Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero

I used to travel to the US two or three times a year and, whenever possible, I’d visit SF. On those trips I’d stay either at one of the Nob Hill hotels or, as a rare pricey treat, the Mandarin Oriental on Sansome. There were always three reasons to stay at MO: 1) the view, 2) the service, 3) the view! If you put it in ratio form, it’s 80/20 view over service. The view from this hotel is unbeatable, and under MO, the service was first class. Whoever you were, staff treated you as a valued guest. The smiles, the welcome, the joy of employees who seemed to wake up each day eager to impress their guests. My August trip was the first to SF since the hotel moved to Four Seasons, so on a nostalgic return I wanted to see how it compared. Here’s where it gets tricky: it’s not MO anymore. It just doesn’t have that vibe. Things went downhill fast when I arrived very early. Four hours early! I knew I was early and just wanted to dump bags and get into the city. To be met by a grinning young clerk pointing out what I already knew, who then tried to switch me to a lower-spec, city view room with no compensation, just so he could check me in immediately. You’d only notice it was a lower spec if you knew the rooms, which I do. I declined and countered by asking for the Presidential Suite at the same rate. He declined! So, I had to wait, which was cool! I was promised they’d contact me as soon as my room was prepared. That took 3hrs55mins. I found that a bit pathetic. The poor boy had forgotten who I was by the time I returned! Limited attention span eh! Here’s where MO would’ve shined: at MO, the room prep would’ve been expedited and my stored luggage would be waiting in my room when I arrived. Four Seasons sent my luggage up 15 minutes after I got in, which was frustrating since I needed some meds. The delay just felt like a childish ploy to gain a tip. This time, no tip. At MO, service felt like genuine care. At 4S, it feels false and a little grubby! For travellers planning a stay. A bridge view is a must, preferably GG bridge and even better, corner rooms that used to be called the ‘bridge to bridge’ rooms. The view remains incredible. I find the ‘nickel-and-diming’ irritating. $10 sodas in the minibar, a $20 club sandwich becomes $40+ after all the add-ons. JP Morgan supposedly said, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it”—and 4S seems to live by that mantra. But I guess this is now just standard for all hotels! Luckily, there’s a 7-Eleven across the street, plus amazing restaurants, wine shops, and bars nearby that still know how to treat customers. As for the rooms: they’ve been refurbished since the MO days. Nice wood floors, comfy bed, same incredible views. But odd furniture choices—half-finished TV unit with random non-functional elements to it, a table with a chair. Minor maintenance issues too: a scratched bathroom door, and front doors that slam so hard the whole floor hears it. Not self-closing, self-slamming—like they’re mad at the building. Service quality varied. The in-room dining server was fantastic (I tipped him twice). One employee I met in the elevator was charming. But another, when asked about the terrace, soured quickly after two questions, like I didn’t have the right to ask! Odd! Compared to MO rooms, these don’t measure up. My memories of MO include clever touches: binoculars for the view, a chaise by the window, sumptuously soft beds. Four Seasons beds are comfortable, just not sumptuous. The MO rooms always seemed more homely, warm and welcoming. 4S have made them comfy, stylish but a little cold! My two key factors remain: view and service. The views here are unmatched in SF (tell me if I’m wrong). They’re worth paying for, even just one night, but only if you get a bridge view. The service? Mediocre. Anyway, my last trip to this hotel. I’ll have very fond memories of the MO days. I’ll forget the 4S visit!

Fantastic four seasons. So glad we booked a Bay view room - spectacular views of the Transamerica Pyramid, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate. I mentioned when booking my son’s birthday and a lovely chocolate cake was waiting for him when we arrived. Only niggle was the shower pressure could have done with a boost.

We spent a weekend at the Four Seasons Embarcadero in San Francisco. The minibar was well stocked. The best part of our room was the view. There was a weird sliding door to get into the bathroom. Other than a hair stuck to the shower wall, the room was clean. Follow my Instagram for a video review.

Huge shoutout to the FS team for a great 2 night at this lovely property for my birthday and Gaga concert. We Have avoided SF for awhile due to most hotels being around the seediness of market st and union sq. This property is a perfectly safe area and all rooms have a view due to the hotel’ location at the top of the building (floors 40-50). Booked through Chas edit and all perks were honored. We were upgraded upon arrival to a room with a sick view of Alcatraz, gg bridge, the bay and much of the city. Typical excellent four seasons service from the front desk and all staff. The immediate area is a little dull being in the FD but you are right next to Chinatown, the ferry building and easy transit access down market st. We spent a lot of time just enjoying the killer views from the room. Would stay again in a heartbeat.

I have enjoyed my stay at Four seasons. The room was specious and had a great view of the bridge. They texted me beforehand to ask my arrival time and if any request, and they were able to deliver things I requested to my room. The post card and mailbox in lobby were a sweet touch and I appreciate it as being a traveler. However, couple things I had issues about: I wasn’t explained the Amex platinum benefits when checked in. And when requested for late checkout, they offered 2:30 instead of 4pm. The dust in room on top of kettle was unacceptable. $60 breakfast was not enough as the restaurant is very pricy. The gym was nice with tons of equipments. The bed and pillows are very comfortable as well. Front desk was all very friendly.