Hotel Review: W San Francisco

by Anthony Losanno
W San Francisco 1

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After spending the night at the Hotel Adagio, Autograph Collection (review here), I moved over to the W San Francisco. The neighborhood is much nicer and I had a great, albeit short, stay. I did not get to check out the hotel’s dining options, but the fitness center has one of the coolest designs of any I have ever seen.

Anthony’s Take: This hotel is conveniently located in SOMA and is great if you need to be downtown or at the Moscone Center for a convention. I found my King Cool Corner Guest Room to be a nice upgrade. The room and bath were both luxe and made for an enjoyable stay.

W San Francisco Booking

Booking

I booked a Standard King, Guest room, 1 King on a “Member Rate Flexible” rate. It was $426 per night including taxes and fees. This total had a $40 Daily Destination Fee included. I was not at the hotel long enough and had dinner plans, so the $40 F&B credit that is part of the Destination Fee went to waste. Marriott did away with award charts a few years ago, but redemptions can be had for between 50,000 and 94,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points.

W San Francisco Map

Transportation to/from the Hotel

I took an Uber Comfort from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to the Hotel Adagio, Autograph Collection (review here). It cost $39 and took around 21 minutes to drive the approximately 14 miles with some traffic. When I was headed back home, I left from the W San Francisco. The ride took around the same time and had a similar cost.

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Location

The W San Francisco is located in SOMA. It’s a great location and near the Moscone Center, lots of restaurants and shopping, as well as easy access to just about everything in the city.

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Check-in

I arrived at the hotel around 3:00 PM and was promptly checked in. There is a desk straight ahead when entering. The agent checking me in explained the Daily Destination Fee and offered me 1,000 points or breakfast as a welcome amenity. I took the points. He also proactively offered a late checkout (which I did not need). The agent also apologized that there were no suites available, but he did upgrade me to a King Cool Corner Guest Room. Keys were quickly printed and I was on my way to the room.

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I liked the flowers on the front desk and the city map behind it.

W San Francisco Destination Fee

Daily Destination Fee

  • Daily $40 food and beverage credit
  • SF MOMA tickets for two guests per stay
  • Two reservations for daily hotel activation with entertainment. Brand Activations include: Body/Sound – Fitness Class (Equinox &/or The Pad Studios) with live DJ; Taste – Beverage Tastings with local partners (K&L Wine/Spirits); Scene – Private Showing with Illusionist/Magician (Reality Thief); Stance/Sound – Glam Up with clean Beauty Experts (Cassandra McClure)
  • 2hr bike Rental for two guests per stay
  • Stainless Steel W Water Bottles for two guests per stay
  • High-speed internet access

I did not have time to use the F&B credit, tickets, or bike. I was not offered the water bottle either. This amenity was not mentioned when the agent was reviewing the benefits.

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The lobby is spacious and includes W’s signature Living Room social area. I loved the amount of natural light in the lobby, which is quite different from many other W Hotels.

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There was plenty of seating and virtually no one in the lobby.

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The elevators are to the left of the reception desk and had a fun vibe.

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A neon sign was “Calling All Trailblazers.”

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The elevator lobby and hallways were fairly muted and bright for a W. They were clean and felt newly refreshed.

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King Cool Corner Guest Room (1108)

There are 389 rooms and suites at the W San Francisco.

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The room opened with the bathroom to the left and the bedroom down the hall.

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The bathroom was on the smaller side. It held a sink on the left, a toilet, and a glassed-in shower.

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The vanity was small without too much counter space.

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Skin Regimen brand bar soap, lotion, and face wash were on the counter.

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The toilet was in the center of the room without too much space on either side.

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The glassed-in shower offered good water pressure and the temperature held nicely.

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MOMO branded toiletries were in the shower.

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The bedroom area was sizable with a king-sized bed and two nightstands on the right.

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I always like the throw pillows that W Hotels use to decorate the beds.

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A desk/bar combo was to the left.

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There was water and other beverages for sale on the counter.

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The Nespresso machine, coffee pods, cups, and condiments were also found here.

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A refrigerator was below. It was filled with beverages for sale and next to no room for guest use.

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The safe was also found in this cabinet.

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The corner seating area was comfortable.

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A TV was mounted on the wall across from the bed.

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A closet held a luggage rack, iron, ironing board, and robe.

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The views were not great from this room.

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The hallway provided space for extra windows and more natural light.

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Public Areas & Amenities

The W San Francisco has a bright, airy lobby with some seating, a restaurant/bar, and a fitness center for amenities.

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The bar was pretty busy in the afternoon/evening.

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The valet was to the right of the lobby. I waited for Uber here.

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Complimentary water is set up near reception.

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The fitness center was one of the coolest that I have ever encountered in a hotel.

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The lighting and design were both impressive.

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There was lots of equipment as well as apples, towels, and water on offer.

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A water machine and sanitizing wipes were near the door.

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There were two bathrooms/locker rooms here.

Overall Impression:

The W San Francisco offers the perfect location, comfortable rooms, and good amenities. I will definitely return in the future.

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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

1 comment

grabamile March 10, 2025 - 11:03 am

Good to see that this hotel is still in decent shape. I stayed here many years ago and thought it was a great place at the time. I believe I stayed in one of the fantastic suites, which had a great view of the city.

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