The Hotel Castro

My 14 year old daughter and I went to visit friends who were staying in the Castro district in SF over the 4th of July week. We chose The Hotel Castro due to its proximity of our friends VRBO. We were pleasantly surprised by the hotel. It's situated on a relatively quiet street, near plenty of action. Having everything digital without the need to interact with people was preferred by us. We felt safe entering and exiting the building as well as using the elevator. The bottle filling station in the lobby was a great convenience that I wish all hotels provided. We were a little shocked with how small the room was but it served its purpose well. The bed was big and comfy. The shower was perfect. There is even a small balcony. The Nespresso was nice and the refrigerator drawer came in handy for leftovers. The only minor complaint we have is the faucet for the sink goes so low there is barely room to get under it. Otherwise a great experience for both of us. My daughter even commented how she'd come back to that hotel in the future if she came with friends or a partner.

Great location and value. Self-checkin was a breeze and the room had so many thoughtful amenities (water refill station on the ground floor was appreciated as were the tea kettle and Nespresso maker) and an overall nice vibe. Didn’t get to use my patio, but loved the option. Highly recommend the Lobby Bar.

I paid, received an email confirmation for late check out and went out for a run. My original checkout time was 11:00 am. When I returned at 10:40am, I was locked out. I called the "emergency" number and was put on hold by a machine. When someone picked up, they claimed they had sent me the new code, which was not true. Also when you stay on the second floor facing the front, it can be loud at night. No complaints on the party noise, it is Castro after all. But you do hear a lot of traffic--garbage trucks and loud bikers. Edit: Owner reached out personally over the past two weeks to discuss and acknowledge the issue I faced during my last visit. He's convinced me that he and his team really does cares about his customers.

Based on some other reviews, I was concerned about the small rooms and noisy environment. Not too worry! Yes, the room is compact but it must have been created by a design genius! My husband and I did not feel the least bit cramped. Every bit of the space was used wisely and included a closet big enough to hang suits and shirts, with additional hooks along the wall. AND, lots of room under the bed to store luggage! I appreciated the small shelf beside the bed, big enough for a box of tissues and a cell phone, with a charging outlet below. We were in Room 204 and NEVER disturbed by any noise other than the hum of the AC. We did not miss having a Front Desk; we received text messages and our questions were promptly answered. I didn't expect but greatly appreciated the elevator that required our individual code for access, increasing my sense of security. Ahh, yes too: a mini refrigerator! Housekeeping is upon request. Even though I failed to put in a request the night before, it was readily provided the same day. Location, location, location. You just can't beat the location if you want to be in the Castro district, just a couple of blocks to the MUNI. AND, a fabulous grocery store right across the street. YES, YES, YES, we will return to Hotel Castro the next time we are in San Francisco.

I was excited to stay at Hotel Castro, and to be in the middle of one of the most queer historically significant neighborhoods in SF. Unfortunately, the location is the only thing I really enjoyed while staying here. For $300-$400 a night, you really do not get what you pay for. There is a pretty long list of inconveniences I experienced while staying here. Here are some of the top few: 1. There is no front desk management, and the hotel is run through a service named Kasa. Maybe good for people who are avoiding social interaction, but it does leave you doing more work for check in, booking, requesting things, etc. Mostly it created a barrier for me where I felt like there wasn't really anyone around to help when I needed things. The human element of hospitality is important. 2. The couch in our room was extremely uncomfortable. Cheap, squeaky, and we actually spent a lot less time in our room because it just wasn't nice to hang out in. There was no place to really comfortably sit in our room which wasn't just in the bed. The balcony chairs are also pretty uncomfortable. 3. We learned there is a noise monitor in our room after receiving an automated alert that we were "being too loud". I didn’t realize we were being surveilled in that way, and it was honestly unsettling. Also, the noise? The hotel provided hair dryer. Just an unpleasant and unnecessary reprimand. 4. I took a personal phone call outside the hotel and sat at a table in front of the Lobby Bar, and someone came out and told me I had to order something to sit there. Our welcome card literally says guests at the hotel are welcome to hang out in the lobby bar. I felt like I was maybe being profiled or chastised for doing something wrong? Idk, I'm a paying guest at the hotel, and even if I wasn't, the bar was dead. it wasn't like I was taking up someone's seat. 5. Our TVs in our room never worked. They both ran extremely slowly (like 5+ minutes to boot up, won't load anything fast enough to stream or watch anything at all) and one of our remotes didn’t work. The wifi is so slow we also couldn't use it. It effectively removed all in suite entertainment. There were other small issues throughout our stay: our shower had a pretty significant leak and kept dripping all night every night, housekeeping won't clean your room unless you specifically request it during your stay, the fire pit on the roof was out of order and the music played up there is situated right behind the seating so the obnoxious droning slow pop synth was too distracting to really relax. There's also no part of the roof with shade, so if it's too hot it's not a great place to hang out. Holes in our throw pillows. And late checkout has a fee of $102 for 2 HOURS. Just so insane. Also hope you are alright with the intimacy of anyone in your room hearing absolutely everything you do in the bathroom, because it is fully audible. The pocket door for the bathroom is hard to operate and has gaps so all sound escapes. Hope you're good with that lol There are not many amenities- no parking, no breakfast, not even an ice machine. The rooms are tiny for the price. Overall it wouldn't have been a horrible stay if it cost $150-$250 a night. But it is at least double that, and for all of the reasons stated I will likely not be staying here again.

