I stayed at this hotel for a three day conference this past May. The location is also very good, right on the Embarcadero, adjacent to Petco Park, the Convention Center, and the Gaslamp Quarter. Be aware that there is a lot of construction in the area as of my review, so there is no real direct route to the Gaslamp Quarter and Petco park even though they are across the street. I saw a walkway being constructed, but as of now, it would entail walking a couple of crosswalks and a walk across the railroad tracks.
The hotel itself is incredibly modern and stylish, with a design more akin to the "W" chain than run-of-the-mill Hiltons. The lobby is bright and airy, decorated with bold colors and modern furniture. The rooms are also of similar aesthetics, with comfortable modern furniture and sleek design. The rooms are sizeable enough, but I was disappointed to find that my room only had a shower, and no bath. At first I thought it was may have been an accessible room assignment, but noticed to grab bars in the bathroom.
The hallways on the room floors, however, showed for any lack of design. Where one would expect to see simple prints or plants spread about to decorate the long corridors, there was no added decor in sight. This gave the interiors the feeling of a Holiday Inn.
Service was friendly, but spotty at times. Upon check-in I was assigned a room that was already occupied. Although this was easily resolved, I'm sure this was an unpleasant experience for the guest whose room I tried to enter. Likewise, housekeeping was spotty, as one day I noticed that although the bathroom had been tidied, the toilet bowl was not cleaned.
And like most hotel chains, and as others had complained previously, there are "nickel-and-dime" charges everywhere - $13.95 for internet, $21 daily for self parking, fees for fitness center use. I can understand the need to generate revenue, but these types of things would not garner customer loyalty in my opinion.
Overall the stay was pleasant but not extraordinary. The design of the hotel appears that Hilton is trying to appeal to a more upscale clientele, but upon closer inspection, it still is a basic Hilton. Time will tell whether the design will age well or if the hotel will need a major overhaul in the next three years.
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