The Kimpton Buchanan

The Buchanan is another great Kimpton hotel. I usually stay at a Kimpton when traveling because they so exceptionally dog friendly (dogs allowed/​stay for free). In addition the quality of the hotel and its experience are second to none, especially for a very reasonable price. I have stayed at the Buchanan 3 times now and it is always consistent — extremely/​ridiculously friendly staff, excellent and quiet rooms with comfortable beds, hotel recently completed total renovation, reasonable price, appreciated extra amenities (free Wifi and wine hour). The Buchanan has become my go-​to hotel when in SF and I will definitely be back; highly recommend.

I stayed here recently for 4 nights using reward points for hotel & car combo from one of the airline programs that I participate in but normally room rates are reasonably priced (under $ 300) for a decent hotel in San Francisco. Parking at the hotel is $ 35 per day but if there’s no space available, you can park one block away at the Japan Center garage on Post St. for about $ 25-​$ 27 overnight. You won’t be charged for parking if you can’t find a parking spot available but you need to inform the front desk so they will not include the daily parking fee on your bill for that particular day.
Check in was quick, easy & friendly but my room was on the second floor (which is called the first floor for the guest rooms) above the reception area and entrance to the parking garage. Although my room faced Buchanan St. and was on a low floor, it wasn’t noisy since the bus line on this route that passes is electric. There really wasn’t other street noise but there was some construction on a neighboring house. The room was very clean and quite large and featured one king bed, two marble topped side tables, a desk with Keurig machine with tea & coffee pods and wardrobe cabinet that contained a mini fridge. Since there wasn’t much furniture, there was a lot of room to maneuver around the room. The bathroom which featured Atelier Bloem products, was bigger than most apartment bathrooms too, which was great. The water pressure in the shower was awesome.
The location is very convenient, with Japan Center one block away on Post St. and only 2 blocks away to Fillmore where there’s a jazz club on Geary & Fillmore, Walgreens Drug store on Bush St. & Fillmore, many restaurants (The Grove and La Mediterrane are two favorites) and cafes including La Boulangerie on Pine St. and two large parks nearby (Alta Plaza and Lafayette Parks) and lots of shopping boutiques. There are some cute Japanese shops and eateries directly across the street from the hotel on Buchanan St. which features a pedestrian only cobblestone area. There’s a Starbucks too, but you’ll have to go up the hill on Fillmore to get there.
The Kabuki Springs & Spa is nearby too (a few blocks away on Geary near Fillmore), if you’re interested in a massage, skin treatment it’s a convenient location.
I usually stay in Japantown when I visit San Francisco, since I love the area and used to live nearby, up the hill in Pacific Heights and it’s a distance from the crowded, touristy Union Square hotel district. I enjoyed my stay and will return.

I love Kimpton Hotels but The Buchanan was nothing short of a disappointment.
The customer service I’ve grown so accustomed to with Kimptons was absolutely lacking. Upon check-​in, I had a pet waiver shoved in front of my face and I was asked how many keys I wanted. Then, I was sent on my way. That’s it. No explanation about the hotel or information on things like check-​out time, the complimentary Kimpton wine hour, wifi, etc. When I asked about the sign in front of the parking garage that said it was full, the super unfriendly man said there were actually a couple open spots, but I had to snag it RIGHT then. He also said it would be $ 40 — $ 5 more than was listed on the website. And worse yet: it would only work until 2 p.m. despite the fact that I was checking in at 11 p.m. He wouldn’t even honor my request that it be valid for 24 hours. When I asked him about the pricing for metered parking in the area (because we’d already found a spot to come inside and check in) things got weird. «Don’t park on the street. If you leave anything, I mean, just a water bottle, people will break in to steal it!» … Seriously? The neighborhood didn’t seem that unsafe, and I felt like he was just trying to get me to pay the $ 40 for their garage. I politely told him I was from a city too, so we’d assess that for ourselves, and we ended up paying the street parking from my phone when the meters started working again at 9 a.m. And no one broke into my car.
But things only went downhill after check-​in. The overhead lighting in the room didn’t work, and when I called down about it, they were unable to fix it or provide us with a different room. When we went to sleep, the light on the nightstand started flashing like a strobe light (even when turned off) so we had to move the beds to unplug it from the wall to sleep! The only working light at the time we checked in was the desk lamp… So things were creepy dark. At over $ 200 for the night, we used our flashlights on our phones to see around. Ridiculous? Yeah. And overall, the room was just really worn with scuffs all over the walls. The sheets were ragged-​looking, and I had stains on one of my pillows. The hallways and elevators were under some sort of very overt construction with chipping paint in the halls and flaking white substance all over the inside of the elevator doors.
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to my worst enemy. And after the experience, I don’t know if I’ll ever stay at a Kimpton again. The brand sold me on this hotel, and The Buchanan is tarnishing the Kimpton name.

