Villa Montes Hotel

Our trip to Villa Montes was planned for December 26th-28th, but on the morning of check-in my cousins were driving from Southern California to SF when they got into a car accident during the atmospheric river rainstorms. We had to cancel. We knew about the standard 50% cancellation policy, but thought a dangerous-weather emergency like this might qualify for an exception. We asked Villa Montes for a full refund and got a cold refusal, with no compassion, just a reference to the policy. Airbnb Customer Service contacted them for us, and they refused the full refund again. Thankfully, the Airbnb support agent was empathetic and refunded $50 from Airbnb’s own funds. We’re very disappointed and frustrated. Villa Montes stuck to its policy even while guests were dealing with a weather-related accident. It felt like protocol mattered more than basic human understanding in a travel crisis. If an uncontrollable emergency disrupts your trip, don’t expect flexibility or empathy from the host. You’re treated as a transaction, not a person.

It’s conveniently placed near stores and restaurants you can walk to, and you can also walk to San Bruno station for BART. Good value and close to SFO. The staff were friendly, and the hotel has unusual decor. My room and bathroom were clean, the appliances worked, and there was plenty of coffee. The toilet, tub, and shower worked well, with strong hot water. The heater and AC worked too. The lighting was sufficient, and the room smelled nice, not musty. There was ice water and hot fresh coffee in the lobby.

The hotel has spooky vibes and feels dated, but it was very clean. Staff were super friendly and helpful, and it’s very close to the airport. The gym is tiny and really lacking, and breakfast is about as basic as it gets. If I needed to stay in the area again, I’d come back.

The bed was comfortable, the hotel was nicely decorated, and it was mostly clean. The sink was clogged, though, and there was moldy tape under the piping. It smelled bad and was kind of gross. Also, the front desk staff were rude to both my boyfriend and me at check-in. The room was in my name, not his, which caused a mix-up, but it all worked out in the end.