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Check in and leave the status quo behind. Hotel Emblem San Francisco in downtown San Francisco where Nob Hill meets Union Square and the Theater District, is a haven for those that think as boldly as they live. Inspiring conversation in all the right ways, with plenty of modern provocations, Hotel Emblem features a cocktail-focused restaurant and 96 vibrant guestrooms. Every corner is designed to spark creativity, from the bar inspired by the Beat Generation, to the book-filled Writer’s Alcove in the lobby, to the eclectic guestrooms, where patterns play and an expressive vibe thrives. This hotel is a muse – and you will be, too. Lend your voice at the weekly poetry slam. Get lost in the flow of nightly live jazz. Tap out a few thoughts on the lobby typewriter.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Hotel Emblem San Francisco garners praise for its clean, stylish rooms and exceptional service, with its staff frequently commended for their friendliness and attentiveness. The hotel's unique, eclectic atmosphere, rich with literary and vintage charm, contributes to a vibrant stay.
Situated in a prime location, it offers guests convenient access to the city's attractions and transportation. While some guests note room size and lighting could be improved, the overall cleanliness and unique amenities are often highlighted, offering good value despite the pricey valet parking.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Eclectic
Rooms
Stylish
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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We really liked the unique design and style of the Hotel Emblem. The room was clean and nice, and there were many amenities like the ability to send typewriter letters (international) for free. The view from the room (2nd floor w/ view onto small parking space) wasn't very good but given the location of this hotel that's nothing unusual. Only the parking was a little issue for us, since we didn't want to let some Valet service drive our car (these small garages they go to are usually risky of small damages) so we had to find a self-parking garage ourselves (Union Square Garage). That worked just fine but was like a 5-minute walk from the Hotel. If you come by car you should bear that in mind, that you either have to use the valet service or park yourself and walk to that garage.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: May 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Located just north of Union Square, we found the Emblem to be perfectly located. We were able to pull up front and unload our suitcases in the morning - then take our car to the Car Rental return on O'Farrell, only a 10 minute walk back to the hotel. Perfect. When we left we were able to wheel our suitcases downhill on Powell St to the BART station for a quick train ride to the airport for $10. Again, Emblem is in a perfect location for travelers. There are so many restaurant choices nearby. Breakfast choices include the coffee shop in the lobby, but also some cute retro 50's diners just 2 minutes away. For dinners there are so many restaurants within a 5 to 10 minute walk. Again, Emblem is in a perfect location. For tourists, Union Square is a 3 minute walk. Also, the Powell Street cable car is available 3 minutes away on Powell Street. Use this cable car to take you all the way to the Fisherman's Wharf area. On another occasion, we walked (downhill or flat) all the way to the Ferry Terminal and Ferry to Alcatraz. You see, Emblem is in a perfect location. Another reason for 5 stars - the staff! All front desk staff are so friendly and helpful. Special note to Gitanjali who has the ability to smile with her eyes - she is wonderful. In the bar, we enjoyed happy hours before heading out to local restaurants. Both bartenders Kristen and Lourdis were exceptional allowing samples of various wines before choosing, providing travel tips and just being so nice! The rooms are a bit smaller than a chain hotel - this is a boutique after all. The hotel was built in 1907 or something like that, so you get the nuances of the little elevator, tiny stair case etc. Our room was equipped with a king size bed, a large shower and a huge TV. The room was smallish but when in San Francisco there is so much to do that not much time was spent in the room. We found this hotel to be very reasonably priced for the Union Square district in San Francisco. Upon check in we opted for one of the quieter rooms not fronting the street but still could hear the occasional siren or loud exhaust. Nothing unexpected for being in the heart of the action in the Union Square area. For our first visit to San Francisco we felt the Hotel Emblem to be the perfect choice based on location, price and friendliness. For our next visit to San Francisco we would assuredly select the Emblem again!
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Select a room not fronting the street to minimize noise.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We stayed at the Emblem on the first leg of our honeymoon road trip and were so glad we did.
The staff were attentive and helpful, they offered us a complimentary room upgrade and a bottle of wine given it was our honeymoon, the room was great (on the smaller side but this is central SF) with a lovely, clean bathroom and the location was ideal for exploring all of the wonders that San Francisco has to offer (including jumping on the Hyde/powell cable car line just down the street).
The hotel itself is full of character, has a number of thoughtful touches to add intrigue and enjoyment to your stay and the both the hotel bar and the coffee shop attached were lovely.
The only negatives were that given the age of the building the windows were very thin and let lots of noise in however they even had a solution for this; a form of white noise machine that helped block out the sounds of the streets below.
Would definitely return to San Francisco (what a fantastic city!) and the Emblem once again; thanks to the staff for making our honeymoon trip even more memorable!
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Jun 14, 2024
616asap, thank you for sharing your wonderful experience at Hotel Emblem San Francisco. It is delightful to hear our team members contributed to making your honeymoon special with thoughtful touches like the room upgrade and complimentary wine. We are pleased that you enjoyed our unique atmosphere, central location, and amenities. Regarding the noise, it is good to know that our solution helped enhance your comfort. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next visit to this fantastic city!
