Kimpton Hotel Enso

My new favourite hotel in SF! Safe neighbourhood, friendly staff, clean and spacious rooms, it really was a pleasant experience. My husband and I stayed for a weekend wedding. We rented a car and specifically looked for a hotel with a parking garage, and this one had it. They charge $49/day for parking, but I purchased the parking+room rate in advance which saved money. On top of that, they have EV chargers (plus adapters for non-Teslas) which was perfect. Would recommend this hotel!

I recently stayed at the Kimpton Hotel Enso and had a mixed experience. The room was beautiful, but you could tell it was a bit dated. The bathroom door was inconvenient—it kept getting in the way, and the door knob was loose and nearly falling off. The TV system also felt like it was straight out of the 1990s, which was disappointing. The hotel overall had an older vibe, almost eerie, giving off “Shining” vibes. On the positive side, the views were great, and the location was excellent, within walking distance to plenty of restaurants and food spots. However, the most unsettling part of my stay happened on Friday night. As I walked into the lobby, I saw a mouse run along the right wall. When I went to check to make sure I wasn’t imagining things, it scurried away into a hole behind the trash can. Overall, while my stay had its good moments, it didn’t meet the level of quality or vibe I’ve come to expect from the Kimpton brand.

The beds are worth it alone (took off the sheets to find out the brand). Pillows range in firmness and that was appreciated to have options. I love how minimal this hotel is but does feel a bit pricey due to that fact. Bathrooms are really pretty and the robes are a nice touch! Coffee in lobby is a blessing. Staff was professional and check in took around 30 seconds. Walls are slightly thin but wasn’t too noisy besides hearing doors. Would stay again!

I live in SF and this is my first time staying in a hotel in my own city. Due to the hot, unbearable apartment, my family checked ourselves into Hotel Enso for an overnight stay so we can start the week refreshed. We would pass by this neighborhood often as it is filled with a great variety of restaurants of all budgets around Japantown and Fillmore Street. The front desk staff was pleasant and efficient, within minutes we were enjoying our nicely cooled room with a quiet A/C. We realized we should have checked into this hotel sooner! ||Typical of other Kimpton chains, the room was nicely accented & clean, the bathroom was polished and had their signature Atelier Bloem toiletries. We were in room 701, westward facing where we got to enjoy a beautiful SF Indian Summer sunset. The room itself was quiet and the A/C worked great so all of us a great nice of sleep. We didn't need much amenities but noticed they had: mini fridge, room safe, clock, tv, and easy to find electric sockets with USB plugs. We'll definitely be returning again and recommend to friends and family visiting.

Staff went above and beyond to provide a comfortable stay, Sabah welcomed us with hot cider and friendly conversation. Morning coffee bar and nightly wine hour were nice touches that connected hotel guests— we really enjoyed both. Rooms were clean, modern and well designed. We enjoyed the view of SF from our balcony. Neighborhood was safe and quiet with easy accessibility to restaurants and stores in Japantown. Hotel offers paid parking, but we were able to find street parking during our stay. No issues with car safety. Overall the price was well worth the value provided by hotel. We will stay here again on future trips to the area.

TLDR: great location and friendly staff Got recognized as a platinum member and got free $15 in hotel credit which I got 2 coffees. The room had some pipe issues late at night which they moved me to another room and gave me points for the inconvenience. The price is right for a nicely refreshed hotel compared to the old Hotel and I enjoyed my stay. Staff were super friendly and welcoming and helpful

Bring your headphones if you want to hang out in the lobby. The music is LOUD. No coffee in room - you must request that they bring you a machine Excellent water filter available on certain floors for bottle refills, saving you money No standard hotel breakfast is offered. Only coffee in the lobby starting at 6am. The restaurant in the hotel does not even serve toast or cereal or fruit or eggs. The limited offerings they do have start at $25 per person. They do have a small refrigerator in the room but no microwaves. Occasionally dog barking can be heard, especially in the hallways, but this didn't happen while we were trying to sleep. This hotel has 8 floors. The beds were comfortable.

Had a wonderful experience at the Hotel Enso. Great location, amazing staff, beautiful views. The staff really goes above and beyond. This is my new go-to hotel when staying in San Francisco. Highly recommended.

We booked an overnight stay for a mini staycation for my birthday. I love how it is a stone throw away from Japantown and a good walking distance to another strip of restos, bars and desserts. Our room had a view which had such a quaint SF feel to it. Room was clean and beds were comfy. Although, our room were missing robes and their conditioner bottle was empty, it wasn't a big deal but something that needs to give a minor attention to. There is a reserved parking spot for each paying guest however and it can get full pretty easily as it is limited and space may be kinda small, so please make sure not to park like a lunatic. They offer free wine at the lobby during a mini happy hour and free coffee in the morning. Water is also available. I just had to knock a star off due to privacy reason. We had a late check out and was just hanging out in the room when a housekeeper suddenly opened our door. She did apologize, which we did appreciate. Other than that, we really enjoyed our stay, staff were pleasant and friendly.

