Luckily NOTHING can ruin SF!

Posted by Reid from Portland Oregon on 12/31/05

I made the mistake of internet-booking four nights in this hotel, sight-unseen. I would have been billed for the entire four nights if I'd gone to a different hotel after my arrival. My first room was probably the noisiest available, as it faced the major street Lombard (a block away, huge traffic volume). The toilet tank leaked, and when I mentioned it to the manager, he said he'd fix it right away. I got back that night from a day of enjoying SF and found the toilet acting just as it had. I asked the manager about it and he said, "I fixed it this morning." He did not believe me when I said it was still acting up, but grudgingly switched my room. My second room was smaller and considerably darker than my first room. It had no thermostat control for the heater, which was set too high for my comfort level. It was quieter, however, as it did not face Lombard. Late that night, unfortunately, someone checked into the room directly above me. This hotel has NO soundproofing. It's the kind of place where you can hear people "shushing" each other in the next room. Earplugs are definitely in order. Had the management seemed receptive, I would have said something and tried to switch rooms again (I was not there during tourist season, there were lots of empty rooms), but the attitude I encountered at this hotel was such that I did not even consider approaching them for another room, or asking them to hold my suitcase behind the counter after I'd checked out, since I had an evening flight home the day I left. A cut-rate room is one thing, my expectations were not high as I was traveling on a budget. But indifferent service is something else. It doesn't cost a hotel anything to provide helpful service, or at the least apologize for a toilet that doesn't work right. Luckily nothing can ruin San Francisco, even a terrible hotel experience.