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From the moment we stepped into this boutique gem in the heart of Union Square, we were transported into a sophisticated world that perfectly captures San Francisco's creative spirit.
The Beat Generation-inspired decor creates an intellectual yet playful atmosphere, with thoughtful literary touches throughout - from the typewriter in the lobby to the carefully curated in-room libraries. Our room was a perfect blend of style and comfort, with plush bedding, artful lighting, and those charming bay windows that just feel so quintessentially San Francisco.
The location is unbeatable - you're steps away from the best of everything. We walked to great restaurants in nearby neighborhoods, shopped at Union Square, and easily hopped on a cable car to explore further afield. The staff were exceptional - knowledgeable about the city and always ready with personalized recommendations that led us to some wonderful hidden gems.
The Obscenity Bar & Lounge deserves special mention - it's not just a hotel bar, but a destination in itself. The craft cocktails and intimate atmosphere made it our favorite spot to unwind after exploring the city.
What really sets Hotel Emblem apart is its perfect balance of luxury and personality. It's sophisticated without being stuffy, creative without being pretentious, and centrally located while still feeling like a peaceful retreat.
For anyone seeking a uniquely San Francisco experience in a hotel that combines literary charm, modern comfort, and impeccable service, Hotel Emblem is, quite simply, the perfect choice. . PS - it’s far enough from the current Marriott protests that we didn’t hear a thing!
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Pro Tip: The connected coffee shop is a must for breakfast - their chocolate croissants and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Dec 5, 2024
Adrian, we’re delighted you loved your experience at Hotel Emblem San Francisco. It’s wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed the unique decor, prime location, and the carefully curated amenities. Our team members are thrilled to have provided you with exceptional service and personalized recommendations. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience and we can't wait to welcome you back for another stay. Sincerely, The Guest Care Team
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Nice hotel, good location, comfortable room with cute quirky touches.
Because the room has so many knick knacks it felt kind of grubby/dusty. Not dirty, but also not squeaky clean (bathroom felt cleaner than the room, which is the most important part). I stayed 1 night here and 1 night at another hotel in the area, I preferred the other hotel but didn't HATE this one. There are just better hotels...cool quirky fun concept though. 4/5 stars.
Also: LOUD toilet. Couldn't hear any other rooms flushing, which I was worried about. Nice staff and great lounge area. LOVED the white noise machine - nifty.
This hotel was kind of expensive too - many little "urban amenity" fees that do add up. Like my itemized bill details a "CA Tourism Fee" AND an "Urban Amenity Tourism Fee". Like, what?? Not mad about it since it was a few dollars/cents, but it is something to consider if you're looking to book.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â LOUD TOILET FLUSH, lots of knick knack crap on every surface too so there isn't a ton of room for...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Jun 26, 2024
Inspire821485, Thank you for your detailed feedback and kind words about Hotel Emblem San Francisco’s location, room comfort, and unique touches. It is wonderful to hear that you found our bathroom clean and appreciated our team members and lounge area. We appreciate your observations about the room's knick knacks and the noise from the toilet. Guest feedback is invaluable in helping us enhance our guests' experiences. Regarding the fees, they are standard in the hospitality industry, but we understand your sentiment. We're glad that the white noise machine added to your comfort, and we hope that next time you'll enjoy an even better stay. Safe travels!
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Just completed a two-night stay at Emblem, and the value can’t be beat. The hotel is well maintained, the beds are comfortable, and the ice bag freezer and purified water dispenser on each floor is a great idea. And the location is ideal. Would book again.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Oct 25, 2024
KevinaX2412MJ, we’re delighted you loved your experience at Hotel Emblem San Francisco. Our team takes pride in providing comfort and convenience, and it's fantastic to know you appreciated the amenities and location. We're looking forward to welcoming you back. Sincerely, The Guest Care Team
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The Viceroy Emblem in Union Square is a beautiful, eclectic and fun hotel in the heart of all the action in San Francisco. It is steps away from catching the famous cable car rides, lots of amazing shopping and many incredible restaurants of all types of food all within walking distance. This is the place to stay if you love walking and you don’t particular want a car for your trip. My family and I enjoy a boutique hotel experience as we find it to be much more personalized, hospitable and enjoyable. Upon arrival, we were met with the hotel’s manager, Mr. McClinton and was introduced to two of the nicest people we met for the whole California trip, Orion and Gitanjali. Mr. Mclinton has an upbeat personality and was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the hotel, the area and the San Francisco dining spots. Gita was so kind in how she spoke with us, she knows the area well but did not force any of her view points or recommendations on us. Orion is shy and quiet but kind and also very knowledgeable and hospitable. Our rooms were two large connecting rooms on the top floor (7th floor) which were lovely, inviting and spacious. The theme of the hotel and the rooms were all about anti-establishment and my teenager especially got some laughs at the ‘pot is fun’ pillow on the sofas in our rooms. The rooms can only accommodate two people per room so connecting rooms for a family of two adults and two kids were perfect for us. There is one elevator but it is sufficient for the needs of the hotel. The lobby is really cool as the walls are adorned with stacks of books and the lounge and bar area allows adults and kids to gather in the booths to eat meals before heading up to the room. Adjacent to the lobby is a small coffee shop for take away coffee and cold sandwiches which is a convenient find when wanting to grab a coffee and a quick snack before checking out the city. The housekeeping in the hotel did an excellent job and we loved all the sweet touches we were treated to which one would not ordinarily find in the larger chain hotels. The make up towel, the large face mirror in the bath, the simply perfect overhead shower and handheld shower provided us with hot baths everyday. We had fun conversations with Samira at the front desk at nights and we were lucky to meet the hotel manager, Mr. McClinton in the lobby before we left. He advised us of where to get the PCR test to return to our home country, how to order an Uber for the airport, asked if we needed a late check-out and was just personable, kind and a service-oriented for the entire time. After more than two years of no travel and border closures for our country, the inviting attitude and kind accommodation of the hotel was second to none. We were really impressed and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to the amazing Hotel Emblem team. Our lives are that much richer having had the opportunity to cross paths with you!