Where to begin. I am a long standing Kimpton fan– and so when we were looking to find a place in San Francisco I was excited to see that one of the affordable places was a Kimpton! The brand sold me on the hotel and we booked it.
Upon arriving I was greated by a beautiful lobby. The room however, well it smelled funny– I don’t know if it was the Shabu Shabu restaurant downstairs or the last visitors but I didn’t want to stay in it– also it was a two queen bed accessible room and my boyfriend and I just needed one King so we decided to ask to change, hoping that maybe the bed’s would be more comfortable in the next room. Not quite– the creaky old mattress (visible all the time as there was no fitted sheet on the bed– just a poorly tucked flat sheet). I will credit Kimpton for kindly changing rooms for us but WARNING: if you are staying over a weekend do NOT stay on the 1^st Floor as for some stupid reason the restaurant has doors (open always) into the hotel and it can get quite rowdy.
Another slight disappointment came with the robes. Online Kimpton brand guarantees luxurious robes in their hotels. One year for my birthday I asked for one of these signature fuzzy robes — that’s how much I love them– and when I got to the room there were none. So when we went to the front desk and asked their very quickly said they’d bring some up to the room– that they were upon request only. Well– one would assume that by booking under the pretence that you have robes would suggest that I want them. Anyways– they were not the Kimpton robes I know and love. It was more of a kimono. I guess it fits with the theme of the hotel but the robes are one of my FAVOURITE parts of staying at a Kimpton– they finish off that luxury feel!
Overall we loved the neighbourhood of Japantown and the staff were quick to accommodate our needs and little requests here and there but it definitely made me question the Kimpton brand. My partner who had never stayed at a Kimpton before was not enticed to stay again and had I been a first timer too I would agree– that is a huge indicator of how much this Hotel impacted us.
We thank you for the service but implore you bring this Kimpton up to the rest of the brand wide standard!

My husband and I stayed here for three nights and enjoyed our stay. Quiet part of town away from the hustle and bustle. Great shopping and little restaurants nearby on Fillmore St. Have to take lyft/​über to get to basically any other areas of the city. The only things that didn’t make it a five star stay was that the platform that the bed was on made so much noise (speaking and creaking) with every little move that you made. I also wish they had glassware in the rooms vs. plastic/​paper cups. Great stay overall.

My family and I were really excited to stay at this hotel due to its location. I am grateful I got to stay here without cost due to my older sister’s work conference. However, I wish it was a better experience. The main reason I didn’t give an even lower rating is that I really did love the location due to the proximity to Japantown.
Décor: ³⁄₅ This hotel goes for a modern Japanese inspired decoration. It’s not totally Japanese but it’s going for the look. The lobby is comfortable and clean. It’s neat how they have pet bowls in it. The hallways are not very pleasing to the eye though with the dark and musty carpet colors.
Bedroom: ³⁄₅ The bedroom my family and I stayed in was clean and attractive but nothing too special, especially for a boutique hotel. It definitely was a lot smaller than what we were expecting. We were traveling with a baby and it definitely wasn’t a super family friendly space. The sinks don’t have much counter space making it impossible to lay a baby by it. Our bathroom door also didn’t close and went all the way through the doorframe so very flimsy. The beds were comfortable and instead of a balcony, we had one of those rooms with a window seat that also serves as an extra bed which is nice.
Location: ⁴⁄₅ This is a great location! Right in Japantown literally right across the street. Parking isn’t too horrible in this area either. In terms of public transportation, there’s no close BART station but there are lots of taxis that go by.
Service: ²⁄₅ My main complaint is the service here. We asked for a crib for the baby but got a playpen instead with no bedding and it looked very dirty. Also, we called guest services for extra towels and they said they would come right up and they never came. The next morning, we called to get the thermostat fixed because the heat wasn’t working and only blowing cold air so my baby niece was really cold. They said they would come fix it soon but never came. I went to complain to the guest staff and the most we could get was a different similar room and nothing better besides a working thermostat. They mentioned that they don’t have people available at all hours of the day so it frustrated us that they said someone would come right up even though that wasn’t true.
Overall, even though we still had a good vacation and loved the location we would never stay here again. We did not have a good experience with service.

