OverviewLocated beside Union Square and about a 7-minute drive from San Francisco's city centre, the Handlery Union Square Hotel is geared towards business or vacation travellers who prefer a centrally located hotel with meeting/banquet space, an outdoor pool and on-site dining.
Each of the smoke-free hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites is equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, an in-room safe, a mini-fridge, a coffeemaker, a desk, an iron and ironing board and a hair dryer. Suites with a wet bar, a separate bedroom, a microwave and a refrigerator are also available.
The hotel is wheelchair accessible and pets are permitted for $25 per day, per pet, plus a $250 refundable deposit.
Hotel amenities include a heated outdoor pool, a sauna, a fitness centre, meeting/banquet space, a business centre, a beauty/barber shop, guest laundry and on-site dining at The Daily Grill, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Parking is an additional $42 per day.
Westfield San Francisco Shopping Center and Powell St. BART Station are both about a 5-minute walk away, while Moscone Convention Center can be found roughly 7 minutes away by car. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a 20-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, parking $42/day, pets permitted for $25/day/pet + $250 refundable deposit, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: October 2, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's location, staff and rooms.
Many lodgers praised the hotel's location. They found it close to public transit, attractions, beaches, shopping, restaurants, museums, Golden Gate Bridge, Powell St. and Union Square.
The hotel's staff were the source of numerous compliments by reviewers, who characterized them as attentive, friendly and helpful. One patron remarked, "The Concierge staff are very well informed and will do their best to assist and help in every way possible. Make use of their knowledge. Thanks to them we were able to maximize our 2 days in the city using public transport".
Several guests enjoyed their their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, well maintained, well equipped and quiet, with comfortable beds and good Wi-Fi. It should be noted, however, that some travellers criticized their lodgings (see below).
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about the rooms and value.
Although several guests enjoyed their clean and comfortable rooms, some reviewers were disappointed with their accommodations. The majority of these complaints were about the size of the rooms, which lodgers felt were very small. Other complaints included street noise in front-facing rooms and dated decor.
A few patrons complained about the hotel's value. These guests felt the room rates and parking fees were overpriced, and also felt a free breakfast should have been included.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #57 of 235 San Francisco hotels with an average rating of 4 out of 5 from 1,929 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.1 out of 5 with a 90% recommendation rate from 1,723 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8 out of 10 from 423 reviews.
The author called the hotel on October 2, 2013 to verify some information.
