Hotel Zeppelin San Francisco

I was greeted with a warm smile by the front desk receptionist named Ben. He was so kind and knew I was checking a little early and allowed to me check in. He honestly made my day because I was having anxiety having to leave my stuff unattended. Thank you so much for your customer service Ben. I would give him 6/5 stars if I could. The hotel is nice and located centrally as well.

We stayed at Hotel Zeppelin as a couple in July 2026. Overall, I’d give it 3 out of 5. There were definitely things we liked about the hotel, but the overall experience was pretty lackluster for us. We arrived in San Francisco early in the morning and took BART into the city. By the time we got to the hotel, it was around 11:30 a.m. or noon. We asked if there was any possibility of checking in early since our flight had arrived early, but we were told there was no early check-in available and that we would have to wait until 3 p.m. They did offer to hold our luggage, which we appreciated. We made the best of the time and went to brunch, walked around the Union Square/Powell Street area, explored downtown, and went over to the IKEA on Market Street. Honestly, the location is probably one of Hotel Zeppelin’s biggest strengths. You’re close to Union Square, Powell Street transit, shopping, restaurants, and plenty of things you can walk to. We returned around 3 p.m., and our room was ready. This is where things became unnecessarily confusing. Our room number started with a 4, so naturally we went to the fourth floor after being directed toward the elevator. We eventually learned from a housekeeper that our room was actually accessed through the third floor and that we needed to cross over into another tower. We had not been told during check-in that the hotel had separate towers or given clear directions explaining how to reach our room. Once we crossed over to the other tower, we discovered that the elevator there was out of service. That meant carrying all of our luggage up a narrow flight of stairs while other guests were trying to come down. After traveling all morning, it wasn’t exactly the welcome we were expecting. The biggest issue wasn’t even that the elevator was broken. Things break. The problem was that nobody explained any of this when they handed us our room keys. A simple “You’re in the other tower, take the elevator to the third floor, cross over, and be aware that the other elevator is currently out of service” would have made a huge difference. The room itself was fine. It wasn’t huge, but it was about what I’d expect from a hotel room in a major city. Coming from New York City, smaller rooms don’t really bother me. I actually liked the design and especially the sliding barn-style bathroom door. The room had air conditioning, a nice TV, and a small refrigerator, but no microwave. Overall, it was comfortable but fairly basic. Noise was another issue. There was construction noise during our stay, and at night we could hear people above us walking and stomping around. If you’re a light sleeper, that’s something I’d keep in mind. We did enjoy the downstairs bar and happy hour. It was convenient to be able to come back to the hotel and grab a drink without going somewhere else. The food was pretty standard bar food. Nothing memorable, but it did the job. Another frustration was trying to call the front desk from the room. Getting someone to answer the phone was difficult. They may have simply been busy, but when you’re already dealing with an inconvenient room location and an elevator that’s out of service, not being able to easily reach the front desk adds to the frustration. I do want to give Hotel Zeppelin credit for its personality. It’s quirky, different, and has a cool San Francisco feel instead of looking like every other hotel. We liked the decor and the uniqueness of the property. I can understand why some travelers really enjoy it. For us, though, the style wasn’t enough to make up for the overall experience. Nothing was disastrous, and we made the best of our stay, but there were too many little inconveniences and communication issues that added up. Would we stay here again? Probably not. On another trip to San Francisco, we’d likely choose a more traditional Hilton, Marriott, or another property where the overall experience feels a little more seamless. Hotel Zeppelin has a great location and plenty of personality. It just needed better communication and a smoother guest experience to make us want to return.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced family and pet friendly hotel that is close to everything with onsite restaurant and game room then you can’t beat the Hotel Zeppelin. It’s my favorite place to stay when I’m in SF. But it’s not perfect and could benefit from some retraining or renovations. Staff is friendly but inconsistent with requests. When called upon for fire logs for the fireplace, I’m told they don’t know where it’s stored. Or they will deliver a fire log but forget a lighter. The rooms are a great value for their size. The Zeppelin apartment is massive but not luxurious as it lacks such modern amenities like Bluetooth speakers or in-wall USB charging ports. These are minor inconveniences for sure. Just don’t expect a luxury penthouse experience. The apartment is really just a large one bedroom suite (without the extra luxury features) but still a great value in SF!!

Hotel Zeppelin was such a vibe! 🙌 From the moment we walked in, the energy, music, and whole atmosphere were just SO good. It has that cool, fun San Francisco feel without trying too hard. We even got a free upgrade, which was such a nice surprise! But honestly, what made the stay extra special was the staff. Everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and a special shoutout to Madz, seriously one of the friendliest people ever! ❤️ Loved the music, loved the vibe, loved the people. We had the best time and would absolutely stay here again! 🎶✨

The staff is rude and/ or put off by guests. Every interaction seems like it was an annoyance. The thoughtful design/ vibe is terribly inconsistent with the people who work there - making the vibe seem fake.