Stayed here for two nights recently and we paid extra for a city view room. The room was minimal but we knew that going into this. The bed was super comfortable and we slept great. The bathroom was also nice and we had no issues with it. The location was great with lots of restaurants and things to do either nearby or easily accessible. The free wine was also nice. Overall the stay was pleasant but there were a few quirks: 1. You're provided a single robe. It's cool that this is offered but there should be one for each guest. We just took turns wearing it. 2. Like i said we paid extra for the city view but the view was partially obstructed by a tree and you're actually able to see into neighboring rooms viewing nooks which sort of kills the mood. A bit more privacy from neighboring rooms would be nice, we ended up holding the curtains up with some clips to get that. You're also pretty easy to see from the street so while you get a (subpar) view, you don't get enough privacy to actually enjoy it imo. I would recommend against the city view rooms. 3. The walls were super thin. We could hear people in nearby rooms, in the hallway, everywhere. It wasn't the worst level of sound ever but it felt equivalent to a college dorm. I'm not in a rush to rebook at this hotel for my next sf stay, but I'd still consider it given the location and the room overall being comfortable.

My girlfriend and I stayed for a one-night getaway from Sunday to Monday, December 15-16, and while the location and views were great and the room decor was cozy, there were a few issues that made the experience fall short. First, our room was missing a bathrobe. Not a big deal initially, but when I called the front desk to ask for one, I was met with a dismissive response. Worse - the bathrobe was never brought up. The next morning, the same front desk staff member during checkout handed me the receipt without saying anything -- no typical "you're all set" or "thank you for staying." My girlfriend and I waited awkwardly for about two minutes while she typed, unsure if the transaction was over. I eventually had to ask if we were good to go. Housekeeping was another issue. They knocked but opened the door immediately while I was taking a shower, which was uncomfortable and avoidable. Lastly, the toilet clogged multiple times, which shouldn't be happening at this level of accommodation. With a lackluster experience, I now feel like I need to keep a close eye on my account to ensure the $300 security deposit is reimbursed throughout the week, which adds unnecessary stress. Hotel Enso has a lot of potential with its great location and cozy design, but it's time to re-evaluate the quality of their guest services and attention to detail.

We visited again in November after the manager reached out with a discount for our next visit due to our complaints from last time (thanks Darius!). We like the area so we figured we would try again. We noticed an improvement of cleanliness and the front desk was super helpful -- they quickly brought a dog bed to our room and even kept my birthday cake in the freezer for me. I will likely come again with hopes that the standards of cleanliness continue to be high.

This is a subjective rating of a hotel. For most, the Enso might not be a five star accommodation. However, in San Francisco, I don't want to be anywhere near Union Square. It is a tourist, homeless, street people enclave that shatters all my sensibilities and makes me hate everything about this current United States. That limits my choices exponentially. The Kimpton Enso sits in Japantown, steps from the Fillmore District and Pacific Heights. While Japantown can be one dimensional and the Fillmore too cute and taken with itself, I'll take this area over Union Square in a blink of a hand out or the clang of a trolley. Good to great restaurants abound and I feel safe everywhere I go. While prices at the Enso are San Francisco high, they are not ridiculous. Rooms and hallways might need a refurbishment, but they are clean enough. Certainly, the rooms and bathrooms are spacious, towels are thick, and most of the time the heating and cooling work well. We were in SF during a heat wave, and one room on the 7th floor had great AC. Our second, smaller room on the 4th floor had weak AC. That's the Enso. What makes this hotel special is the staff. They bend over backwards to help. Sabah at the front desk was wonderful to us, and I appreciated it. The Enso will not remind you of 99% of the other Kimptons. It isn't trendy, hip, or cool. The only thing it might have in common is the Enso also has nightly free wine and it accepts pets. Yet, we were able to relax at the Enso. That's worth a lot in San Francisco.

Stayed here for a 1-night staycation during President's Day weekend. We had dinner plans in the Sunset and with a massive rain storm coming in we figured it'll be best to stay in SF a night. Plus, it gave us more time to explore Japan Town during the day! Hotel Enso is within steps of the Japan Center Mall, with tons of restaurants and shops. They have an underground, gated parking lot that connects right into the lobby. There seems to be sufficient parking; however at night the lot tends to get full. It doesn't help that Teslas park in non-Tesla spots while charging. Fine, I'll just park in the Tesla-marked spot in the adjacent spot since the hotel charges parking and should guarantee guests a spot. Lots of things to love about the hotel itself - big, clean rooms with nice Japanese vibes. Friendly service. Exceptional location. Plus, free late checkout if you simply ask the front desk. Why only 4 stars? After my stay I've been getting emails from the front desks from various Klimpton Hotels with receipts - except there're from other people! Not sure if they put my email along with others on some mailing liat or whether this is attempted spam or phishing, I started blocking emails from Klimpton. I have never had this issue with any other hotel chain, so -1 star. If I stay with them again, I'll ask for paper receipt.