This place is beyond fabulous. The rooms are immaculate, newly renovated, wall to ceiling glass, our own little balcony and very comfortable. Google nest helped to create the perfect mood with my favorite tunes. The roof has a fire pit and sectional sofa with sweeping views of the Castro, Sutro Tower, downtown and all the surrounding neighborhoods. Can’t wait to stay there again! And a special thanks to Ryan for greeting us at the door and helping us to our room. This place is a true gem.

Amazing experience! The rooms are small but are modern and have everything you need! Easy self check in, extremely comfortable beds, and free drinks at the lobby bar. Customer service readily available for any issues, but we didn’t need to utilize this as our stay was perfect! Would absolutely recommend and stay here again!

The shower was not fully enclosed. Water went everywhere and showering was cold even though the hot water was fine. The faucet was maybe 3 inches above the sink basin, so it was difficult to get my hands under it to wash. The pillows had no firmness at all and were very uncomfortable. The bed was not easy to get in and out of but was comfortable. The level of quiet in the room was impressive. Even on Friday and Saturday night it was quiet enough to sleep. The room itself was nice, good decor, clean, comfortable. Could have used a small microwave. Security was very good and easy to deal with. A small problem with locking the patio door was quickly resolved via text. The downstairs bar is great, has friendly service and a relaxing, quiet vibe. The location is fantastic, close to most Castro points of interest.

Please do not book this hotel. They use a virtual check in which doesnt allow or yield access until they hold your hostage outside the property on a street with dangerous looking people staring at you. KASA operates this hotel and I couldnt reach them to check in and noone was available on their customer service phone line. Also KASA promised a refund which now they claim cant be processed. No contact except a short email stating they cant do anything for me. stay 11/24/2024

The Hotel Castro was a multi-level disappointment. The idea of a chic boutique hotel in the Castro is a great one and the reason my partner and I got his mom a room on a recent visit Because there is no staff at the hotel, all "check in" is done virtually and when she struggled with the instructions there is no one to help except some phone number with rude and threatening customer service. A hotel with no staff and no front desk may seem modern and cool until there is no one to help you when there are issues. The room itself was tiny but well styled. The bed appeared to be in a converted closet and you had to crawl up into it from the bottom, which may be fun when you're 9 years old but not for an older adult. Four Seasons prices for a tiny, poorly functional but stylish room and literally ZERO service. I do not recommend this hotel.

Beware, this isn't really a hotel -- for me, it's been a scam. You book through this bullshit company called Kasa with a very broken website that doesn't clearly label reservation types as non-refundable. The "hotel" doesn't have any kind of front desk, so there's no place to put your luggage, so I hope you enjoy dragging it around the city all day if you can't get late checkout. I've been in Live Chat hell with Kasa for the last 20 minutes trying to get a refund for a reservation I made only an hour ago, and they're not giving me a refund. Not a customer-centric experience or brand. This isn't "hospitality." Edit: They eventually did give me a refund after I invested an hour in Live Chat and escalated it. But I have to laugh at the reply below: A "virtual front desk" is about as useful as a virtual dog walker.

