Hayes Valley Inn

The rats were what made this stay unacceptable. I put leftovers on the floor one day, and rats immediately came into the room to join the meal. I emailed a complaint and heard nothing for five days. When I finally called reception, they asked bluntly, “so what do you want us to do?” They said they’d call back, but never did. On my second call, they said they could “look into it,” with no room change to somewhere more sanitary, no partial refund for the remaining week, and no solution. I spent the rest of the stay with my new grey roommates. The shared kitchen and bathrooms had already set a low bar. Instead of fixing problems, staff send threatening emails about locking the kitchen overnight. That says a lot about management. This isn’t bad service, it’s negligence. Anyone thinking of staying here should seriously reconsider.

The area was centrally located, with some bustling restaurants, though I found nicer ones elsewhere and it’s a bit close to sketchier parts. I paid too much for what I got. Bring earplugs, I was glad I had mine. The room smelled strange, and the window wouldn’t open. There was a loud fan outside, and a connecting door let every sound from the next room through, even simple movements. I asked to switch, but the hotel was full. The old shared bathroom was a bit gross, and guests seemed to sit in a chair right outside my room at night, which was odd. Housekeepers work hard, but knocked at 8:30am, which seemed early since checkout wasn’t until 11am.

As someone recovering from a knee replacement, carrying luggage up and down the stairs didn’t work for me. This hotel has no elevators and only modest handrails, so it isn’t ADA or handicap friendly. I’d also expected a communal kitchen, not communal bathrooms and showers. They should be clearer about the hotel’s amenities and limitations.

The shared kitchen was a pleasant surprise: clean and modern, with utensils, plates, cups, filtered water, instant coffee, and tea. The Hayes Valley Inn’s location couldn’t be better, and my room was impressively clean. The toilet and shower were separate from the room, hostel-style, but I never had trouble finding them free. The phone app key system can be confusing. The front desk responded promptly and kindly gave my friend a physical key, while my app worked fine. There’s no elevator, but that wasn’t an issue for me in this old building. Lovely part of the weekend, and I’m excited to return.