Only stayed for one night but all went well. We picked the kimpton because it's pet friendly. We got a great room and all the other logistics worked out well. The location was great and parking was not a hassle. They honor the kimpton specials for every season and we got to play the plinko game at check in and ended up getting some additional bar credit. The room itself was perfect and had a great view of the city (once the clouds parted). If we were traveling to SF with out dog we would most definitely try to stay here again. Our 70lb pittie is a softie but at first glance she can appear to be menacing. Thank you to the staff and team for making her, and by proxy us, feel welcomed.

Reserved a room at this hotel about four months later. it's almost like a completely different hotel. Prices had gone up both in parking and room reservation. You can now reserve parking a head of check in which is a pain if you arrive early all the parking can be unavailable. I think the new policy is strange. I'm now on the fence about this hotel. The neighborhood is so relaxing, though which is definitely a bonus.

A fantastic experience, mainly because of the friendliness of the staff, who went above and beyond again and again. They seemed to really care about making it a positive experience for me. The rooms were clean, the bed super comfy and the location was really ideal in the heart of Japantown.

Nice people working the front desk. Modern style hotel very minimalistic rooms. Clean. Don't stay on floors 3 or 7 bc this is where the ice machine is very loud! Located in Japantown so many restaurants to choose from. Walkable area

Decent boutique hotel with some updates. Japantown location which is about a 10 minute drive to downtown. On site but limited parking which is nice. Rates are expensive given the overall experience. We've stayed at Hotel Nikko which is considerably more upscale for less (around the same time). Would we come back? Sure if the rates are comparable

We stayed here for a staycation and really liked it! Parking was very convenient and in the parking lot at the bottom floor of the hotel. It is a bit tight and is first come first serve. Check-in was seamless and we even got a little bottle of rose (not sure if that came with my expedia VIP). We booked the corner king on the 8th and it was quite spacious! The views were very nice and we got to see a nice view of Japantown. I would say there was a musty smell in the elevator and up on the hallway and some in our room. The reception area smelled nice and if only they could use the same scent in our rooms. Uber pick-up was in front of the hotel and pretty convenient. We didn't get to explore too much of Japantown and would love to come back, Hotel Enso would be a great hotel option for a staycation nearby!

Great hotel, amazing location (safe and walkable), very kind staff. Wine hours, coffee hours what do you need more? :)

We loved this little boutique hotel. It's in a great location, right by Japantown. They are casually dog friendly, no stress, no additional fee and they offered bowls and beds. They also have a small secure parking lot, with a few a Tesla chargers. The room was clean and nicely decorated. Good shower pressure, USB and electric outlets right in the nightstand, small fridge, umbrella. I loved the blue and white indigo decor, the carpeting and the yukatas. The filtered water dispenser in the hallway was really appreciated. There is a complimentary wine offered in the afternoons, and coffee in the morning. Stevie, at the front desk was very helpful and friendly. We will definitely recommend this hotel in San Francisco. So nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city!

We stayed at the Kimpton Hotel Enso recently for an overnight for work. The location is great--it's of course across the street from Japantown, with access to many great restaurants, and it's easy walking distance to Fillmore and even Pac Heights. If you've stayed in other parts of San Francisco, like near the Embarcadero Center or Ferry Building, Union Square, or even SOMA, you will be shocked at just how quiet and tranquil San Francisco can be in this part of town. The one downside is that many things close a bit earlier in this area, around 9-10pm. The rooms were extremely spacious--almost awkwardly so, because it felt like there was a lot of unused space, empty walls, etc. If you like to workout in your room, you'll love this because unlike most other hotels, there is plenty of space to lay down a yoga mat and get some exercise in without leaving the comfort of your room. The rooms were otherwise pretty standard--a small armoire for hanging a few places of clothing, a couple of robes, a safe, a coffee machine, and a refrigerator. The bed and pillows were decently comfy. The only negative aspect of the room we had is that the window to the outside street didn't lock (it did have something to prevent it from opening more than 6") and it wasn't insulated well, so if you are bothered by street noise, you may want to ask for a room facing away from the street. The other awesome thing about this hotel is that they have their own garage with space for around 20 cars. When we looked online, parking was $40 but they didn't end up charging us. Regardless, it's a great benefit to have a small garage--safe, secure parking for your car, and easy access to come/go as needed. Next time we're in the area and need to stay overnight, Enso will be our go-to.

I loved my stay here! It's in a part of the city I love; near Filmore, near Palace of Fine Arts, right across the street from Japantown shopping center and easy to get to other parts of the city. The service was friendly and helpful. The lobby is where they host a complimentary wine hour every night. They have a parking garage just for guests with very easy access. The room had all the typical amenities and was clean and bright. It was surprisingly quiet and dark at night.They have a filtered water station for filling water bottles on each floor. The bed was comfy. When we checked in we were sent a text to ask if everything in the room was satisfactory. When we checked out we were offered coffee. I already like Kimpton hotels so I had high expectations and the Enso did not disappoint. Would definitely return.

