. We liked the hotel! The pool looked really nice and staff were nice as well. Our room was clean and check in was smooth as long with valet parking. Would stay here again. read more

It's a charming older hotel with a unique charm. We usually stay here when we see a Giants game. It's a quick Uber ride over to the game and the hotel is reasonably priced compared to some others. The bed was comfy, but we weren't a fan of the pillows. A little disappointed they charge for parking now though. read more

The location was fantastic, very clean and the front desk evening clerk was fantastic

This hotel had " decent " reviews on my capital one travel. It's a very old hotel. Don't get fooled by the word historic because let me say - historic is a cover up for incredibly old and smelly. The minute you walk in the lobby smells like urine and old carpet. The woman in the front desk was really kind and helpful. They sent me to my room and first thing I see on the bathroom floor. A dead roach. They upgraded my room immediately, walked me thru a very smelly , gross hotel. The second room is larger but then I see a glob of hair in the shower. I don't want to shower. I don't feel comfortable even sleeping in this bed. I stripped the sheets to make sure there weren't any surprises; idk how much sleep I'll get in this hotel. Please just pay the little extra and go to a nice place. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - Hair ball in the shower after they upgraded me For having a dead roach in the bathroom - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

We have stayed at the Handlery multiple times now so wanted to write a review. The most recent being this week. Pros: - Location in Union Square - Close to cable car turnaround - Average restaurants in walkable distance - Parking garage on-site - Spacious rooms (relative to SF size) - Comfy beds (not luxury, but decent) Cons: - Unfriendly people at the front desk on multiple occasions (check in and check out). - Rooms can be cleaned better. - If you have a wheelchair or stroller it is difficult to go from the front desk to parking garage or premier building because in between the buildings there are only stairs. You can push your chair or stroller around the whole building outside, but that is inconvenient for sure. Especially in bad weather. - No restaurant or cafe or bar in hotel. - Water pressure in shower. Overall, the hotel is decent for the price in this area of the city. My family was just there this week and the price was more than previous visits. One thing is that I don't think that the workers in the bell/valet area should smoke on their shift because they are going into people's cars and touching their things. It's just not professional and gross (the smell). The rooms could be cleaned better (every visit they could have been better cleaned). The people at the front desk are seriously never friendly. They never explain any hotel amenities or provide a restaurant guide or anything at check in. They have never asked "how was your stay?" when checking out. Very much lacking customer service at all. Also, it says a smoke free hotel property but I swear every time we are there you can smell weed in the hallway areas. Every time. Would increase stars if cleanliness, staff, and overall experience were better. Giving 3 out of 5 after multiple visits in the last 18 months. read more

See all

Very quiet. Large room. Heated swimming pool. Gym with four treadmills and other exercise equipment. I will stay here again when in San Francisco. Close to Union Square. read more

We just completed a 7 night stay over the Christmas holiday at the Handlery Union Square Hotel. In short, it was a very good stay and I would not hesitate to stay there again. The good - The room and common areas are spotlessly clean. You can tell they place a priority on keeping everthing clean and tidy. The room (we had a Premier King), was spacious and nicely appointed. The lanai was a nice place for morning coffee and the little thinks like a coat rack and even an old school bathroom scale (the kind with a dial on it, not a digital display) were nice touches. In-room coffee and wi-fi were free (no resort fees) The location is great! Just steps from Union Square, lots of dining nearby, and access to San Francisco's public transportation is right outside your door. BART is three blocks away (Powell Street Station). It far enough from the chaos of the Tenderloin that safety was not an issue for us. The not so good - The hotel does not have a restaurant or a little sundry store to buy snacks and stuff. Fortunately there is a CVS on the same block as the hotel, just two doors down on Geary Street. Lots of places to eat but you have to eave the property. They gave us discount coupons for Cafe Mason which is on the same block, just a round the corner from the hotel which was a good place for breakfast. Pinecrest Diner us also a nice casual dining restaurant, and if you want to have a little fun go to Johnny Foley's Irish House which is just accross O'Farrell Street Other notes - There is a heated swimming pool! Even though it was in the lof 50's durig our stay there were several guests using the pool. There are two building that comprise the hotel, While the main entrance is on Geary Street, our room was in the newer wing which I think has larger rooms. To get to our room from the Geary Street entrance required us to navigate a flight of stairs. For the most part we used the rear (O'Farrell Street) entrance which allowed us to avoid the stairs. On Christmas Day we found a stocking with treats hanging on our door! It was just a nice touch and further reinforced my perspective that this property is very much focused on their guests. read more

First time in San Francisco, staying for the weekend for a concert. It's not a bad location, there's a lot of stuff around. Unfortunately There's only two elevators and there's a good amount of stories so you have to wait a bit with other guest to fit. The Room was okay just small with no view at all. There was no option if wanted a better view just options is just single or double bed. Online the hotel display that our view was the city or the pool side but no it was just cements walls nothing else. Went to eat and came back to roach running across our floor. read more

I was pleasantly surprised at how large my room was given that it is in the heart of SF. Most of the rooms I have stayed in this part of town were much smaller (and more expensive). Plus my room had a DECK, a feature most hotels of their era and in this location do not have. Secondly I was on the back side of the hotel which was so quiet, I forgot that I was in a densely populated area. Considering that there was a noisy strike taking place at the hotel across the street, I did not hear a thing. This hotel is a great value for the location. The Westin St Francis gets all the publicity as being the prime hotel in Union Square . But the Handlery is perfect for people who want the convenient location but don't want to spend $$ to have a hotel with room service, a restaurant and other amenities. It is really nice that they had a shop/park special for the holidays so that I could park my car for free. read more

Our go to hotel when we come to SF. Friendly staff. Nice rooms. Give them a chance and you won't be disappointed.

