My wife and I stayed at the Fairmont for two nights, 7/26 and 7/27 and we were quite impressed with the grand lobby. In addition, having gotten a super rate with Expedia for 60% off, we upgraded to a Tower Room with a scenic view of Union Square and the rooftop gardens.

The room was very spacious, with a comfortable king-size bed, separate desk and dresser. The bathroom was very luxurious, with a glass-enclosed shower and marble sinks and counter.

As for the location, we LOVED being on top of Nob Hill. I got two 3-day MUNI passes, so we walked DOWN the hills for breakfast and took the cable cars UP the hills afterwards.

For the folks that bad-mouthed the hotel as being dated, I much prefer these turn-of-the-century grand dames to the cookie cutter Marriotts and Hiltons that look the same in every city. A good suggestion is to join their Presidents Club for free and then you get free internet access and free gym usages.

We stayed in the Atherton Suite for 2 nights in June 2008. We booked this hotel (and this room) because we got a great rate on Expedia during one of their 60% off one-day sales.

Check in was fast, courteous, and very efficient. We were given detailed directions on getting from the check-in area to our room which was in the tower addition.

The first thing we noticed upon entry into our room was the fact that there was a strange juxtaposition between very dated furniture and fixtures, and the modern. There was a big flat panel television, but some couches done up in fabrics clearly from the early 80s. The curtains were heavy, and gold-colored, but the bed was almost brand new, plush, and comfortable. There was an iPod dockable clock-radio in the bedroom.

The bathroom was fantastic, reminiscent of the setup of the Intercontinentals we've stayed at: nice deep bath on one side, shower on the other (this one with a rain shower head). The bathroon was spacious, and the tub had great water pressure for producing an excellent bubblebath (did I mention it was deep?)

There were sliding doors to block off the sitting area from the sleeping area, which was nice, and also separate temperature controls. Being in a corner suite, due to the hotel's layout, we had no neighbors on any side -- so our room was wonderfully quiet.

We didn't eat any meals at the hotel, but we did check out the Tonga Room (kitschy) -- drinks and the "buffet" were pretty expensive and not really worth the atmosphere, we thought. We did enjoy the Laurel Court bar, which was quieter, and had more comfortable seating on couches and such.

Overall, the hotel definitely lives up to its reputation.

We likely won't stay at the Fairmont again, unless Expedia has another sale like they did! -- and if we did stay again, we'd probably try to check out a room in the main building.

We loved the hotel! It is really a beautiful property with a look and feel that are at once classic and funky. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We would gladly stay there again if we got a deal in the same price range ($150/night). There were just a few things we didn't like, but they are understandable in any old hotel. The worst thing was that the walls transmit any and all noises between rooms. We changed rooms once when we were overpowered with the voices of the guests next door, but then discovered that even in our second room we could also hear everything that was said next to that room. Also, the bathrooms are very small, though they are very nicely renovated and were find for our use. Finally, the elevators are extremely slow. We didn't mind these drawbacks too much in the end; the classic feel of this grand old hotel and the great attitude of the staff more than made up for it.

The Fairmont San Francisco is, without doubt, one of the world's grand hotels. And it deserves this reputation. Some of the facilities (the 1970s Tower extension) are a bit dated, but generally, it is a very good hotel

When we arrived at the hotel very late (around midnight), because our plane was delayed, we were no longer given a room in the historic part (as booked), but the tower. However, they upgraded us to a top floor, corner view deluxe room (we were actually on the same floor as the InterContinental's hotel bar 'Top of the Mark' opposite, which we could easily look into). The room facilities were excellent with grand interior design and a cosy, elegant atmosphere. The bathroom was spacious and clean - providing a separate shower, toilette and bath tub.

The bed was very comfortable, the desk perfect for my business needs and we could generally not fault the hotel or its service with anything.

We arrived back in San Fran so late that all restaurants were shut and we thus decided to use the room service. The drinks and sandwiches arrived on time and were of good quality.

Checkout was very good.


Quick summary:

Location: Very good

Facilities: Good

Rooms: Very good

Special factor: the entrance hall and the bar just look amazing.

Service: Very good