Perfect location for Japantown. Clean, safe with a peaceful vibe. Front desk was so welcoming and knowledgeable of what was available in the area. Water pressure in the shower's PERFECT!!!!

Great hotel for the value. Rooms were bright, up to date, clean and king beds were very comfy. The hallways are dated but that's not a big deal. We parked in the Japan town parking garage which is a block away because the hotel lot was full. You can hear guests in the hallways and rooms around you but we just turned the tv up. 4.5 stars overall.

Stayed at Kimpton for 2 nights and it was the perfect location for my itinerary. The hotel rooms are very basic, no bells or whistles, so if you're looking for something fancy with a never ending list of amenities, this may not be for you. I was out and about most of the time and only needed the room to sleep, so it was fine for me. It is located a block away from the Japan Center and a few blocks away from Fillmore. Talk about being central to all the shopping and good food!! Moreover, it is generally a safe area, if you're worried about safety.

Comfortable accommodations and nice location. Used to live in the city and thought this would be a great overnight location for my kid and I on a roadtrip to see family. We loved the walkability to so many great locations from this hotel. The check in staff and checkout staff were both very friendly. Only complaint was the dogs on our floor who kept barking whenever we opened the door or anyone walked down the hall at night.

Simplicity and peacefulness. Great service from staff. Minimalist rooms, but with everything you need. It's across the street from Japantown mall. Super clean and convenient. Onsite parking is first come first served--if you find it's full, park under the Japantown mall for easy access. Thank you, Kimpton Enso. I felt comfy and cared for this weekend.

Excellent service by Nick, loved our room with a view, clean and comfy. Easy street parking and cute technicolor room and courtyard. 5 stars for Nick at the front desk. The room had a humming sound from the AC? Hence 4 stars

It's a good location , comfortable. But there were not enough amenities in a room. workers were friendly . We were able to rest in the room so we are satisfied.

So I carefully researched mid range hotels on a variety of sites, including trip advisor. I was looking for something in this general area of SF. I almost chose another highly rated hotel but did not because of Trip Advisor reviews and the Kimpton brand. Some of their properties I've stayed at are very nice. This one is very basic. The staff is not terrible, but also not what I expected, especially considering I had to go request a new room within minutes of my arrival. The first room they gave me was like an oven. The thermostat was set on 72 but it was at least 90 degrees. Anyway, I told them and they gave me a new room but without any apology of any kind. Quite odd. The water I needed so badly at this point was empty in the container downstairs, one that was in the "welcome" station. I asked about getting water and was told I could pay for water. This hotel lacks character of any kind. The lobby area is not welcoming at all, nor is the staff. I had to ask for a hairdryer, even though they assured me the room had one. Waiting for one made me late for my dinner date. I was slightly embarrassed to even be staying in this hotel when my friend picked me up. He had to sit with the front desk assistant staring at him. There is little seating available in the tiny lounge waiting area, and it is far from allowing any sense of privacy or comfort.

The Kimpton in Japantown was incredibly clean! It's tough to get a good room in a quiet part of town (for a good price). They were able to hold our bags ahead of check-in. That alone is merit for 5 stars but the bonus features- free happy hour in the courtyard- were icing on the cake!

Stayed here the night before the SF marathon. The gentleman working at the front desk is so nice and everyone that works there is great at their job. Dog friendly. Definitely my new place whenever I'm in SF.

I've stayed at multiple Kimpton's across the country and this is by far one of the more substandard ones I have stayed at. It's clearly poorly managed and lacks that quaint Kimpton brand "boutique hotel" feel. In my experience, when staying at a Kimpton--and after a long day of travel, you generally look forward to getting back to that chic Kimpton Hotel to enjoy the room + amenities (coffee, happy hour, rooftop bar etc.) This was not the case at the Buchanan. At best, it genuinely felt like your staying at a 2 star rated hotel. Like most situations outside of your control, you inevitably acclimate to your stay--analogous to back when you got dropped off at your college dorm and realized it is what is is. Very disappointing lodging experience and do not recommend. Next time I am in San Francisco, I will give the Kimpton Sir Francis Drake a shot.

Great location, gorgeous rooms, fun happy hour in the lobby. In the morning they have excellent coffee in the lobby, or they will deliver an electric kettle and/or coffee maker to your room if you want. Very secure covered parking. This is the only hotel that I prefer to an airbnb, just check your bill carefully!

We arrived around 5PM and they were providing free wine to guests, which included red, white and sake! Wine hour is 5pm-6pm. Upon checking in, I received a free bag of snack for being a platinum IHG member. What a great welcome! The hotel has a boutique higher end feel - cutely decorated with both British and Japanese art scheme. Centrally located to Japantown and next to great asian restaurants. Our room was average size, clean and and the bed was comfy. It included a yoga mat and umbrella for use. I appreciated the full-size shampoo bottles - less waste! In the morning, the hotel offers free Philz coffee and tea for guests (7AM-10AM). For parking, we found free street parking on weekends just a block away. Overall very enjoyable stay.