Short review: This Air BnB-style hotel boasts a prime location with a comfortable mattress, albeit accessible from one side only, and poor ventilation. Ideal for those who prioritize location over spending ample time in a comfy room. Great hotel - but we wouldn't stay again. Long review: The Process/Staff Think of Hotel Castro/Kasa as an Air BnB studio rather than a traditional hotel. Despite the absence of on-site staff, the detailed check-in process, and responsive text communication made for a smooth experience. Early check-in was accommodated, and a minor issue with cigarette smoke in the hallway was promptly addressed. There is additional coffee, toilet paper, towels, etc. in a cabinet downstairs should you run out. The added convenience of complimentary luggage storage made things even easier. Sort of feels like you're living in an apartment in the City. The Place: The hotel's location is ideal, just a 2-minute walk from Castro street and the MUNI. There's a nice market across the street to pick up drinks, fresh cut fruit, lunch items and plenty more - and great coffee right next door. The bars and restaurants are plentiful, so you never have to walk far. We opted for the king suite for the extra space, patio, and sofa bed. However, the lack of privacy due to the exposed wall of windows was a small drawback. Tinted windows or alternative coverings would greatly enhance the experience, especially considering the bathroom's exposure to the neighbors. The only option is a full black out curtain. On a nice sunny morning getting ready - it was either get ready for all to see, or darkness. Again, we chose the room for the extra sofa/living space to relax at the end of the day. By the end of the weekend, I had muttered "I effing hate this couch" more than a dozen times. It's narrowly small and not comfortable to sit back and relax on. Moreso, a place to sit and tie your shoes. Still, it was nice to have the space and would be great for someone who needed the space for additional people to sleep. The bed...While the mattress itself was comfortable, sleeping was an issue. The bed is accessible from only ¾ of one side and this cave-like setting has very poor ventilation. The bed is also against the front door wall (hallway, elevator, and stairs) which resulted in substantial noise from folks coming and going. My partner is a happy go lucky guy who can deal with just about anything, and sleep anywhere at any time of day. He was miserable. We loved being in the heart of the Castro. We enjoyed grabbing drinks from across the street and sitting on the roof top patio at night before heading out. We enjoyed the apartment-like aspect of it. This would be great for a single person, or folks here to spend a few nights at the bars. I'm giving this 4 stars because Its a good hotel for the right folks, and I'd like to stay here again if feasible. However, For us, we both agreed that we didn't think we could stay here again unless Kasa made a few changes. This is a good hotel for the right people. Just not for us. Suggestions For Kasa If you cannot reconfigure the layouts to adjust the bed situation - Place a fan in the bed cave area - Place sound proofing insulation or sound proof wall panels in the bed cave - Soften door closures or place door silencers to prevent door slams in all rooms and stairway doors - Tint windows or provide an alternative (sheer?) to black out curtains for privacy concerns

I have now stayed at the Hotel Castro twice and it's because my go-to in San Francisco for several reasons. The rooms are pristine & so chic! An elevated boutique experience which I can appreciate as I love being able to get all that I need without the chaos of a large hotel. I also love staying in the Castro district and distance to so many vibrant bars, shops and restaurants. Michael, the manager at the hotel, greeted me upon check in and was always kind enough to help with recommendations in the area. Highly recommended and The Lobby Bar on the first floor is a must do! The drinks & atmosphere is equally as chic and classy!

This place is proof that good things come in small packages! My god was I impressed! Less than 2 years old, The Hotel Castro sparkled with cleanliness and shined with selective decor gathering inspo from pioneering LGBTQIA legends. Honestly, I was sold the minute I saw the Nespresso maker with unlimited coffee pods in my room! All 9 rooms come with balconies with great views, and as if that wasn't enough...The rooftop patio offers to die for views of the city! Again, the decor did not disappoint here. Beautiful propane heated fire pit with cushy seating all around. There is also a pretty chill looking bar on-site called "The Lobby Bar", although I didn't get a chance to check it out, it was filled with people enjoying their evening. The absolute topper for me was the genuine kindness from the offsite manager Michael. I was celebrating a milestone bday during my stay there, and he left a lovely card with sparkling wine and delish petit 4's!! All in all, The Hotel Castro in SF was a pleasure to stay with. Worth the price, the location is epic, clean streets, parking was easily found(unheard of in SF!) and just Top Notch in my opinion

We tried this place out because we were seeing a show at the Castro Theater and it is less than two blocks away. The reviews confused me - how could a place seem to only get 5 star and 1 star reviews? I was pleased to realize the highest ratings are the accurate ones for this spot. The low ratings seem to be about issues that the property either warns about or are obvious to anyone who looks into the property. The rooms are time - welcome to SF. There is no on-site staff - yes, it says that everywhere. They charged me to send me the hairdryer I left behind - well, don't leave your damn stuff in the room. None of these are valid reasons to potentially hurt a well-appointed and beautiful property. The property and our room was as advertised. Extremely clean. Ready for our requested early check-in. Everything went smooth. My only complaint would be the red motion light that pops on and off while you're trying to sleep and the light that emanates from the front of the TV in the sleeping nook. They were annoying, but not so much I would lower my rating. We loved the Castro Theater and hope to see a show there again. When we do, this will be our go-to hotel.