Beautiful hotel in a quiet location in Japantown. Great staff, never passed one without a greeting. Free wine hour downstairs, and they even have free «things I forgot» upon request. Only missing one star for lack of parking, but the staff gave us direction to the nearest parking lot, which wasn’t too bad.

My fiancé & I planned a 4day getaway to San Francisco & were shocked to find hotel rates had skyrocketed since either one of us had been there. After so many (too many) web searches on every site, we went ahead & booked the Kimpton Buchanan in Japantown. It was affordable (under $ 200 a night), location was good and we felt the other reviews were pretty positive. So glad we chose this hotel, we had a great stay! Very clean, modern rooms, front lobby has a really cool look & the staff couldn’t be more helpful. There’s also a complimentary happy hour at 5pm, which we thought was a nice touch (although we didn’t partake). This a very cute boutique hotel & you can find many food options in the area. For sushi, check out Isobune, just a few blocks away and try breakfast at Sweet Maple, great menu & even better food. All in all, a fun stay.

I booked one night through Orbitz and received a pretty decent rate. I called the day before I checked in to request an early check-​in. The representative indicated they would make a note on my account and would try to accommodate a noon check-​in. Fast forward to the next day, and no luck with an early check-​in. They offered to hold my bags and call me when my room was available. I had already planned on going to Sausalito for the day and knew I wouldn’t be back until the evening… but the hotel never called me.
The room itself was beautiful and the bed was especially comfortable. I loved all of the Japanese and modern touches in the room and bathroom. The hotel also offers a $ 16 shuttle to the airport, but based on the driver I had, I would take a Lyft or Über instead.

Because we have stayed at Kimptons all across the country and had such positive experiences, every time I set foot into the lobby of a Kimpton, I already know I am going to be happy so there is a great chance that I will be. I have to admit my massive Kimpton prejudice. There’s my disclaimer.
Still! How. DO. They. Do. It?
Kimpton Buchanan, I love your gracious service, your pretty rooms, your phenom location and your wine hour when we come back tired, lazy and thirsty at the end of a fun day. I love that Kimpton’s are pet friendly and I love… uh-​oh, looks like wine hour is writing this review… But that’s not it. It’s that you have unique properties in excellent locations with superior service. The bicycles? AMAZING!
(Tiny bone to pick: You wrote Ethan C a poem and not me? OUCH!) ;-)

This hotel is very lovely, well organized and great customer service. We booked a calking size but was given a two queen size in our room. I called the front desk and they immediately transferred us to the room we wanted. Deana was very attentive in details and made us very comfortable. Bed was very comfortable with a great fluffy soft pillow. They invest in their beds and sheets for sure. During our stay, ray took care of everything we needed. On our check out Loreen was very accommodating holding our luggages before our flight. This is right by j town and fillmore so we walked in bunch of restaurants and cafes. I would stay here again on my next visit. Good job kimpton. Keep up the great work and customer service. :)

I feel like such a traitor for this review, but it has to be done. I stay at a lot of Kimpton hotels, most of them strictly for vacationing and fun trips and have had so many positive experiences and great elements of service.
We made the reservation to celebrate my boyfriends birthday is San Francisco, and while not knowing the area well, we banked on a positive experience by booking with The Buchanan. He reservation noted his birthday and the reason we were here. However this was not acknowledged upon checkin. Also, I had sent two emails to the hotel to make a few requests to be taken care of. I was given an auto reply from the manager who was out of town. Then forwarded my questions to the contact that was provided. I have yet to receive any acknowledgement of my emails and none of the things I had requested were ever addressed.
We had a friend come in from Palo Alto to have dinner with us. We had dinner at a local restaurant and then had an hour to kill before he needed to get back on the train. We decided to check out the hotel bar, but when we walked in it was hot, humid, smelled poorly, had a window unit a/​c in the wall. In defense of hotel, it is under renovation and hopefully this is addressed.
The room is clean and comfortable, but I guess we had grown accustomed to enjoying amazing service at nice hotel restaurant/​bar.

