daniellem163
April 25, 2025
We stayed at Hotel Best San Francisco recently (1 adult, 3 children) and while the location is definitely a highlight, the overall experience was a mixed bag. Positives first: The hotel is in a great spot – very close to the beach, not too far from the airport and surrounded by a good variety of local shops/pubs. The bathroom in our room was surprisingly spacious, and we were given a generous amount of towels. The TV had a few English channels, which was a nice bonus and helped during downtime. Reception staff, lifeguard and entertainment were lovely - very polite and smiley! Unfortunately, there were quite a few negatives that really took away from the stay. There was no basic information in the room — no details on how to contact reception, no guidance on meal times, or anything about what the hotel offers or where facilities are located. There was also a flashing light on the balcony with no way to switch it off unless using the blackout curtain (which isn't ideal if you like to wake up to the sun). The floors were sticky upon arrival, which was off-putting, but if you look at the mop bucket when walking past the cleaners cart, you'll see the water isn't changed between rooms! The hotel itself feels quite dated and in need of refurbishment. The lifts were incredibly slow, always full, and can't accommodate more than 3 people at a time which became frustrating, especially during busy times. The queue for meals was ridiculous, and once inside, the food choices were quite limited. It was also disappointing to find that drinks weren’t included with the full board option — something that wasn’t made clear when booking. Other little things included poor and painfully slow WiFi, no ventilation in the bathroom so the whole room steams up during a shower, poor lighting in the bedrooms so it was hard to get ready in the evenings, no chair in the room, and odd smelling throw/decor on the beds. Reception was also quite slow (we stood in line for 30 minutes when checking in). This hotel could be decent with a bit of attention to detail and some much-needed updates. Right now, I wouldn't return here nor would I consider it a 4-star as it doesn't live up to expectations. (Side note: If you are a POC, I'd advise caution because you will stand out and also get a lot of stares/frowns from guests or unwarranted touching of hair/face. Also, taxis are VERY expensive here and Uber/Cabify/FreeNow/Bolt aren't really options unless you prebook)