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from McClinton Heil, Owner at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Mar 7, 2022
Thank you Anyamilmad for your amazing review. It was a pleasure to meet you during your first trip post COVID. I hope you made it home safely and we look forward to seeing you again at Hotel Emblem!
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My company had a retreat this past weekend and stayed at Hotel Emblem SF. Organizing and planning a retreat took a lot of coordination and communication. Kylie made it easy and seamless before our team arrival; provide us with recommendations on what to do for team building activities and places to eat. Brad greeted me in person with other Hotel Emblem staff when I checked in at the front desk.
Fungai provided exceptional service by preparing the boardroom with water, note pads, and pencils. During the meeting he tried to troubleshoot the best he can when the draft conference room TV didn't connect to my Macbook Air (due to apple device compatible issues) or staff PC for a PowerPoint presentation - the picture on the display screen would go in and out. The team at Hotel Emblem SF (Gitanjali, David) was all super friendly and helpful, very accommodating to our request for early check-in and late check-out addressed any issues we had immediately the best they can and was transparent about the problem. Due to covid restrictions, the bar and restaurant at the hotel were closed but the location was a short walking distance to Union Square.
Despite unforeseen circumstances with Westin Hotel Valet offsite parking with the company rental car, the team was able to bond over Karaoke and Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge. Hotel Emblem was very kind to comp our meeting room to make up for the issues we were experiencing.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Â Parking is offsite at Westin, Check your car interior and exterior prior to valeting and get car...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Brad Busby, General Manager at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Jun 3, 2021
Thank you angelstar_lexia for your review. While you certainly experienced some challenges during your stay, we're glad to hear that the staff did everything in our power to make it right for you. We hope you come stay with us again at Hotel Emblem soon!
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Hotel Emblem is a unique hotel with it’s theme of the Beat Generation and interesting books in the rooms and elsewhere. Our room was very comfortable, modern bathroom, comfortable bed. The hotel staff was very helpful - with valeting the car, helping with alternative transportation. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will recommend to friends and family.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â If you valet your car call the desk ahead - takes 10-20 minutes for car to arrive
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fungai M, Owner at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Jul 31, 2023
Dear @Steve80303 thank you for you kind words about our Beat inspired Hotel concept and our work to make our hotel the type of place that discerning travelers such as yourself, would be willing to recommend to your own friends and family. Thank you again for that vote of confidence! We hope to see you back again soon.
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My husband and I love to go to San Francisco for the weekend and, after trying many hotels, we've decided Hotel Emblem is the best. It's dedicated to the San Francosco beats aka beatniks and that makes it so much fun. And the hotel is well designed. When you check in, you can see the welcoming bar and fireplace, where drinks are excellent and so is the popcorn. The rooms are very clean, very comfortable, and beat quotes on unexpected places on the walls will make you laugh. Even the pencil shouts, We are all mad here! But, what especially pulls us back again and again is the staff. They took such good care of us our first time and ever since. Everyone was great, going out of their way to help us and make our visits special, with a special shoutout to Joi and Sonny on our last trip.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Fungai M, Owner at Hotel Emblem San Francisco
Responded Jun 22, 2023
Thank you so much for your kind words and as well for recognizing our wonderful team members who work so hard to ensure that each of our guests are comfortable and have a fantastic experience at the Hotel! Please come back and see us again soon!
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Yes, it will be both safe and not a problem - that said, if you go out at 3AM, the answer might be different. But during normal hours, even as late as midnight or 1AM, in our experience, it's absolutely no problem.
"Parking is a nightmare. There are no valets standing by to handle your car. Go straight to the parking garage around the corner and pay $40 a day instead. "
There are more places to choose from in the San Francisco area.
PRICE RANGE
C$284 - C$446 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
rex hotel san francisco, hotel rex san francisco, rex san francisco
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hotel Rex San Francisco
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan FranciscoDowntown San Francisco / Downtown
NUMBER OF ROOMS
96
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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