There was a pubic hair in the sink upon check in — and when I told the front desk, they acted like it was no big deal, and said that they would let housekeeping know. There was also supposed to be a desk in my room which there was not, as well as when I got there, there was no parking — and I was told to take my things up to my room and then come back down and they would figure it out.
On top of that I booked through Tablet Hotels and my room charge was supposed to be for $ 270, and they charged my card $ 310 for the crap pubic haired accommodation. There are no amenities at the hotel — no minibar, no vending machine, no retail in the lobby, no place to even buy a bottled water without going outside the hotel. For $ 300 a night accommodation — I expect a lot more, its not that hard.
Poor service, pubic hair in the bathroom, inconsistent rooms. .. a nightmare.

Stayed here one night with the family and we were very impressed. The hotel is in the midst of a remodel but it did not disrupt our stay. The accommodations were very nice and the staff were pleasant and professional.

For the price and the amenities offered, this is a really great place. Nice décor, comfy bed, awesome staff! They have two bicycles you can take out and ride and wine in the lobby every night!
We came for valentines and in the «special requests» box in the form online I jokingly put «please write us a valentines poem» and upon arriving to our room they had made a cute card with a funny poem and a bottle of wine! So nice.

My husband and I stayed one night with our dog and we loved the hotel. We were placed on a floor with completed hallways and wow, they look amazing. I realize this hotel may not be the standard for Kimpton’s but our room was awesome. It was large, very clean and the bed was super comfy with soft sheets. Good location and very easy to park one black away for $ 24 a night (or less) at Japantown center.

Against all the bad reviews, I booked a stay here for the weekend after Christmas for two nights. The website promised that the renovations everyone was complaining about would be complete by November 2015. On December 27^th 2015, they had a LOT of work to do still. The room itself was «ok,» but opened up right in front of the elevators. We are late night «partiers» and the noise from the elevators constantly opening and shutting and the maid in the morning next room (paper thin walls) won’t be able to be fixed with any renovation. The hallways were horrific, it was like a Motel6 level. The lobby has been transformed, but it is still not up to normal Kimpton standards. We always love the free Happy Hour that Kimpton gives and this one was no exception. Besides just the normal wines, they also offered Amaretto Hot Chocolate cocktails and Sake — possibly because it was around the holidays — that was a nice touch. When we checked in, they did not provide the standard $ 10 card or gift for members (I remembered it when we checked out and was provided it on request). We chose to park our car right in front of the hotel in teh one spot that is metered and available. It was broken into on the second night and had some belongings stolen from it. Do yourself a favor and pay the $ 25 (or whatever) parking for the night (even though it is not gated). We will not be staying here on our annual road trip next year. We gave Kimpton a chance because we know their brand, but we will head back to Union Square and one of the many cute boutique hotels there.

Oh man, Kimpton Buchanan is making me feel so ambivalent! On one hand, it’s missing the expected amenities like free Wi-​Fi and guaranteed parking (which you have to pay a premium even though you are not guaranteed a spot). On the other hand, the hotel has some unexpected perks like free K-​cup and free happy hour. In the end, although we were disappointed about the lack of free Wi-​Fi or parking, we were satisfied with this hotel because of the comfort, the (unexpected) perks, and most importantly the location.
Located right across from the Japantown archway, Kimpton Buchanan is not only perfect for Japanese cuisine fans (which is me) but also as a good central base to explore San Francisco. This hotel is clearly brought recently because of its ongoing renovations, and the management does recognize that by making it up with nice perks like the free wine hour between 4 – 6 PM where you can get free wines and non-​alcoholic ciders! The beds were comfortable, the restroom was clean, and TV was nice… Really, it’s an excellent stay!
Of course, parking is a huge problem because like I said, even if you do pay the $ 32 per night premium, you are not guaranteed a spot in the garage. The metered street parking is also ridiculously expensive, but if you do stay over the weekend (which we unintentionally did), the street parking is free! Although it could be a headache to find parking on the street, at least it’s free.
The bottom line is that KImpton Buchanan is a solid hotel at an excellent location, although the parking is a very huge issue if you aren’t staying on the weekends. Unless you hate Japanese food, I think you will enjoy staying at this lovely hotel!
—
tl;dr version:
1) No expected amenities, unexpected perks
2) Comfortable clean solid stay
3) Parking can be an issue on weekdays

