Powell Place City

Our family owns a timeshare here, and someone in the family stays every year. San Francisco’s history and excitement are all around, from the famous streetcar stopping right outside Powell Place to the restaurants, theaters, and architecture. The Powell Street streetcar ride costs $9 each, so get a Muni multiplass for the week for $43 each. It pays off quickly. Google Maps helps with streetcars, trolleys, and BART to Fisherman’s wharf, Pier 39, Castro district, Golden Gate Bridge, park, museum, theaters, and more. It’s confusing at first, but soon you’ll be riding like a local. If it rains, try a Waymo robot car. It’s usually cheap and easy, and it picks up right outside Powell Place. We love the staff at Powell Place. They’ve been there forever and are the BEST. Helen is the manager, and Oscar at the front desk knows everything, so say hi. The rooms are historic, not modern, and in the best way. They’re spotless, quiet, and spacious, with comfortable quality furniture, and they’ve thought of everything: coffee, ice, divine bed linens, ceiling fans (no a/c), high pressure instant hot water, and a daily SF newspaper. The place feels very romantic. Yes, you hear the streetcars ringing, which is part of the charm of San Francisco. Park at Bush garage, tell them you’re with Powell Place, and it’s $40/day with one in out daily. Take Muni to a different district every day, see a play, eat amazing food, chat with the streetcar operators, and visit the street car museum. So cool. Enjoy this gorgeous city. 5 STARS!!!

The location is good, and the rooms are generally comfortable with what a short-term visitor needs. They could use a makeover, though. The entrance was untidy, especially around the office, which didn’t make a great first impression. When we arrived, the man at the front desk was particularly unfriendly and unhelpful.

The staff here were absolutely unprofessional, from the general manger to a front desk representative. I raised a safety concern with the front desk and general manager, and they responded with rudeness and skepticism. It was shocking. I’d never recommend this location, and I’ll keep sharing this unpleasant experience on social media.

The hotel is in a great spot, very close to the cable cars, and a Muni+cable car day pass is definitely worth getting if you stay here. The staff were very friendly. The room looked a bit old, but the bathroom was amazingly clean and seemed recently refreshed. There was a nasty smell in the lobby, though it had cleared by the day we left, so I guess they’d had some plumbing issues.