The Fairmont San Francisco - San Francisco, USA 

Located atop Nob Hill, The Fairmont has a long and rich history. Having survived the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, the inside was rebuilt and has been welcoming the rich and famous ever since. You will never see another lobby as majestic, classy and historical, yet without the musty smell others have. The views from the hotel are second to none. I felt as if I could reach out and touch the Transamerica Pyramid from my window. The Fairmont holds restaurants, including the famed old-time tiki lounge, Tonga Room (this is a must see) and a spa. Room service is excellent, service is perfection and the rooms are outfitted with lovely amenities. And with other hotels comparable in price without the history -- The Fairmont is a must stay.

Having looked at several properties in SF for our stay we decided to splash out and go for the Fairmont given its history and location. We were disappointed by and large. The hotel itself is set atop Nob Hill in a fab setting and looks all of it 5 stars from the outside. The interior is classy and in need of updating which I feel the hotel hides behind the vail of preservation on. The main problems I had with the hotel were the noise in the rooms (every door slammed shut when a visitor or maid closed it meaning sleeping beyond 7.30 / 8 in the mornings was impossible. This could be tackled easy enough but hasn't been and really ruined our stay. The sound of the slamming doors seem to echo around the vast corridors making it worse. The bar area is also poorly staffed and the staff that are there have a serious attitude when it comes to welcoming guests. Its like one drink and you're off - don't go making yourself comofrtable here. Considering the location the hotel bar is the only alternative for a relaxing evening drink - they could try harder. The afternnon lunch on the other hand is 5 star excellent and great value- well worth checking out! But the lounge downstairs seems to be rented out to parties quiet often and is only open to residnets occasionaly which is bizarre when you're spending $200+ a night to stay there! All in all a dispaaointing stay. The style and history of the place is sacrificed for the sake of some basic alterations and a course in manners to the bar staff.

Nous avons eu l'occasion de passer 4 nuits au Fairmont lors de notre visite touristique de San Francisco. Ce fut une expérience des plus agréables. Du check-in au petit déjeuner en passant par l'atmosphère calme et le décor agréable, tout amène à aimer retourner à l'hotel après chaque escapade en ville. Nous avions un chambre dans la tour avec une vue superbe su la baie de San Francisco. La chambre était spacieuse, la salle de bain de même et le service agréable et efficace. En période de nouvel an diverses activités étaient organisées par l'hotel. Nous n'avons pas participé à ces activités et n'en avons nullement ressenti les effets négatifs. Le tout était organisé afin de respecter le rpos de tous. Un hotel à recommander à tout prix!

We took a quick trip to San Francisco for Thanksgiving. The Fairmont was celebrating its 100th anniversary and all of the rooms were $100.00 off. It is a beautiful hotel and a gourmet brunch was included every day. The service was not the best and the staff was a little unfriendly. It was a nice experience but would not stay there again. The Hotel Huntington across the street had a fun bar and very friendly staff.

We spent 5 nights at the Fairmont from Christmas night until our departure on the 30th. We have no complaints! We booked a holiday package that included a wonderful buffet breakfast (really fresh fruit and perfect waffles) for $199./night. We had planned to stay only one night and head to northern Cailfornia, but it was raining up north so we extended our stay. Not only did they extend our stay, they upgraded us to a high floor in the Tower with a king size bed(not queen as in the package) and a city and bay view. We took another reviewer's advice to sign up for the President's Club and I think that made the difference. All this was done with a smile and "It's a Christmas gift." Granted the hotel was not fully booked due to the holidays, but I've never had a more gracious hotel registration. Tips: The main hotel is old and noisy - stay in the Tower if at all possible. It's connected to the lobby in the original hotel by a corridor. If you rent a car, return it every night to avoid the hotel parking charge of $45.00. It's only a $5.00 cab ride to get back to the hotel from the Hertz garage. Avoid the Tonga Room at all costs. The hokey Mai Tai (in a plastic coconut) tasted like cough syrup and the dinners were comparable to a Chinese restaurant in a strip mall. It was so highly touted by the hotel we thought it would be historic and wonderful. They neglected to inform their guests that they were also replicating a1950's menu. Visit Grace Episcopal Cathedral which is around the corner from the hotel. Their philosophy is the same as Glide Memorial's. It's a beautiful church rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake and welcomes all people offering "sanctuary to everyone." Don't miss the chapel to the right that offers solace to aids victims and their families. Stay at the hotel during the holidays - the lobby was beautifully decorated - really a wonderful experience.