Kimpton Hotels Reviews

Incredible Hotel!. It's in the center of SF near the Union Square. You have a bar/pub in the 21st floor, gym, a really good restaurant, free wine tasting and more. It's really beautiful and well managed.

Everything is nice but there are some low quality aspects that I don't like.

Great location, tiny room, but what do you expect for Union square San Francisco

Came to the lounge for a drink. Place had no seating and drinks were expensive

Many facilities and an exaggerated and ugly but endearing aesthetic

We typically love Kimpton hotels and will give them 4.5 or 5 stars. While the entrance to this hotel is beautiful, the rooms need to be updated to include doors that have better soundproofing and anything to create better soundproofing between walls. The room itself is nice but the constant noise from the hall, guests that sound like you're practically sharing a room with, and the continual street car noise leaves me leaving a lower rating for this hotel. They could also lose the costume for the door man as it feels like a touch of Vegas vs a Kimpton.

The location is great for the city of San Francisco if you don't mind hills. It's blocks away from the financial district, Chinatown and the Embarcadero. The price is reasonable, but it is an older hotel. If you are picky about 100% cleanliness, then this may not be the hotel for you. You will also be able to hear the traffic outside. The staff is amazing and super friendly. The doormen have funny uniforms, and they're always willing to pose for a picture.

This is a funky hotel. I'm not sure where they get a 4 star rating. The king room is SO SMALL and dated. The bathroom is a joke. I had nicer bathrooms in college. It's not worth it. This hotel is the same price as many other nicer hotels in the area.

Phenomenally comfortable beds, great amenities, bathrooms are a bit aged.

Love this place, prices seems to have increased a bit but still very nice place to stay. Staff is very courteous. Right on the trolley line so getting around the city is very easy to do.

The historical queen room is very small, but it has all the amenities you need. Staff is very friendly and happy to assist. The 5-6 pm wine hour is a nice addition. The elevators are very slow. Since it is right near Union Square, the outside noise is pretty constant, but that's not there fault, just something to keep in mind.

Lovely place....to stay....with family as well...its attractively old fashioned....

The only reason I rated with 4 stars was because of the elevators - only one working from four... had to wait long time to get to and from my room. I loved everything else. It would be nice if rooms had a small coffee machine

I had to change my rating to 5 stars because I don't even know how I reviewed your business and gave it 1 star. It was a complete mistake. I have never stayed here and I have no idea how I marked 1 star. Now it's 2 years later and Google is letting me know to look at my old reviews and I saw this. I never stayed here and never meant to give you 1 star. I am so sorry. My apologies.

Great location, interesting architecture and interiors.

Old world charm bright into the modern world without losing the grace and whimsy of the roaring 20s. You can still feel all of the glamorous parties and flappers, but still feel well at ease in 2019. The rooms are clean and the beds are sooo comfortable! Classy, but not snobby. They also have wine hour 5-6 on the 21st floor. I checked in behind a family and the front desk pulled out a treasure chest full of kids toys- each of the kids got their pick and got to keep them! Free of charge! It was so precious and heartwarming.

Unique rooms, lovely atmosphere. Jump on an iconic cable car and you're off to Chinatown or Fisherman's Wharf

Great location. No options for parking except valet that parks your car a block away. Hopefully the renovations are done soon. Two elevators are a real inconvenience. 5 to 10 minute wait to use and always full. Staff provided good customer service.

The rooms here are REALLY tiny but you get all the great Kimpton service

Pretty and historic place, the ubication is perfect.

Beautiful historic hotel. After being greeted by proper Beefeaters, you will walk into a stunning lobby. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a cocktail from the bar on the top floor. Beautiful views!

Overall a good experience. Stayed here for three nights when I was in town for business. Great location a block up from Union Square and the price was reasonable (given that we are in the middle of San Francisco and nothing is reasonable in price). Definitely an older hotel and rooms are a bit cozy as is the bathroom but as I was solo this wasn t an issue.

Extremely high end hotel. Great food, and great bagels.

Very good shower was fantastic beds were very comfy want to take one and snacks and drinks were welcoming

Awesome place. Room was nice, bar was good, staff was friendly and professional. Would stay again.