I frequently book my husband here for his weeks working in San Fran because it's comfortable, convenient and it won't break the bank. I've also stayed here several times before. Now, just weeks ago I'd be giving this place 5 stars - the rooms are spacious, beds comfy, and decent amenities. I can understand why some things aren't "business as usual" due to the ongoing virus. Last time we stayed, two off-putting things happened. #1: a couple hours after checking in, a worker opened our door and walked right in. No knock, no shout out, nothing! Thankfully we weren't in any kind of precarious situation (ahem), but it was weird. And no explanation? She just sort of ran away. #2: I had eye surgery the day before and requested a later check out. I know for a fact that the hotel was at very low capacity and the best they could do was 1pm. Okay, I took it since it was 2 hours less than I'd have to be in the bright sun which I was supposed to be avoiding. Minutes after 12pm, a man arrived at our door telling us we needed to leave. So while this visit was a tad disappointing, I'm hoping that IF we book here again in the future, they'll be a little more careful about barging in unannounced and respecting a somewhat later check out. read more

They were incredible! I was there for SantaCon and they treated me like a king! The room was great and the staff was spectacular. Everyone from the front desk to the porters and bell hops and the garage personnel were helpful and friendly. No one, not a single person, missed a step. They all made my stay memorable and incredibly smooth. I'll stay there again and recommend them to everyone who is looking for a great hotel!!! read more

Good location. Great service. Room cleaning was very good. It has a fridge very helpful. The staff stored our ice cream for us. Which was nice. read more

I stayed here bc it was close to my Mom's conference but I probably would not have picked it. It's extremely dated and the layout is such that once you are inside the lobby you have to walk to another building to get to your room. It's strange. Our room was enormous though, so bonus for that. Say it was clean and the staff was nice. The location is convenient but not terribly appealing. It's both commercial and slum-like depending on which way you walk. We got in late so wound up eating at the bistro located near the lobby and were surprised that the food was so good. We both got seafood dishes and they are delicious. read more

See all

I was completely shocked that this Hotel would put me in a room that had a door with the original lock so if I was weird I could just enter another guests room. This is certainly unacceptable in any year especially 2023! Why on earth would you not have a lock on both sides. I understand the reason to have adjoining rooms but this is ridiculous. How can you expect a guest not to be curious and wonder what the door is for? I shared this with the concierge when I checked out they didn't seem to understand. It's scary and lame that I had to write a review like this because I only like writing good ones but it seems like I should warn others. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - Just unlock this door and enter another's guests room. Unbelievable! - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

My expectations were already fairly low for my two night stay at this location. The parking and close proximity to activities in town were pluses of our stay, but neither was remotely worth tolerating an infestation of fleas in our room for those two nights. I'm disappointed to say that when I confronted the staff about the fleas and to see if we could get another room, the hotel was "all booked for the night" and nothing could be done. When I pressed further and offered video evidence, they wanted to inspect the room to verify that the fleas were indeed there before offering to spray the room with bug spray! It's too bad that Yelp does not allow videos to be posted... After coming up to our room at 2 AM to inspect for fleas, they finally offered us a new room and a used bottle of Neosporin for the bites on our legs. The hotel comped us one night of parking ($58), which is certainly better than nothing, but it feels like a slap in the face for the two nights we spent there. Needless to say, I will not stay here in the future, nor will I recommend any one else to do the same, as there are a variety of other establishments within a block or two that weren't modernized to just to mask their bug problems. For those that brave the risk, make sure that you check rooms 649 and 858 very closely for any fleas, or any room you stay in for that matter. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - Flea in the bed - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

This Handlery has a friendly staff, reasonable price ( and With the current special, free parking) history and charm. The room was clean and the bed very comfortable. We had no view ( faced other buildings) but the windows do open for fresh air. The pool between the towers is a nice place to chill with plenty of outdoor furniture. It was Christmas time and quite chilly, but people who were using the pool said it was heated and very enjoyable. Next time we will have to bring our swimsuits! The location could not be better. The staff was very friendly and check in and check out were a breeze. Not a fancy place but it has everything you need and I like that they kept the doorknobs on the closets, and the old post box for example. The hotel offered a 20% discount on a restaurant around the corner and breakfast was a wait ( Sunday morning) but it was good. read more

Although the hotel was older, it seemed to be well-taken care of until I noticed the bathroom of my room had an active leak under the sink and mold. There were no fans placed in the bathrooms so I would expect this to be a common occurrence in the other rooms as well. read more

Not gonna front, I have a iPhone 4 and I don't have cell phone service and I needed some wid it real quick so I could reach the homie so he could pick me up since I couldn't order the Uber, so I stepped in and asked the guy at the front desk if I could get the wifi password and he gave it to me so I figure I share it with the world. I appreciate the love by the way the rooms are fire I hope this helps you guys make a decision on staying here on your next vacation. read more

Handlery Union Square Hotel - Hotels Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice hotel in a nice area but the shampoo dispenser was empty and the TV service and channels must improve and include Spanish channels too.