Quite simply poor start to the experience and the worse. Booked a room when our home was without power in SF. Family arrived before me. Attempted to call and request they be let in and pay over the phone or by any method. First rep was "you can't do that." Manager same thing. I'm attempting to pay for a room so that my family can get into the room after being without power the night before. No "we will make the comfortable." No figuring out a solution. I tried anything to find them a solution so I could pay them. Just no and no and no. I could care less about how the hotel actually is once my introduction to it was the exact opposite of hospitality. Goodbye Kimpton. -- Update: This is a Howard Johnson's with different wallpaper and worse hospitality. Save your money and stay at a motel and splurge on the city. Awful management. Terrible hotel. Rates at $400 to $500 .... Give me a break.

Went in for my anniversary! Totally enjoyed it and had a great time. The location is great and Japan town right across the street. Would definitely stay again, can be pricey but I'd say worth it. I'll most likely come back to check out more food places for my foodie account lol! Def recommend!

My husband and I have been supporters and ambassadors for IHG/Kimpton brand. Sadly, our experiences have fallen short of satisfying in the past year and this stay marks my departure from the IHG fan club. You know, it's the little things that can make or break a stay. Slippers - no slippers here. No restaurant. No amenities. We are in a standard room w/ a king bed and there is one chair in the room. ONE CHAIR. Who does this? While I appreciate the Japanese minimalist aesthetic - this "design choice" appears thoughtless and ill conceived. A massive trash bin on wheels -filled with trash- sat outside the elevator lobby (on our floor) from Saturday through Monday morning. The staff, while pleasant when you engage them, do not make eye contact with people as they come through the lobby. With exception to the gentleman who checked me in (he was great)- everyone offered the absolute basic-bottom-transactional service. Enso and the IHG brands are failing to provide satisfying guest service experiences. Every IHG I've stay since January feels like a stay at a nicely appointed MOTEL. I have spent my life serving the public in many capacities so I do not come to this conclusion without personal experience. We had dinner at Kabuki Hotel (Hyatt chain) just down the street from Enso... fabulous dinner, gorgeous lobby and a welcoming reception. I'll stay there on my next visit to SF.

What a cute hotel!! Absolutely loved the decor, but most importantly it's location in Pacific Heights. This hotel was about a quarter-mile from a strip of restaurants. Their room service was SO QUICK. We asked for extra towels, and they were knocking on our door less than 3 minutes later! My favorite part of this hotel is they have full-size bottle of bathroom products! Such a great way to be green and eco-friendly. I would definitely stay at a Kimpton again!

Just nice a good location and it's calm not frantic like do many places seem to be trying to be

Hotel is tucked away in a safe low-key part of Japan town. There is a quaint set up as you walk down their steps. They are also connected to Mum's a hot pot restaurant. On Wednesdays after 5p they give guests free white or red wine! It's poured by a drink tender in front of the check in area. The hotel has a tiny gym on the first floor. It's mediocre at best for the amenities but what stood out to me is the zen like styled court yard. During the month of April it's still chilly weather so I highly suggest to grab the cable jump ropes in cool down from your run on the treadmill there. At night, you can sit by the fire pit. Very great for the spouse or friends. What I really like is the rooms were clean and art work in the double bed room was suited to the Japan Town area. If you get there first floor you have an area by the street with what in Hawaii we can a lanai. You also get access to go down to lobby via stairs but the hotel building was built maybe in the early 70s so the stairs are not wide and feel kind of close. So be careful I almost tripped twice bc I run down haha. My fault! The size of the room is very decent. You get a lot of what you out but due to busy SF, it's difficult to find availability. I love how you're walking distance to great Asian markets and restaurants. It's worth giving this place a try. The staff was very understanding since I had to check in for my dad. If you need to make any adjustment for your reservation at the hotel, you must call or see the in-house reservation specialist who comes in at 930AM. Please also note that walls are not sound proof so you may hear kids and plumbing from around the building but nothing more louder than the bus that passes by. Room service is awesome at changing sheets and tidying up the room. They will also provide things you may have forgotten, such as toothpaste! Just see the front desk or ask the crew if you see them in the hall. WiFi has been very good, although there is a fee. Call your front desk for more details on that. If you have multiple reservations, be sure they refund your CC they put on hold for liability. They say they put $50 a day but for the three days, the amount was higher than expected.

This is a best western that identifies as a Kimpton. Amenities leave much to be desired. Don't pay for parking package expecting a spot (it's first come first serve and fills up fast). They don't use fitted sheets, leaving the mattress exposed and the room was dirty upon arrival with rice and other food in the carpet. Complimentary cold coffee!