Great location. Old hotel but well maintained and has a lot of character. The conference room layout is interesting. It felt like a maze at first but pretty layout for a large(500+) company party.

Great hotel. In close proximity to people voicing their needs.

The place is right next Union Square. Good historic building with historic theme. The rooms are well maintained and decorated. Good bedding. But the elevators take forever, no early check in and the bathrooms are small. I touched the wall when using the toilet, super uncomfortable.

Some rooms have nice views but overall the hotel feels dated and the rooms are quite small

Stayed two nights here. It was close to Union Square & Other shopping malls.

Room has a really weird smell, it actually smells like a museum. the carpets are dirty, the set up of my room is also very creepy and strange theres mirrors in awkward places. the elevator is extremely slow and packed. i would not reccomend

A wonderfully great historical preservation Kimpton Hotel located directly on San Francisco's famed Powell-Mason/Hyde Cable Car lines to and from both Fisherman's Wharf and Market Street. A truly very exceptional short
stay does not justify how wonderful the quality time sleeping on these absolutely plush queen-sized beds were ... only two days away prior to the day of my hip surgery ! I had requested lots of pillows for my both hips many days in advance of our arrival. Still in recovery from one side, having had surgery on my right hip, in physical rehab, hobbling miserably around on one leg while balancing it out with the leftside. NeverthelessIt the ultimum journey and overnite stay was utterly magnificent !! And comfortable !! I loved ever moment being there -- I couldn't have been asked such superior treatment by its hotel staffers over the completely outstanding arrangements and supportiveness all around me as I slept that night.

I wish I could have slept in beyond [9am] but time constraints as it is at any hotel prevented us from lingering in bed longer than usual. Though because offers little in the way of hotel food & room service there is a Starbucks adjacent to the hotel just around the corner on the cornerstone of the building. Accessible only through the lower lobby elevator floors. (But, again. No in-house hotel food service or 24-hour menu etc.) For Breakfast --- we spent time elsewhere at a nearby restaurant directly across the street from the hotel. Not bad for Eggs Florentine with extra hollandaise !

But reading what other reviewers have stated about the room sizes and such, water pressure, etc; I found bathing personally in the oversized Art-Deco tub just fine. The water pressure to shower, also admirable. Insofar as towels, well overstocked. Nicely laundered and perfectly fine. The vanity, normally sized for this type of bathroom. Like ours in NYC, inside pre-war apts et cetera. It leaves little to the imagination to tourists [why] given the hotel's age, stylisation to the construction period of the hotel during its heyday (c. 1923-1925?), is extraordinary from thousands of other places people live, work, and reside. So, from an East Coast perspective it clearly does make sense -- size-wise how the overall dimensions architecturally are structured within the layout. Otherwise the accomodation for two travelers was again quite overly exceptional !! Even for such a quick jaunt and an overnite stay. Wonderful accomodation !! Otherwise we'll be back to take in more time there ... later.

Super pleasant and surprisingly fun and entertaining for such a grand palatial hotelier !

Great staff, lovely hotel, updated with plenty of electrical outlets and Wi-Fi. Our room had a smell that seemed to be like that of the San Francisco downtown, just couldn't shake it. Great location too

Great location, clean room (good maid service), good TV channels. BUT small bathroom, no counter space, no water pressure, 10 minute wait for elevator, long line for check in.

I just attended an event. The room was neat and staff friendly. Food was good.

Loved the decoration. Got upgraded to the presidential suite so I can't complain at all. Very surreal

This place sucks. 1200 dollar deposit in the room because my company put my up here for 12 days, and the room was already paid for. Then 20 people are waiting for their rooms to be cleaned, and they won't open the bar....wow

Very comfortable. There were people speaking loudly at 3:00 am, because there is a pub in the hotel.

Decent rooms, friendly staff, Valet is a bit pricey but other than that all good.

Clean room, comfortable bed. Could use an extra set of pillows. Awesome looking dude outside dressed like sir Francis. On Powell Street close to a bunch of businesses.

It is a beautiful hotel. The design is fantastic. However, they are not completely transparent about the room size. The room also has an old smell. It is understandable that the hotel is older, but there could be air fresheners and such to remove the smell. I do recommend the hotel. It has a nice bar and friendly staff. It is also within walking distance to a large number of attractions.

