FOUND Hotel Carlton, Nob Hill

The room was perfectly decent for a budget stay in San Francisco, and I’d say I got a little more than I paid for. The staff were friendly, and check-in and check-out were easy. The area felt a bit sketchy, though it wasn’t too bad. The bed was clean. The shower was a little dirty, but not enough to worry me. For the price, it’s a good choice for an inexpensive, relaxing stay.

I paid for five nights what other hotels charge for one, so I really can’t complain. It’s a good option for a short visit if you expect to be out exploring most of the time. The location is fairly central, not especially close to anything in particular, but not far from much either. Public transit nearby was hit or miss. The old building turned out to be a nice aesthetic, and my room was well set up and maintained. Staff were kind and personable. It’s just north of the Tenderloin, so there were some sketchy encounters, but no actual confrontations, and people mostly ignored me. There are nicer parts of SF to stay in, but given the price, I was pleasantly surprised.

I stayed Friday, December 26 to Tuesday, December 30, and found it a great value. I’d recommend it for a three to six day trip to San Francisco, and I’d definitely come back. There’s 24-hour staff, which added to my sense of security, and everyone I dealt with was extremely friendly and helpful. The hotel is central, clean, and well maintained. The building is old but in good condition, and everything worked. It felt safe and quiet inside. The lobby has a microwave, coffee, and water, which was convenient. The heating worked perfectly for winter. The only downside was outside the hotel, where there were sometimes homeless people and occasional street trash. That didn’t affect my stay inside.

The bed was really comfortable, and the renovation seems to have been done well. It’s an old building, so the walls are thin, but we still slept fine. We could walk to popular spots, as well as dinner and coffee. Like many parts of SF, there’s a large unhoused population nearby, so be aware of that.