Hotel des Arts - San Francisco

The hotel is older, cramped, but clean. The complimentary breakfast was lacking in choice and the breakfast room was tiny with limited seating along the walls. The room itself was quaint and reasonably clean. I arrived late night and the front desk staff seemed disinterested. During my first morning, I asked housekeeping to come back in 5 minutes. The […] maid not only rolled her eyes at me, she rolled her entire head. I informed the front desk but all she said was she would speak to her with no reparations. Read more

I stayed for a 2 week business trip and wanted something a little more homey and personal. This hotel did not disappoint. I was blown away by the combination of value, comfort and personality of this hotel. That said, I wouldn't recommend it to absolutely everyone-- you have to be ok with a radiator instead of an electric heater and small old stand […] up sinks with little/no counter space. To me, it's the perfect set-up for someone who is used to urban dwelling in older buildings or ok with dealing with the quirkiness it brings. That said, everything that's really important (sheets, shower, bedding, floor) is in tip-top shape, comfortable clean and new. Combined with the walls covered with art, what more could you want? Read more

A very unique experience, for the young and active at heart, with an open-mind and a creative pulse. My room was literally an art-installation piece, complete with an old desk and collectibles from the 1970's. The elevator leaves a lot to be desired, and once I got my things up the room, I chose to use the stairs the rest of the time. These are stairs […] like you find in old parts of Paris and Amsterdam, hence charming, adventurous, steep, but decidedly user-unfriendly! So just be aware of that and you'll be fine. The room was small, but they provided you with every luxury item you would get in a boutique hotel. I really really enjoyed my stay there!! Read more

Chraming and comfortable, but a bit noisy with people coming home late.

location is good!!

My group had 6 people staying in one of the suites (we were in town for a conference) and it worked out pretty well. There were 2 double beds and a couch that folded into a small bed (not a pull-out couch, just something that transformed). The 6th person wound up sleeping on the floor as the couch-bed wasn't quite large enough. Other than that, it worked […] quite well for us. The wifi was free and decent, there were muffins and coffee in the morning, and even though we had a bathroom in the suite, we could use the ones down the hall, too. (The non-suite rooms don't seem to include bathrooms.) they were very accommodating even though it didn't seem like they saw 6-person groups much. (The website doesn't let you make that size reservation but hotels.com does). They only gave us 3 keys (instead of 6) but they offered to get maintenance to make more copies and wound up just keeping a key at the desk for us. The only weird thing (which we were expecting) was the art. Our room had a large (several feet wide) papermaché bust sticking out of the wall and a smaller bust on the outside of the door. Also, the shampoo also smelled really good! Read more

This guest did not leave a comment.

My wife and I recently completed a two night stay at the Hotel de Arts and found this hotel to be charming but did have some minor issues. First of all, the staff was fantastic to deal with and did their best to accommodate us when we unexpectedly needed to stay an additional night. The hotel location provided easy access to Union Square and surrounding […] areas that were all within easy walking distance. Given it's location, there was virtually no panhandling outside our hotel that we have experienced with other properties There were some inconveniences worth mentioning. First of all there is no onsite parking, although the parking garage is only about a block away, it becomes a logistical issue getting your luggage to the hotel if you have more than one bag. The hotel is secured which requires an extra key to gain access. Once inside the logistical issues continue. There is a narrow hallway that leads to a old style elevator that is inconvenient at best. The doors are spring loaded and require constant pressure to keep open making it difficult to get luggage in and out. There are stairs but they are steep and narrow. The main desk is on the second floor making it challenging just to check in. Our room was quaint but a bit on the small side. There was no closet but did have some external hangers to hang clothes on. The bed was comfortable and reminded me of a memory foam mattress. There was a flat panel TV but that is irrelevant give that there is no high definition TV service and it was mounted 90 degrees to the bed. Of course, we weren't there to watch TV but it did provide minimal entertainment while getting ready. The bathroom is small although the shower was more than adequate. The sink is tiny, perhaps smaller than a bathroom sink on an airplane. None of the electrical outlets in our bathroom were functional, adding to the logistical issues. Our room was at the back of the hotel overlooking an alley way and directly into an office building. Despite the time o Read more

Good clean hotel, however the rooms are quite compact.