The ball room that was used for the event was perfect. It was easily large enough to accommodate all the guests for the social part of the event. During the panel portion of the event, there was plenty of space for the guests to all be seated, the panel and a stage. Excellent venue and great service.

I've stayed at lots of Kimpton Hotels, but rest assured, I won't stay at the "Drake" again.

Safe, old, fascinating property. Excellent location. Staff efficient, nice, helpful. That is the good.

The bad----this hotel advertises high speed internet, as it should in 2013. However, off the four devices I brought (laptop, iPad, and two smartphones), only the laptop could even see the Kimpton WiFi signal. It was that weak. I could connect to either the San Francisco Visitor Center free WiFi from across the street, or the Marriott on the other side, but not the Kimpton. I asked about a wired connection, but this location has wireless only. For a wireless only internet solution, it was totally inadequate. I could not maintain a connection. Reminded me of dialup, it was that bad!!! Again, my iPad could not even find the Kimpton signal. I called the front desk twice, but nothing changed while I was there. It was really no different outside my room. Waiting for the elevator, my smartphone could see the signal, but too weak to connect. Unacceptable in 2013.

Then there is the room. I reserved a Grand King room. This is described as airy and spacious, with extra conversation seating provided. The only picture online showed the bed, and a couch with coffee table. Looked good.



I know this is standard in the industry, but it has been my experience with Kimpton that the rooms as pictured and described are what you get, which is why I continue to stay at Kimpton properties. That is not true for the Sir Francis Drake. Very disappointing, and frustrating. Shame on the SFD.

Other issues that could be corrected include the amazing amount of street noise that could probably be dealt with (double pane windows anyone?), especially on the lower floors. The cable cars scraping and dinging (okay, that's what San Fransisco is know for, I can deal with that), the whistles from every doorman within 4 blocks starting at 5 am, and the sound of delivery trucks running over the steel plates covering the cables, beginning at 4 am.

I know that San Francisco hotels probably make their living from single, one time visitors, so my claim to never stay there again really has no power. But I hope this review does prevent others from falling into this beautiful trap. Beautiful, but treacherous....beware!!!! (BTW, I had to wait to write this until I was home, since I had no internet while there!)

Beautiful hotel with classic decor. Staff were super helpful.

Awesome, historic building with a great lobby/rooftop lounge. However, the staff are unfriendly at best and generally inhospitable. I went through 5 different keys, as they kept malfunctioning. This, combined with long wait times and even lines for elevator causes for a very bad experience. Because I didn't bring my ID when getting a new room key, one staff member even questioned whether I was the actual occupant of the room and forced me to return to my own room escorted by security! I always stay at Kimptons, but I'd never stay here again.

Good localisation. 4 starts for not having coffee machine in the room. You need to go down to restaurant to get your morning coffee.

Old style hotel with charming details near Union Square San Francisco

The Kimpton Sir Francis Drake is a lovely boutique hotel in San Francisco. The room I stayed in was quite charming and beautifully decorated. Unfortunately, I was in town for a work trip and did not get to spend as much time in the room as I would have liked. It was a great stay, though.

Pretty expensive for sub par service and rooms are cramped with a very small bathroom. No fridge or microwave.

Overall a good experience. Lots of services available. Rooms a bit tight.

This is one of San Francisco's Grand Dame hotels. The location is excellent and the staff is wonderful. The rooms, however, are very small. I had a double room which would have been pretty cramped if there had been another person in the room with me. Also, there is no coffee maker or kettle in the room, which is unacceptable these days. The bathrooms are super tiny with low water pressure and the shower doesn't get very hot

There is not much the hotel can do about room size, but they can correct the coffee maker oversight . If they do that, they would gain a star

