JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square

For those used to staying at JW Marriotts or similar level of luxury or higher, this property will be likely underwhelming. Those that a hotel of this level is an infrequent splurge may find it satisfying depending on the rate/perks you got. We paid a little over $300 a night including all fees/taxes but as AMEX Platnimum members got about $300 total in credits/perks (per room) for a 2-night stay including an $80/day breakfast credit. So it was about like staying for $150/night with no credits/perks. Given location/amenities, I think up to around $200/night would be a fair discount rate (as of Summer 2026) Location: is good for tourists and the area in general feels safe and clean as the city has cleaned this area up a bit from previous years. Parking: $94 a day for valet (no self park.) Yep, welcome to Downtown San Francisco. You could valet park in the small garage across the street for $32 but no in/out privileges. Lobby/Check-in: It's an atrium style hotel with lobby on the 3rd floor. Check-in was easy. Lobby is nice with bar and lots of seating. They have their climate control too cold though in the Lobby. Dining: There's only one restaurant at lobby level with just a view of the building next door. Prices are very high but short of outrageous considering you are in a JW in the middle of San Francisco. We thought it would be hard for 2 people to use the $80 credit for breakfast. Not so when average breakfast entrees are in the $33-$38 range. Wait also ate dinner in the restaurant. The food for both breakfast and dinner was excellent. Not Michelin Star level of course and overpriced, but actually pretty impressive. Note there is a setup for a Buffet Breakfast (were told it is $52/person when open) but they didn't run it on Saturday or Sunday so there was a bit of a wait to get a seat in the restaurant for breakfast. Rooms: They are nice but feel a tad dated with pretty small bathrooms. Views will vary but likely will be of the side of another building through what I call 'prison windows' which is smaller than average window opening inset withing a concrete looking surround. Bed was comfortable, mattress felt a little stiff/tired, linens very good, overall good beds but nothing to write home about. I had read the reviews and although I typically stay in this level of a hotel I had tempered my expectations and so the stay was satisfying and served its purpose. However, if you want to be less prone to having a ripped off feeling: a) Use valet across the street or SpotHero app to find cheaper in/out parking nearby and b) go elsewhere to non-hotel restaurants to eat and drink.

Room was good, comfortable bed, no lounge, good fitness center, in a good area, hotel is a little dated….charge a destination fee for what I don’t know

We stayed at this hotel from July 2–4. The room itself was excellent—spacious, comfortable, and thoughtfully laid out. The location was also fantastic, with most of the major points of interest within easy walking distance. The bell staff were always very welcoming. However, unfortunately, that's where the positives ended. Both check-in and check-out were painfully slow, with only one person handling all arriving and departing guests. Breakfast was the biggest disappointment. As Marriott Bonvoy Elite members, we received complimentary continental breakfast, but we understood that we would need to pay à la carte for our son. Ironically, our son actually has a higher Marriott Bonvoy status than we do—Platinum Elite—but because the reservation was under our membership, we understood and accepted the policy. However, both the host and our server repeatedly reminded us that we would have to pay for him. After being told once, the repeated reminders felt unnecessary. Service was also extremely slow. Our server took quite a while to come to the table, and then it took about 20 minutes for our simple order of yogurt, fruit, and oatmeal to arrive. On July 4, the experience was even worse. The hotel was busy, but we were told the wait for a table would be 10–15 minutes. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes. We were also informed that breakfast would be a buffet instead of the usual continental breakfast, but no one mentioned that the buffet would cost $50 for our son. Had we known that upfront, we would have chosen to eat elsewhere rather than pay that price for what appeared to be a simple buffet of scrambled eggs and pancakes. After finally being seated, we wanted to order some food from the menu for the third person. We were told we had to wait for our server who did not come to our table for about 20 minutes. We ordered yogurt and fruit, but after waiting another 15 minutes with no food, we decided to leave and have breakfast somewhere else. As we were leaving, the hostess apologized and offered to let us get yogurt from the buffet. While we appreciated the gesture, by that point we were so frustrated with the repeated delays and lack of communication that we chose to leave. While the rooms and location should be a 5/5, the consistently poor service—especially at breakfast—overshadowed the positives resulting in this lower score. We left disappointed and would not stay here again unless the hotel's service improves significantly.

I arrived after a long morning of travel, and from the moment my car pulled up, I felt genuinely welcomed. The bell staff at the front door and the warm greeting upstairs in the lobby completely changed the tone of my trip. A special thank you to Rick at the front desk, who made me feel so welcome and helped make my stay truly memorable. His kindness and hospitality set the tone for the entire visit and future visits. The property itself is charming and uniquely San Francisco. It’s ideally located just a short walk from the shops of Union Square, with theaters nearby and wonderful restaurants, including Morton’s, , right near. I also want to recognize Germain in the restaurant, where I enjoyed a decadent lunch after a very long day, I got to relax. Michelle, who took such wonderful care at dinner. Every meal and interaction I had was for one and as a solo traveler, I never once felt overlooked. Instead, I felt genuinely cared for and welcomed. That kind of hospitality is something I deeply appreciate and remember. To note there is complimentary morning coffee in the lobby and the property offers delicious breakfast with smoothie options, room service, good housekeeping, along with an on-site gym. I have visited other hotels in San Francisco service/location was not better elsewhere. What makes this hotel special is its people. Their warmth, kindness, and attention to detail made me feel at home. If you’re looking for a welcoming, well-located hotel in San Francisco where the staff truly cares about their guests, don’t miss this gem. I look forward to returning.

We have stayed at this Marriott multiple times and keep coming back whenever we visit San Francisco — Antonio at the front desk was so helpful when checking in as well as advising us about an upcoming parade and how that would affect traffic around our location. Additionally, we are steps away from Union Square which is such great walking and shopping.