This hotel is quirky and wonderful. The ONLY downside is the noise at night when trying to sleep. But, this can be remedied. Be sure to ask for an Art Room (with bathroom) away from the alley. Preferably an inner room, and the higher up you can go, the better. Apart from getting very little sleep (alley noise) we loved everything about it, including […] the art lining the hallways. All of it is for sale! Just be smart when booking, ask for a quiet room and you won't be disappointed. The location is great too. Near everything. Bonus is the price. A place in this location this affordable is a gem and we will stay again. Read more

this is such a great way to design and present hotel guest rooms and environments i am surprised more hotels don't do this.

This hotel really showcases the San Francisco/Bay Area culture. (Even Anthony Bourdain thinks so!) My friends & I had an amazing time. On a whim we asked to upgrade & they gave us a bigger room at a discounted price. The hotel has a great location & the staff were happy to accommodate our large, 'loud' group. I would stay here many more times in the […] future. Read more

The Hotel Des Artes, located right outside the gates to San Francisco's Chinatown is well suited for the younger generation. The art is bright, lively and modern.Some of the lighting in the rooms is not well suited for reading in bed and the tv channels are rather sparse. However, for the traveler who will spend little time in the room, other than to […] sleep, it's a delight-colorful and vibrant. Read more

Other than its close proximity to the Moscone center in downtown SF, the Hotel Des Arts was by far the worst "Budget" hotel I have ever stayed at (and I am not sure that it actually fits in the budget category as I paid in the three figures). The biggest problems were two fold: 1) Pests - There was a very large cockroach walking on the wall in the […] shared bathroom on the second day of my stay! - Needless to say that I never entered that bathroom after that. 2) Noise/upkeep - The hotel is in a very very old building which has been very poorly maintained. As such the windows are old single pane glass with significant cracks that let both draft & outside noise through as it there was no window at all. In one location I measured to opening to be as large as 2 mm. The real problem is that the attached pub next to the hotel is only 2 story and has their AC fan that runs pretty much 24/7 (out of my 4 night stay only once did the fan turn off over night). My room was on the third floor and directly over the pub's fan. To give you a sense of how horribly loud the noise was: - my top of the line noise canceling headphone could not even cancel 1/2 of it ! I truly felt like I was in a small airplane at all time. Also this is something that the hotel staffs knows about as when I went to complain, they simply showed me a large basket of complementary ear plugs!!! - It really did not please me nor is it fun to show up at trade show everyday with puffy eyes... Other minor issues included: a) False advertising for breakfast - to be fair the hotel itself actually says "light breakfast" in the room converted to server as breakfast area which does not have tables only weird looking chairs. Now the food selection is limited to 2 variety of miniature muffins, 2 variety of bagels, apples, and that is it - no cereal, dairy, pastry, oatmeal - nothing. b) Be very careful when you book your room to see if you are booking a room with a private bathroom or a shared bathroom - the great major Read more

I am not a natural red color-liker, so entering the room and being met with that red color bomb, did a thing to my expectations

Hotel has a crazy art theme and is very noisy. Reminded me of a European pension or hostel. I wouldn't stay here again for business unless it was the only thing available.

This hotel is definitely unconventional and older but is kept clean and well maintained. The art makes it quirky and fun and it's the perfect hotel for visiting because you will not spend a fortune on the room and spend most of your time outside sight-seeing.

Excellent value for money. Friendly staff. Great location.

hotel a bit funky, but very clean, comfortable, staff extremely helpful - located right next to Chinatown Grant St entrance, not far from main part of downtown SF. Lots of activity and dining short walk away.

This guest did not leave a comment.

This guest did not leave a comment.

My only tip would be that you should request a room not on the alley. Our room overlooked it and we were woken each morning at 5AM by crazy-loud banging noises. Otherwise, the front desk person was really nice, the bed was very comfortable, the room was clean, and you can't beat the location for the price!

we were in an alley facing room and were awake from 3am-7am because of garbage trucks & delivery trucks. Impossible to get any sleep here!!!

