San Francisco Central Hotel

My room was clean and felt safe. I arrived around 11 p.m. and found the lobby closed, but a sign directed me to the back to ring the bell. The attendant came out right away and was friendly.

The bed was surprisingly comfortable, and the bedding and towels were clean. The area felt relatively nice for San Francisco both day and night. We didn’t have trouble with shady people hanging around the parking lot or much noise from other guests. The lot was a decent size with plenty of spaces, but parking cost $20 and wasn’t secured. Our room was next to the housekeeping room, so we heard people talking all morning. The rooms, furniture, and appliances were very dated and in poor condition. Overall, it felt like a two-star hotel charging a four-star price.

The location is fantastic, and the maids do a nice job making the place look as good as possible. I still don’t trust the front desk staff. They seem greedy and sketchy. They charged me $80 more than the rate on their own website or a third-party site. When I wanted to switch rooms on checkout day, they added an early check-in fee even though I’d stayed the previous night, plus another deposit. Towels are supplied according to the number of beds, not how many guests the room sleeps. Two beds for four people meant two sets of towels, and one bed for two meant one set. Keep that in mind, and don’t be surprised if the TV doesn’t work. Around 5 a.m. on checkout day, a disruptive guest pounded on room doors and pulled the fire alarm without cause, causing widespread panic. The fire department had to inspect every room. The hotel didn’t provide proper security or staff intervention, leaving guests to deal with it. When I raised the issue, the front desk offered no apology, resolution, or attempt to make things right. The dismissive, unprofessional response made it worse. My friend and I had to work that morning and were counting on a safe, restful stay. The disruption made me late for work and cost me commissions. The hotel still charged me a late checkout fee, even though the morning had been chaotic and the property wasn’t fully booked the next night. I’d only suggest this place for partying on weekends or if you just need somewhere to sleep.

I’ve stayed here at least 25 times, and I’m booking again soon. I leave my car there often and have never had anyone try to break in. I do see people outside, but they’ve never bothered me. Don’t judge the homeless; sometimes they watch over your vehicle without even getting a thanks. The rooms are clean and the staff are okay. The young woman who works nights is amazing and checks people in super fast. Like any business, there are areas that could improve, but so far I’ve had no issues.