> SlowTrav > USA > Hotel Reviews > California

San Francisco: Hilton San Francisco

333 O'Farrell Street
www1.hilton.com

Reviewed by: Panda from UK, review #2118

When: March 2007

Efficient, characterless, business hotel - usefully located and a good choice if there are special offers.

This is very, very large hotel with multiple meeting facilities so delegates to the conferences seem to make up the majority of guests.

We stayed on the Executive floor, in a very pleasant large room with sitting area - this is very high in the main tower, and I was suprised by the amount of street noise that came up, together with the sound of the howling wind. The best feature about the Executive floor is that breakfast is taken in a lounge on the penultimate floor (just below Cityscape restaurant) with wonderful views. Having breakfast watching the sun come up (jetlag!) was very special.

It is well maintained and there are plenty of housekeeping staff and security personnel. The reception and concierge staff I found to be offhand and unhelpful - I made one request to housekeeping, for a non-feather pillow, and this caused some consternation. It eventually arrived, but I was made to feel a nuisance for what I think is a minor and reasonable request.

O'Farrell Street itself isn't very attractive but it is only a short walk from Union Square, some lovely bars and restaurants and many of the transport links.

Not somewhere to choose for a special experience but useful, especially if you are redeeming Hilton points or can get one of the many offers. (We had an upgrade to the junior suite from a king, by asking what was on offer.)

Reviewed by: Amy from MA (moderator), review #827

When: December 2004

Enormous hotel on edge of Union Square area. Comfortable rooms; but impersonal atmosphere, and slightly seedy neighborhood at night.