This guest did not leave a comment.

This guest did not leave a comment.

This Hotel was very Cheap, My only major complaint was there was not AC in the room or screens on the windows. When we stayed it was low 80's high 70's all week and our room was muggy so we opened the window. I came home with about 20 mosquito bites because there was not a screen on the window. other than that the location and price were great. The […] hotel was about 4 block from the start line of the Nike Women's Marathon which is why we went Read more

The check in process set the tone for our stay. The front desk attendant was rude about our decision to park somewhere other than their designated parking lot. Our room was very, very small and noisy. We didn't get to sleep at all the three nights we stayed there. We have traveled a lot and we are not very picky but we do like to sleep eventually. We […] liked the idea of the artsy hotel but the room we stayed in was not worth it. It is more of a high priced hostel than a hotel. Read more

this hotel is located in the perfect spot! BUT there is no air conditioning, so the room was really hot at night. Also we were victims of BED BUG BITES! becareful and check the beds!

This guest did not leave a comment.

Room backs up to alley where garbage collection takes place all night; no air conditioning; hotel told me I could park on street until certain time and car was towed costing me $600. Manager was rude; Don't recommend.

I picked this hotel because it was within close walking distance of an early am biz mtg. & reasonably priced. It was old world, style like European Pensions. Tiny entry, (looked a little sketchy), sandwiched between lrg office bldgs, cafes, etc. Inside entry, was small, old elevator w/a door and a screen gate to pull back. The lobby was on the 2nd fl. […] I was greeted by friendly, helpful, young hipsters, and could see the main part of the hotel had been all redone and had great, modern art hanging throughout the lobby and every floor's hallways. Even my room's walls were adorned with festive images added on top of the basic wall paint. As a single, older woman, I felt very safe; there were no weird noises, at night, or in the hallways. My only issue was the bed! They really need to get good, firm mattresses and a tad higher, off the floor. Nice complimentry lite breakfast where I met other guests. I would stay there again, if I had to be in that neighborhood. Only some rooms come with their own bathroom, so if that is an issue, you should request that, right up front. It was not obvious, to me, as I made my reservation, but during a follow-up, confirmation call, either from the hotel or hotels.com (?) it came up, and I made it clear, I needed an in-room bathroom! Read more

Great location. Wall outside and ChinaTown is right there across the street. Easy access to BART. Even took a 1.3 mile walk to Fishermans Wharf. 2-3 blocks from the Union Square Plaza within walking distance. Rooms are clean and decorated nicely. It is an older building so there is no AC. But you don't need it, just crack the window open and feel the […] cool breeze enter the room. Overall we were satisfied with it! Breakfast was also a plus, bagels, toast, fruit, juice, etc... Will def book this same place next time.... Read more

nice colorored rooms, friendly staff, clean, very well located, breakfast is okay. would absolutely recommend it to my friends.

All OK ........funny , everything worked ...and it was 5 different hotels ago on this . I guess if It was uneneventful , which is a good thing :)

The hotel was outstanding except for a few things, the bed was like sleeping on a pile of rocks, although it was not a spring mattress you could clearly feel where others had slept, the shower was big enough to just stand in and not wash in, and the water temperature was more up and down than the tide was outside, my last complaint about this place […] is that the front desk attendant was adamant and sure that they cab would cost $45 and that they could take credit, well the cab ride cost me $60 and i had to make a stop to get cash. Read more

This guest did not leave a comment.

I liked my stay of the hotel. It was centrally located, good restaurants in the neighbourhood, Chinatown and North Beach and Union Square just a few blocks away and a helpful friendly staff. Problem was the alley way on the back side of the building. Until I finally fell asleep at around 2am there was all kinds of noise and again at 6am. I know it's […] in a city but it was really bad. Would I recommend this hotel ? YES, but avoid any room directly at the back of the hotel. Also if you don't plan to drive your car around SF while you stay you might get a better price at a different parking garage near by. What your $30. per 21 hrs of parking is good for is multiple in and out parkings but if you don't need to do that then self park for about $20 near by and you won't have to tip the valet at the hotel parking which is only valet parking. Read more

I believe the title says it all. Two weeks after my stay, I'm still dealing with exterminators from what I brought home. I wish Hotels.com could just "red flag" situations like this.

