Why is The Huntington Hotel, S.F. only #29 on "Trip Advisor"?
 

I would like to stay at The Huntington for a special event but I am concerned about some of the comments made about it here and on tripadvisor. Fodorites who have stayed ther, please advise.
Thanks.

AM...The Huntington is a gorgeous hotel.Originally built as 1924 as an apartment building,the charm of that era has been maintained.I stayed there with my Mom and Aunt.I did not like it.I was the only person in the hotel under 40y/o.I had no one to play with!Things turned around once I found the spa.I hung out there in the pool, on the deck.My impression of the hotel at the time was a cross between a private club and a funeral parlor.The food was great and the service impeccable.I highly recommend it for that Old World formal feeling.And the location IMHO is superb.I didnt like it at the time, but times change and people do mature.I hope this helps...Stephen

Cannot speak specifically to The Huntington, but just want to say that Trip Advisor is a very poor reflection of the actual quality of a given hotel.

You will get a more accurate review from a guidebook or a guideboooks' website.

For example:
Those "best of" polls that most cities' newspapers run rarely reflect the actual "best" in any category. Olive Garden often shows up in these polls as one of the "best" Italian restaurants. Again, a review from a restaurant critic is a safer recommendation than a popularity poll. McDonald's is the most "popular" restaurant in the world, FWIW.

Also, many people that post on Trip Advisor often simply have an ax to grind. If you still want to use them, then at least ignore the "high" and "low" reviews (the same way Olympic judges do). Look instead only at what the majority has to say about a particular property.

Thank you both for your replies.
AM

Agree with bardo1 about tripadvisor. Human nature being what it is, a bad experience has a lot more "traction" than a good experience when people talk. I'm always amazed what some folks expect who post on tripadvisor, particularly those who have booked "budget" resorts and seem to want "exceptional" experiences.

The Huntington should be just fine - it is a lovely older hotel

Thank you all.
AM