We travel and book with IHG Hotels & Resorts often (at least once a quarter) and recently experienced awful customer service. We missed updating an expired credit card on our member profile and after booking weeks in advance for a stay at the Enso, 3 hours before check-in, our reservation was cancelled. There was no notification sent prior, the hotel was fully booked, and every manager and customer service support (locally and via corporate) only offered "it is our policy, there is nothing we can do." Well, this policy is unacceptable. Guests should be given 24 hours to rectify a payment concern prior to cancelling a reservation. We scrambled to find another hotel as we boarded a plane; needless to say, starting off a trip like this was terrible.

This is a really nice hotel that's serves up a new kind of scene... My wife and I were visiting my daughter and fiancé in SanFran. They said that check in was easy and the lobby area was quaint. The room was absolutely fantastic and plenty of windows to open for fresh Bay area breeze. We all decided to hit the town and before leaving we noticed complimentary adult beverages being offered in lobby area. Also, it's easy walking to many restaurants and stores. Take Uber or Lyft for a small charge. Nice place to stay for anyone and everyone!

This isn't the Hilton. This is a Kimpton. A whole other level and vibe than your standard hotel. This place brings luxury brand feels to the basic cookie-cutter price. This place has such personality, it's quiet and it feels like a high end hotel. The front desk staff are happy and have great manners. There is a wine hour for guests from 5-6pm on weekdays. Even the wallpaper is one that you probably haven't seen before. The rooms are a good size. Not huge, but def not small either. The halls are quiet and the type of guest to stay here seems to be respectful to others because I never heard anyone when I was in my room. Or maybe they made the walls pretty thick. Either way it's a win. Overall, I'd love to stay here again. Such a unique and personal experience that makes you feel like you're at your home away from home.

This hotel is in the heart of Japantown and is "dog friendly" which is why we booked here. Last weekend was our wedding anniversary and the hotel put a small bottle of prosecco in our room with a card that was a very nice touch. Unfortunately, in the evening when I asked the gentleman behind the desk about dog friendly restaurants in the area, he seemed to have no information and recommended a website "Uh, Fido something". I was not impressed. He ultimately gave me a list of 3 places nowhere near the hotel. I had also seen a photo on the website with a small grassy area on the premises and asked where it was so I could take my pup to go potty and he said there was no such place and to walk a block to a private strip of grassy area they were calling a park that clearly belonged to residents in the area. I wouldn't have cared execpt that our room was directly above the patio area with grass. To be fair, all the other staff I came in contact with were nice and professional. Parking was not optimal; they have a small garage under the hotel and we got the absoloute last spot when we arrived. When we were ready to head out for dinner, there were a lot of people checking in and we decided to change our plans and walk to dinner rather than risk losing our parking space. Also, they put us on the 7th floor not to far from the ice machine which was nice because they only have TWO for the entire hotel It was nice, until I actually tried to use it and it wouldn't work. We spoke to the front desk who advised they would send maintanence, but apparently that doesn't mean send someone to fix it, but rather send someone to tape a piece of paper to it that says out of order. Besides the lack of dog knowledge, ice machine debacle, and the atrocious parking situation, our only other annoyance was the very outdated bathroom with virtually zero water pressure and the fact that everything was wet when we checked in. It was almost as if the maids just hose down the bathroom because the floor will accomodate it. Everything else was lovely. As I said, the location is great and I was able to find a nice dog park a 10 minute walk away. The wine was thoughtful and the room came with a small fridge which was nice. The thermostat worked well and the bed was comfortable enough. I also like that it is a fairly small hotel with less traffic than we are used to. Now that we have stayed and know more about the area, I would consider this hotel again but if you are traveling with your pooch, I would suggest doing your own research...

We love Kimptons and this one in JapanTown San Francisco did not disappoint. Highly recommend for a visit to the City. Walking distance to excellent local eateries and ethnic favorites. Comfy beds, loaner umbrellas, helpful front desk staff.

I like Kimptons. This one feels a bit older, but still nice. The price was ok for San Francisco, and if you like Asian cuisine.....it's everywhere :) Room was clean, bed was comfortable. Their check in and check out was fine. The manager's teceptionbhad a very nice and helpful attendant! Not much else to report.

The overall hotel was decent overall, however I did run into some major problem that dropped my review to (1) star. First you are charged a parking fee of $40. If I had known this, I would have definitely looked at other hotels. But the worst prt of my stay was finding a bedbug in our sheets. I left a note and the dead bedbug by the nightstand to avoid any altercations with other guests as I would find it unpleasant to know that there are bedbugs in the hotel I am staying, or will be staying at. Unfortunately no one has gotten back to me. If the bed bug hadn't been an issue, the hotel would have been a decent stay, however the bedbug and lack of response is concerning.

The rooms felt old and tired. The dark, near black colored carpet and black colored tiled bathroom floor felt dirty. For over $300 dollars per night, it is really not a good value. The front desk staff was very nice and friendly, and never failed to greets us when we come inside the hotel on got off the elevator. Parking is $38 per night. It is located in the center of Japan town. I rather stay somewhere else next time.

