Fairmont San Francisco

The location and ambience of the Fairmont are remarkable and the rooftop garden was delightful. Comfortable, quiet room. Prices for drinks were ridiculous - $50 for two drinks served at the bar. Our experience with the front desk staff and valets was excellent. Courteous, professional and friendly. We will be back again.

The Fairmont is a massive, historic hotel at the top of San Francisco. It is beautifully decorated in the restaurant and public rooms. Presumably because if it's huge size, it has attracted presidents and celebrities of all kinds - it has a permanent red carpet entrance. The hotel is very expensive, as befits its reputation, but for the tourist it has many disadvantages. It is not really that well located. Due to the extreme steepness of San Francisco 's hills, there isn't anywhere you can walk to, apart from other expensive hotels with similar drawbacks. So you can't visit the shops or the piers without taking an Uber (luckily, very straightforward). The room is not generously proportioned. Wardrobes are insufficient with no high rail for hanging dresses. If you go for a room with queen size beds, they may be smaller than you expect. Parking a car here costs no less than $90/day. The restaurant is beautiful but the menu is staggeringly boring, I can't understand why a premium hotel would allow this. The room service is good if you want something like a club sandwich and chips. Breakfast is ok, expensive as you expect at American hotels, if you want something light go to the cirque room. If you want a coffee mid morning you won't get one. They have a lovely roof garden, but again there is no service out there so what use is it on a hot September afternoon? Previously I stayed at the Marriott which was very dated and depressing inside but cheaper and very well located. I could probably have got 2 rooms there for not much more than one at the Fairmont. And from memory they had a good buffet breakfast. I think the fairmont team are more interested in running the big functions in their giant function rooms than in giving a good experience to tourists, so my advice is if you want to see the city go somewhere with a better location and perhaps not such a high opinion of itself.

Dirty windows, dusty rooms, overpriced, no wifi included, terrible restaurants and location that makes it really impossible to walk anywhere. Best to avoid. Stay somewhere more charming like by the water or in Japantown. Fairmont is grumpy old garbage heap of a hotel with bad service.

Very tired hotel. Would strongly discourage anyone from staying here for work or pleasure. This hotel hasn’t been updated in years and shows its age. TV remotes and blinds barely work. The noise from California street is very loud given trolleys and single pane windows. Plus, you pay a premium for this low quality. Mandarin, Ritz and even the Omni are all better options.

Too many added expenses so be aware. It is a beautiful hotel in a very clean area. It is expensive. I used the gym which is only free if you are a member.