This is a really nice, midcentury modern hotel in the Presidio. It's probably not for everyone,…read morebut we had a nice stay after the initial frustration with not getting into our room for most of the 1st day...
We arrived at the hotel around 10:00 a.m. and our room wasn't ready. In the hotel's defense, they do have a 3:00 check in, but we were really tired after flying to San Francisco from Detroit. All we wanted was a hot shower and a bed. We'd been on the go since 2:00 a.m. eastern time.
Anyway, the guy at the desk said the room wasn't ready, but we could make ourselves at home in the lobby. Hours went by. While the lobby is quaint, it's very small and the furniture isn't all that comfortable. Around 4:00, people were walking in and getting rooms. I went up and asked him what happened to ours, so he checked and again said it wasn't ready. I was on the verge of going off...
I explained that someone (YOU, front desk guy) should have communicated to the housekeeping staff that the guests arrived early and our room should have been made a priority. We were in that lobby for 6 hours and now folks are walking in and getting rooms while we just sat. Miraculously (after inquiring/complaining), a suite was found, and we were upgraded to that room.
The room was really clean. I found no marks on any of the woodwork, doorframes, etc. We had a microwave, a fridge, a wet bar area, etc. The staff (other than the initial front desk guy) was wonderful. My quibbles with the room are the water pressure in the shower was pretty lame and our TV kept buffering. I loved the toiletries, the towels were really nice, the bedding was very comfortable and the amenities in general were top notch.
I did reach out to the front desk about the TV. The manager immediately investigated the issue, came to our room and explained that they have a new system and some of the bugs need to be worked out. She apologized emphatically and went on to explain that the company used to create the new changes wasn't available until the next day. We understood completely. We presented a problem and management did everything they could to fix the issue. That's all we can expect.
Now, the good stuff!!!
This hotel has the BEST COMPLIMENTARY COFFEE I've had in ages, available 24-7 in the lobby. It's just great coffee (illy coffee!!!). They also have AMAZING complimentary, fresh baked cookies at 3:00 each afternoon. My guess is they bake around 6 dozen cookies, and they're gone in 20 minutes! They also have complimentary tea (hot tea all day, iced tea in the afternoon when the cookies are served).
The location is great, right down the street from a Michelin Starred restaurant. There's also a Turkish restaurant that was really great. It reminded me of my travels to Turkey. My relatives mentioned the Mexican restaurant is supposed to be amazing, but getting in is almost impossible...
The little hotel bar is a really nice place to go and get a martini, glass of wine, etc. We had cocktails and guacamole. The entire place is really clean, and it has great artwork, great books to read in the lobby (not sure, but I bet if you asked, you could take one or two of them back to the room for a great read).
The staff really seemed to care about our comfort and happiness (well, everyone except for that initial front desk guy). This is a great place in a great location. If you're looking for a 5-star resort setting, with 5 bars and swimming pools, move on. If you miss that old time feel of a nice little hotel that has everything you need, this is it.