Excellent stay. Great location. Friendly and Personal service. We loved the convenient location to Japantown. Lots of great eats in the area. Fillmore street is a short walk away with shops and a lot of food options. Steps outside there are Japanese restaurants galore and enough for most peoples' tastes. The parking is $40 a night which is standard for SF hotel pricing but we read reviews and parked at a nearby monitored lot (very short walk) for $29 a night. We weren't using the car much so this didn't bother us. The staff here are extremely friendly and attentive. We felt very welcomed and they went out of their way to make us feel that way. Our young kids were offered toys from their treasure chest. We partook in the wine hour and the pear Sake was delicious! They offer coffee and tea in the lobby from 6-9am. Not the fanciest of hotels but we would definitely stay here again. It's a great place to get around from as we like to explore on foot.

The first issue is that they charge 40$ for a tiny parking space for the night. It's not like the hotel was horrible but for the price, we could almost have booked the Kabuki at normal room price, which we know has better rooms and more ample parking. The second issue with our room is that the counter space in the room was non existent. You literally get a small sink in the bathroom with enough room to put down your toothbrush. There is usually a dresser or table under the TV big enough to put smaller items / charge you vacation equipment like a laptop or camera. But there wasn't any of that here, just a really small round table tucked weirdly into the corner next to the shelf-like table with the TV in it. And once you bring in your luggage in there isn't a lot of room to move around There were no water bottles in the room, no coffee maker, for what we paid there is usually water in the room, even if you have to pay for it. We were supposedly "upgraded" upon arrival to a room which had "patio access " it was a small patio with outdoor furniture. The day we went it was raining so we didn't use it, but it didn't look like much. Overall, the room was clean and well taken care of. The beds were ok on comfort, nothing amazing But, this place charged way too much and gave way to little space for 2 people with a small luggage and 2 backpacks. If you're going to spend your money for a hotel near Japan town, this one is ok, but you might want to go to the Kabuki if you are going to spend this amount of money.

I really enjoyed staying at this property a few years ago and looked forward to visiting it again. Just like before, I willingly paid extra for an upgraded patio room - Room 103. In fact, I think I stayed in the same room the last time. Unfortunately, this time the HVAC system was defective. Whenever it would cycle on, approximately 4x/hour, it would make a huge noise. It literally sounded like someone tossing a metal trash can across a concrete driveway - but INSIDE the room. This disruptive noise occurred 24x7. Also, the sliding glass door that opens onto the public patio could not be locked. After the little lever was moved into the locked position, any movement of the door handle or shaking of the door would cause the lock to disengage and become unlocked. The little bedside tables have nifty built-in outlets and USB charging ports. However, the table on one side of the bed contained defective ports - the bedside light worked fine so there was power to the table, but the ports were dead. Of course, my wife didn't notice that until the next morning when she discovered her plugged-in phone did not charge overnight. Lastly, the in-room refrigerator was barely cool... probably no colder than 55 degrees. There was no control knob or other means to adjust the temperature downward. I reported these problems to the front desk staff and the response was, "Oh, I see... we'll have someone look at it." The guy didn't take any notes or indicate surprise. I have to believe these things didn't mysteriously fail after I checked-in. They were most probably on the maintenance list for a while but were simply ignored. Paying nearly $700 for two nights lodging with these deficiencies is unacceptable. As mentioned above, I stayed in this hotel previously and enjoyed my visit immensely. I wrote glowing reviews about that visit on social media praising the facility and staff. I do not plan to return to this hotel.