San Francisco's hidden gem great staff remodelled rooms great rates

We checked into our room after a loooong flight and immediately the toilet was blocked (nothing sinister!) We called for a plunger and a lovely team member rectified the issue and let us know he had to fix something to make sure the toilet filled up with water to ensure it removed waste.
Our next issue was that after being out all day, we were missing our tv remote, not normally a major issue but there was something to be watched on tv that night which caused frustration (fires in Australia!), especially after the second phone call to follow up and the 3.5 hour total wait time. We also located a pillow behind the bed head in our TV remote search that had obviously been overlooked in previous cleans and left it out of the way to ensure we didn t accidentally use it.
On our last night (Night 4), my partner was packing his suitcase and noticed a USED NAPPY near our window!!!! This had been here our entire stay!!!
After this, he then went to bed and found blood on one of his pillows!!!! Seriously!!! Housekeeping had put the extra pillow back on the bed without changing the case!!!
I have worked in hotels for many years - as a Director (Fact. Check it) and would be disgusted if this was anywhere I worked. I can t believe housekeeping and management can be allowed to be this sloppy!! Completely unacceptable and I would never recommend this hotel to anyone. I have photos of everything mentioned.
Disease must be paramount in this place.

It's a good central location. When I first arrived I thought the room was small and was concerned that there was no temperature control. Neither of these turned out to be an issue and I slept perfectly in the very comfortable bed. It's quietish for such a central location too. We had a few issues with being charged amenity fees which weren't mentioned on check in but front desk sorted this out. I'd stay here again.

A little bit old. Pretty dirty The best, the location.

Beautiful hotel at the heart of union square. Fairly small rooms, but they are nice. The bar up top is a good place to catch some views of union square and to stop in for some generally strong yet good drinks.

If you are looking for a boutique hotel, this one is exceptional! Manager Jason and his staff go out of their way to make you feel right at home. Excellent restaurant, morning coffee, afternoon wine, cool bar on the top floor with scenic views, very comfortable rooms and accommodations all the way around. Excellent location and restaurants within steps of the hotel. I will certainly stay here again. Thank you for making me feel right at home.

Nice hotel rooms and friendly staff. The bathrooms are a little small.

Beautiful decor, excellent service, peaceful environment, and comfortable living. The Sir Francis Drake is a guaranteed highlight of any stay in San Francisco. Proximity to Powell cable car point as well as Union Square cannot be beaten.

Grand old hotel, a bit dated and the elevators are really slow. Rather pricey for what you get other than the location.

As a disclaimer my room is via Hotwire but I expected much more for a 4 star hotel. The room was quite small and the bathroom is even smaller.

We stayed here for 15 days with our 2 children. They have all been wonderful days.
The location of the hotel is the best ever. (For our needs by bus) The exterior is very unusual with a person who welcomes you warmly.
The reception team is very nice. The concierges are available for you.
It is quiet although lively at night. No noise except cable because until 11:00 am.

The rooms are warm and well appointed.
There is air conditioning, and nice furniture and TV channels for everyone in English.

I strongly urge you to go.

We were there for only one night while in town for a lecture series. It is a beautiful facility, but the highlight was the great staff. They were universally friendly and helpful. A nice room, with an extremely comfortable bed.

Nice and clean with great amenities. Free in room yoga mat, gym, business center, and a nice bar in the lobby. Staff is friendly and helpful. The rooms are a bit small but nicely furnished.

One of the best hotels in all of SF! A must to see! Get a cocktail and take in the scenery and people watching. If you can, do the prohibition tour.

Strongly don't recommend this hotel-stay anywhere else,but not here.old,lobby full of prostitution and drug people,waiting for elevator 20 minutes each time,impossible to sleep in the room due to the noice from street and other rooms-you can hear every word said in the room next to you.unfriendly and not interested in you staff,giving wrong room to me.room keys never working.

Great room, great service and right in the middle of Union Square.

It was an okay stay for a standard hotel, and it was a for a $400/night hotel which the Drake is.

Room was very clean and staff were very helpful and accomodating. The location is perfect because everything is close by.

Way overpriced and teeny tiny rooms. In fact, the bathroom was so small you can t even close the door when using it. The location is great, but that s really the only perk to this place. You re better off spending a bit more for the Clift or one of the dozens of other hotels in the area.

Beautiful and charming hotel, perfect location, we love it.

Great location, awesome-looking decor, good service, and a wonderful restaurant.

Great location. For those arriving by car I recommend Union Square parking.