Check in - the first asuspicious sign is when they said they would send check-in information at 3:30 p.m. At 5 to 4:00 I called and texted and I got it a couple of minutes later. The check-in process is so detailed, but they flubbed the first part. Booked for 2 nights, stayed 1 and left. Room - I had an upgraded master suite. Very loose description. Somewhere around 190 square feet including the area with the pull-out sofa. Just tiny. I had to crawl over my partner to go to the bathroom. There's not even enough space around it to walk. It's shoved into a corner. There's a sensor directly above the bed that flashes red every time you move. I covered mine with a piece of paper so it wouldn't see anything. Otherwise it would have been flashing all night. I dunno - just seems weird. I didn't like the automated/digital functions. I'm into tech, but not at the expense of personal touch. They're not tailored to your situation so you get stuff like this "No worries Dan, this was just an automated message. Feel free to disregard anything further you receive from us!". And if you have an issue on check-in or with the room - wait, wait, wait.... It's well appointed and the furniture is well made, but overall, I can't recommend it. I've never been in a hotel room, even in Asia, where you were packed into a corner and had to crawl over your partner to leave the bed.

1 star because they wouldn't let me change my reservation even though I requested it more than 60 days prior to check-in. So if you book, don't expect any flexibility. I'll never stay here again because of that. Decor - 5 stars. It was a pretty place Function - 2 stars. Faucet was too low in the sink. Could barely fit my hands underneath it. Room was super small. Had to crawl over the front of the bed to get in it. It needed a couple different design choices and it would've been fine Location - 5 stars. Heart of the Castro. Loved that. Price - it was fine for the area.

What an amazing experience! Right in the heart of The Castro. The contactless check in was very user friendly. I was given step by step instructions. Some may say the rooms are too small but if you've stayed in NYC or any other big city it's comparable. I liked moving in for the week and enjoying what the neighborhood has to offer. Check out the Lobby Bar at the bottom of the hotel for your free welcome drink and delicious snacks. Mama Ji's Chinese restaurant one block up was the best I've EVER had and Vico Cavone was really good authentic Italian next door. We'll definitely be back!

Interesting concept but not for us. There were some key downsides: 1. room size, 2. noise, and 3. lack of service. 1. The room is SO cramped. Online pictures makes it look so much bigger. Access to the bed makes no sense whatsoever... getting in and out of bed feels like getting in and out of a tent while camping. No thanks. 2. The hotel is right above a bar so it can get loud at night especially if your room is on the second floor (you cannot select the exact room in the reservation process) 3. The room is well stocked but if you need anything addressed quickly, forget about it. Our bedroom lights did not work; first they asked us to fill out a lengthy maintenance report (really?!), then they put the request for us but nobody showed up in the next 2 days. There is nobody on the property nor a process to address issues in a timely manner. The only positive is the location, but the Castro is so well connected to other parts of the city, that it is way better to stay at some of the other world class hotels that San Francisco offers. I would not recommend.

Like the prior reviewer said, a Nespresso and the fog make it all perfect. You had me at Nespresso! This boutique hotel in the Castro is beautifully designed and well appointed. High end bath products, fabulous outside space and flawless automated check in made an evening in the neighborhood delightful. Super comfortable bed, excellent HVAC and windows that open! Thank you Hotel Castro for a fantastic SF visit and jumping off point for the DeYoung Museum the following day.

European boutique style hotel right in the heart of The Castro. The room was small, but had excellent finishes and the shower was incredible. I like having a balcony (to make up for the sense of the smaller space). There's nothing like having a Nespresso on the balcony looking at the fog in the morning. It was so San Francisco. Michael, the manager, was there if I had questions or needed recommendations. There isn't a front desk, but I saw Michael multiple times during my stay. I will be back when I visit San Francisco to visit friends and family. I almost forgot...the complimentary cocktail at the bar downstairs was a fantastic touch!

We stayed here for 2 nights and it was an awful experience! Room was small for what you pay. The pillow covers felt super cheap like it was purchased from Target!! I expected better quality bedding than this for what we were paying. The incident that will keep me from coming back or recommending this hotel to anyone is when one of my items were missing in the room. When I asked the front desk about this "missing item" they did not have a straight answer except we'll do our best. I will never come back to a place that lacks morals and integrity like this cheaply furnished hotel.. pillow cases gave me rashes it was so rough. Do yourself a favor and stay elsewhere! There are way better options in SF with good staff that have morals and integrity!