Exact rating is 4.6 stars. I stayed here for 9 days in late June. I am an IHG Club Spire Elite member, and I made my room reservation online on the hotel website. I've stayed at other Kimpton properties in the past, as well as at several other IHG hotel brands. I have, in the recent past, stayed at other IHG properties in SF. Here are some notes regarding my stay, in no particular order: -- WiFi is excellent, and it is free if you are an IHG club member. -- Unlike many other Kimpton hotels, this hotel -- which admits that it entered the IHG family much later than did most other Kimpton properties, and which admits to being behind the curve in playing catch-up with IHG protocols & perks -- does NOT offer many of the perks and amenities normally offered to IHG Club Spire Elite members by other Kimpton properties; I share one example below. -- Unlike many other Kimpton hotels, this property does NOT offer the welcome amenity of a complimentary fruit tray (delivered shortly after check-in) for IHG Club Spire Elite members, and rather, they offer that amenity and several other amenities only to Kimpton Inner Circle members, an obscure Kimpton-specfic membership level which claims to be one level above Spire Elite (I note that they are technically within their rights to decline this amenity to Spire Elite members, since the membership benefits chart on the Kimpton Hotels website does state, or implies, that this is the policy at some Kimpton hotels). -- Unlike most other Kimpton hotels, this hotel does NOT offer those great hotel room door handle tags that read "I'll Pass! No Housekeeping Services Today", nor do they offer perks (usually a $5 to $10 credit, or equivalent reward club points, per day of service refusal) for declining to use housekeeping room service. -- Housekeepers are very respectful of the "Do Not Disturb" door sign if you hang it on your door. Housekeepers are very helpful and very respectful in general. -- All hotel staffers, including maintenance staff and building engineers., were uniformly friendly, competent and helpful. -- Front desk staff are uniformly very friendly, competent and helpful, with the sole exception that they are sometimes stymied or confused in trying to render/deliver perks or benefits that are standard for IHG Spire Elite and other IHG Elite membership levels; this seems to be due to the above-mentioned fact regarding their very recent entry into the IHG family. -- I had requested early check-in when I made the reservation. Got to hotel a bit before 2 PM, and was quickly checked in to my room. -- Rooms, hallways and common spaces are bright, spotlessly clean and neat, spacious and airy. -- Rooms are very quiet; I never heard any sounds from other rooms, nor any sounds from the hallway, with just one odd exception: due to poor soundproofing of bathrooms and plumbing during a recent renovation (according to staff), if someone uses the shower in a room immediately above/below yours, you will hear, in all areas of your room, the sound of running water quite loudly; an odd quirk, but nothing particularly fatal nor even very annoying. -- Unfortunately, the matter of smelling odors from other rooms at times is a different issue. Several times during my stay, my room was suddenly and unexpectedly invaded by a strong perfume smell emitted from the HVAC system vents. It turned out that the smell was coming from an overly-perfumed guest in a nearby room (she also briefly stank up the hallway at times when she'd walk to and from the elevators). Likewise, a colleague found his room invaded several times by the smell of cigarette smoke wafting into the room via the HVAC vents (another guest was smoking illegally in their room). Staff reluctantly admitted that this happens at times due to periodic occurrence of too-low positive pressure in the hotel's aging HVAC system that at times allows "draft" air exchange between rooms. -- Temperature control in the room via wall thermostat was excellent; I was able to easefully dial in, and achieve, any room temperature that I desired between 58 degrees and over 87 degrees F. -- My room was well-furnished and tastefully decorated, and very bright, clean and spacious. Very good for a hotel in San Francisco, where space is tight! -- Accustomed to the spacious lobbies and large comfy lobby seating spaces of other Kimpton hotels, I was VERY disappointed by the tiny lobby & very limited, cramped and uncomfortable lobby seating space; it felt like the seating area in a Greyhound bus terminal. I've seen better and more plentiful lobby seating in a low-end Holiday Inn. This issue badly needs to be addressed. -- Mums, the Japanese restaurant in the hotel, was adequate, but not up to the same standard of excellence and service quality that I've come to expect in Kimpton hotels, largely due to the fact that this is one of the few Kimptons where the hotel does not own & operate the restaurant, but rather rents space to the restaurant.

I stayed here recently for 4 nights using reward points for hotel & car combo from one of the airline programs that I participate in but normally room rates are reasonably priced (under $300) for a decent hotel in San Francisco. Parking at the hotel is $35 per day but if there's no space available, you can park one block away at the Japan Center garage on Post St. for about $25-$27 overnight. You won't be charged for parking if you can't find a parking spot available but you need to inform the front desk so they will not include the daily parking fee on your bill for that particular day. Check in was quick, easy & friendly but my room was on the second floor (which is called the first floor for the guest rooms) above the reception area and entrance to the parking garage. Although my room faced Buchanan St. and was on a low floor, it wasn't noisy since the bus line on this route that passes is electric. There really wasn't other street noise but there was some construction on a neighboring house. The room was very clean and quite large and featured one king bed, two marble topped side tables, a desk with Keurig machine with tea & coffee pods and wardrobe cabinet that contained a mini fridge. Since there wasn't much furniture, there was a lot of room to maneuver around the room. The bathroom which featured Atelier Bloem products, was bigger than most apartment bathrooms too, which was great. The water pressure in the shower was awesome. The location is very convenient, with Japan Center one block away on Post St. and only 2 blocks away to Fillmore where there's a jazz club on Geary & Fillmore, Walgreens Drug store on Bush St. & Fillmore, many restaurants (The Grove and La Mediterrane are two favorites) and cafes including La Boulangerie on Pine St. and two large parks nearby (Alta Plaza and Lafayette Parks) and lots of shopping boutiques. There are some cute Japanese shops and eateries directly across the street from the hotel on Buchanan St. which features a pedestrian only cobblestone area. There's a Starbucks too, but you'll have to go up the hill on Fillmore to get there. The Kabuki Springs & Spa is nearby too (a few blocks away on Geary near Fillmore), if you're interested in a massage, skin treatment it's a convenient location. I usually stay in Japantown when I visit San Francisco, since I love the area and used to live nearby, up the hill in Pacific Heights and it's a distance from the crowded, touristy Union Square hotel district. I enjoyed my stay and will return.