"I stayed at the Four Seasons San Francisco for a week for work, and while the room was very comfortable and my stay was pleasant, there were a few misses throughout the stay that left me a bit disappointed in this Four Seasons experience.
First, the good - I was assigned a room on a high floor with a great view over Market Street, which gave great light and really cool views of the skyline both day and night. The staff at check in were friendly and welcoming, and when I arrived in my room, they had already left extra pillows for me without me having to ask (I always ask for extra pillows at the Four Seasons!) They also gave me a voucher for a welcome drink, which was a great touch! The room itself is very comfortable, and the living area felt refreshed, despite the hotel's age, and the layout was functional, spacious and relaxing. I really enjoyed the built in seating next to the windows to have a glass of wine and watch the city. The location is very central for downtown SF, and even though I was a bit nervous to stay on Market Street, the hotel's entrance off of a side street and lobby on the fifth floor made it feel quite removed from any grittiness of Market Street. And, the hotel is in easy walking distance to most of downtown, the SF MOMA, etc.
That said, there were a few things that were frankly, disappointing for a Four Seasons property, or any five star hotel at this price point. I'm not sure if its because the hotel is short staffed, but it was noticeable.
First, housekeeping was "fine", they made the bed and took out the trash, but there were things each day that were missed or overlooked. At other FS properties, I've always had moments of "wow, I can't believe they thought to take care of that, I feel so looked after!" But here, it felt like housekeeping had lower expectations or was understaffed. As an example, on my third day, I left my two bathrobes on the floor to be changed with daily housekeeping, and they weren't replaced. My bar of soap for the bath wasn't replaced when it needed replacing. I requested tea in my room instead of coffee, but my tea sachets weren't restocked. When I interacted with the housekeeping staff in person, they were always polite and more than happy to help, but it felt like I was having to ask for help too often. At other FS properties, you return to your room and there are special touches like your phone charging cord neatly wrapped at your bedside, or your toiletries nicely laid out on a washcloth, or a small amenity left at turndown service, or your slippers laid out for you on a towel next to the bed, but I didn't experience those finishing touches here. It's those little things that made me raise an eyebrow - like how someone had left two paper coffee cups / trash next to the elevators, and several hours later, they were still sitting there?
Next, I found the MKT bar and restaurant to be a bit of a letdown. I went to the bar to use my welcome drink voucher, and it took over 20 minutes after I ordered my drink for it to arrive. I felt like my waiter had forgotten me and I was on the verge of asking if they'd lost my order.
And last, when I was checking out, I was waiting near the valets and doormen for my Lyft, and there was an event going on in the hotel, so the area was full of arriving cars. Not a big deal that it was busy, but there was a huge backup of cars, and not a single staff member seemed to notice me standing with my luggage to ask if I needed help, or recommend that it would be faster to get my Lyft from the corner vs. having it wait in the huge line of cars (which I didn't realize extended the entire length of the block!). Thankfully, I'd planned extra time to get to the airport.
All in all, I'd say this - I love a Four Seasons property, and this one definitely delivered on room comfort, which is the most important. But, the rest of the services left me feeling a bit unfulfilled..."
A Tripadvisor traveler review
Dec 06, 2025