I had the chance to stay here last month, and I could not have been more pleased with our trip. The rooms are comfortable and thoughtfully curated with everything you could need, including a Nespresso, clothes steamer, and THE most comfortable bed I have ever slept on. The location couldn't have been better, and it was close to a lot of great restaurants. Plus, there's a Molle Stone's grocery right across the street. The service was impeccable, from both the GM (Ola), as well as the Kasa team. They were there when we needed them, but unobtrusive and allowed us to enjoy our privacy when desired. Will absolutely stay here again the next time I'm in town.

I could not recommend this hotel less. There is no physical check-in or even local contact, and there is some 800 number outsourced to a call center in another country that has no ability to do anything useful. I paid for this hotel for my sister visiting town. They had some 'virtual checkin' process that was not working and kept sending emails with new links (no less than 11 different email links). THEY LET A CRYING INFANT STAY OUTSIDE THEIR FRONT DOOR FOR 45 MINUTUES IN 50 DEGREE WEATHER WHILE THEY ARGUED ABOUT THE RIGHT WAY TO USE THEIR BROKEN VIRTUAL CHECKIN SYSTEM. If a hotel has no way to let you in when their system is not working properly, even talking to a 'supervisor', they should not be allowed to operate. Screw this place.

The rooms are clean and ok sized. Unfortunately that's all the good things I can say. The hotel has nowhere to put your luggage and charges you to store luggage (first time I've had a hotel do this) and then they expect $75/day for cleaning service, which again is hilarious considering this is normally included in most hotels. If you need an expensive hotel that charges you for even breathing choose this. Otherwise feel free to choose any other hotel in San Francisco.

Think of Airbnb, hotel style! Easy, no-contact check in. You receive a code that will provide you access to all your needs in the hotel. The Room: Small yet efficient. Be sure to unpack! Using the great under the bed easy to access storage, this will free up the space in the room. This is the only hotel that I know of right in the heart of the Castro! They have back up essentials that you can pick up at the front, even some great walk around the room slippers ;) and all the coffee pods you could ask for. Roof Top: As a guest, you have access to a roof top lounge with plenty of seating, a fire pit and some great views! It was a little cool and windy, of course, so the fire pit was a must! The Lobby Bar: Attached Lobby bar has fantastic craft drinks and bites. Service was great. It's a busy place (go early) with a great vibe.

I made reservations there for this month (May) so that I could attend an event being given in honor of an old friend. When I called the hotel directly after having made third-party reservations I asked the person at the front desk if I could have a quiet room. The response was one of attitude and offense that I should ask such a question. After a short, defensive, slightly heated discussion that proved useless, I canceled my reservations. I'm too old to put up with that kind of crap!

No onsite staff! If anything happens, you have to wait days for service. I left an expensive blow dryer and couldn't pick it up. I was told I had to fill out a form and then have it shipped. They then charged me $60 to ship it. They shipped ground and the package never arrived. So frustrating! And the rooms are ridiculously small.

My wife and I truly enjoyed our stay. Comfortable beds, super location, seamless reservation, walking distance to shopping and restaurants, good value, clean. No shortage of wonderful adjectives for this great hotel. A must see/stay in San Francisco.

I did not stay at the hotel, but leaving a review regarding their support / Kasa. The hotel is managed by Kasa and all bookings and communication is run through them. First, when booking online through the site, Kasa confirmed the booking while simultaneously requesting I confirm my identity and sending multiple texts and emails that I do both - confirm my identity in order to confirm the reservation and confirm the reservation. This indicated to me the reservation was NOT made due to the numerous requests to confirm. I took a few hours to confirm dates as this was a work trip and since the experience with Kasa was confusing and seemed a tad off/sketchy, I booked through Expedia. Found out that I had in fact double booked. With Kasa - even though they were still asking for more info in order to confirm my reservation- and with Expedia. After quite a struggle, Kasa did cancel 1 booking and I kept the Expedia one since Kasa at this point was proving difficult and sketchy. Fast forward to now and this work trip no longer exists as I no longer have that job (let go). Kasa is refusing to refund me both with these circumstances because I booked through Expedia - even though Expedia has said they'll honor the refund if the hotel does. So now in an endless back and forth...[UPDATED] have left off with the note that if Kasa provides a written email of refund, Expedia will honor the refund. Kasa is still refusing to offer the refund and continues to blame inability or Expedia. This is still very much a Kasa issue and any comments otherwise is them saving face. Leaving this review to warn others away from ANY bookings with Kasa. Sure the hotel is lovely and also unaware how awful their service is.