My husband and I booked this hotel for a short getaway from our home on the Central Coast. We knew it would be quirky and artsy, and old: all great with us. Each room is painted by a different artist, some of them serenely and some more playfully. But our room was a horror. On all the walls were painted, in subway graffiti/cartoon style a set of gigantic, […] grizzly looking, gap-toothed thugs with stocking caps on their heads and menacing looks on their faces. It was totally creepy. We asked to be moved to a different room, but there were none available. The staff also refused to refund our money, even though we had no intention of staying. We moved to another (wonderful) hotel and ended up paying for both rooms. Really, it's great that the hotel gives artists a palette for creative work, but the artists ought to be held accountable for the fact that hotels are places where people sleep, relax, and need to feel safe. I cannot imagine who would feel comfortable in the room we were given. The hotel should display rooms like this to unsuspecting guests and should surely never oblige anyone to stay in a room they have not seen and are disturbed by. Read more

This guest did not leave a comment.

This guest did not leave a comment.

I was very pleased with the hotel we stayed in a suite. A little pricy for the size, but overall a great time. The rooms were very cool.

This hotel was inexpensive, very clean, and convenient. The room was small and you have to be able to put up with the very funky artsy vibe of the place. I found it a welcome break form cookie-cutter hotel rooms, but it is not everyone taste.

Hotel was nice but after booking through hotels.com I had connected directly to the hotel to inquire about any available rooms the prior night toy stay +any parking available in the area. The guy on phone wasn't very helpful, it was late 11 pm, but he sounded kindof like a jerk. Plus he gave us the wrong parking area. - just thought he could be more […] friendly on the phone - also no one told us about free complimentary breakfast when we got in, that wasn't vey cool. Read more

The Hotel des Arts is a hole in the wall of sorts with each room painted by an artist (we had the room with the Chinese clouds and the peacock) and lots of art, mostly for sale, on the hallway walls - and since we decided to buy a painting, it was a pleasure to meet the artist, who is also an employee. This is very well located near Union Square and […] 1/2 a block away from the Chinatown arch, and about a 25 minute walk to the ballpark - SFMOMA is also nearby. Internet is available but in and out; continental breakfast is very light and there is not much space to eat it - and I prefer not to bring it back to the room. While the rooms are tiny we would be happy to stay again - friendly informative staff, and good price and deal for the location. Read more

I stayed at this hotel because it was conveniently located near a conference I was attending. The staff was nice and this room was rather cheap. I knew that cheap would mean that there would be some issues, like a small room. I didn't have a problem with that, but I did have a problem with the bed. The bed was horrible and I woke up with bug bites!!! […] The night I stayed there, the hotel hosted an art show. I didn't mind the event, but I did have an issue with the attendees. They kept knocking on my door and made it impossible to get in and out of my room. They were rather rude. I was polite, but they would give me an attitude for wanting to get by them. Not good. Read more

An old hotel, repainted funky, my room was black with some weird color accents. I asked the concierge to change the room and they didn't want to do it, they said that the whole hotel was booked, which was not true. I would recommende it only for young people who like hard rock culture.

The artist-painted rooms in this hotel are a great idea-- if you get an interesting room. I did not. The paint job in my room made the room feel cheaper than it really was. In general, though, the room was clean and well-maintained. My biggest complaint was the noise that emanated from the alley behind the hotel. My room's windows looked out on the […] alley and there was a constant stream of noise all night (people talking, throwing out garbage in the dumpsters, trash collection, etc). Overall, I felt more like I was crashing in a friend's spare room than in a nice hotel. Read more

This guest did not leave a comment.

I liked the hotel very much, the location is great, near Chinatown Gate. The room I stood was really nice, full of wall art. The bathromm is new, good shower. The breakfast is the real shortcoming, you have to eat seated in a small bench. They have enough space to put a communitary table in the center of the room, but instead you eat over your legs […] . Read more