I was sad to see Kimpton get rid of so many of their SF hotels as part of the IHG takeover. In particular, I was sad to see the Harbor Court on the Embarcadero go: that’s been my favorite SF hotel for when I’ve traveled with & without the pup.
During my recent holiday stay, I found the Buchanan to be adequate; it’s A-​OK. Here’s what you’ll find:
The Good:
— Cheap, especially by SF standards.
— Clean, comfortable rooms, albeit small.
— Friendly and very helpful front desk staff, something welcome and common across all Kimptons.
— That wine hour, something also welcome and common across all Kimptons. This one additionally served sake, although it’s the cheap Sho Chiku Bai stuff.
— Dog-​friendly parks nearby.
— WiFi speedy enough, at 10 Mb/​s.
— Hot water hot, water pressure even, etc. (In older SF buildings this is not a given)
The Not So Hot:
— You’ve seen people complain about the appearance of the hallways. I could care less about how they look as long as my room is clean. However, my 3^rd floor hallway had this odd smell of boiled meat. Turns out there’s a shabu-​shabu restaurant on the 1^st floor.
— Parking garage is small, dank, fills up quickly, and the remaining spots require your utmost skills and attention. Don’t drink and drive. And don’t drink and drive and try to park here.
And The Other Things To Expect:
— It’s self-​service, unlike the other Kimptons. No valet, no bell staff. OK with me; my dog pulls the luggage cart just fine.
— Neighborhood not as interesting and has fewer public transport options (BART, Muni) than the other & former SF Kimptons.
— No bar, minibar, or onsite restaurant (other than the non-​affiliated and steamy shabu-​shabu place).
I’d stay again if either with my pup or in search of something cheap.

We purposely seek out Kimptons when we travel. We were excited to try this one out because of its value and location. It met both our expectations. We agree the the property has yet to be upgraded to typical Kimpton standards of style and amenities which is why it received 3 stars. We would happily return once the upgrades are completed.
Be forewarned that this is a dog friendly hotel. If you’re allergic or prefer humans to dogs as neighbors, this is not the hotel for you.

Going along with other reviews here, this is not up to Kimpton standards YET. Our room was a really nice size for a hotel room and it had the boutique feel that you expect. Yes, the halls are in need of a makeover but when you check in there is a sign stating such. The hall that we were in was clearly in the midst of it. The only negative I had was the bathroom door that didn’t latch close. Any noise made in the bathroom was heard by the rest of the room. Otherwise we were happy with our stay. The staff was super nice and helpful. I would give this place another chance, it will be great after the halls are done.

Hello! Janet Larick here! I have been staying at the hotel triton in china town for ten years every thanksgiving, it is no longer a kimpton hotel and has become unaffordable for me! I had referred another couple to the kimpton hotels and they stayed here and enjoyed their stay. this hotel is completely affordable. They have a nice wine hour, a very pleasant helpful staff, ! I did read a few of the reviews here after seeing the 2 ½ star rating, I personally am not bothered by some of the tihings that were mentioned, parking being one, parking in SF is expensive, the hotel let me know about and inexpensive alternative! So we saved over 100 $ which we can use to enjoy all the wonderful food in the city! Let me start with the handwritten note greeting with a happy birthday message! And little goodies with Japan town flair! Also they gave me a bottle of wine from a local winery! The hotel is peaceful in a quiet part of SF. Yes it’s minimal in interior, for me I don’t need much, there is enough kimpton flair, I think this hotel reflects Japanese culture, clean minimal, sleek design. So if you are looking for a hotel done in good taste, comfy bed, friendly informative staff, here it is! And affordable!

I echo what everyone else has said, this is not a Kimpton like Kimpton members expect.
My boyfriend has elite status and we were sorely disappointed when we asked if the room we had was indeed, the best they had to offer. it had bare walls and minimal decoration.
The bathroom itself was unimpressive. The whole place felt uninviting and overly minimal for a Kimpton hotel. We’ve stayed in grand suites in Philly and Seattle and were very disappointed with the quality here– they don’t even have a hotel for the free meal tasting that’s part of the Kimpton Karma.
I wouldn’t complain if it weren’t for the high reputation Kimpton has and the incredible experiences we have had at other hotels. Kimpton has always been something special, this Kimpton unfortunately was not.
I would check out the other Kimpton before I stayed here again if you’re a rewards member.

It feels more like a Motel 6 than a Kimpton. It has no amenities (no Valet, no mini bar, no gym, etc), long depressing hallways (which I read are being remodeled), the water is red due to new pipes, and it’s just lacking any sort of wow factor. It feels like Kimpton bought a budget hotel and won’t invest much money in it until they see if it pans out.
It might be a good place if you can get a cheap deal like some of the other reviewers. I paid $ 250 a night which is *way* too much — you can stay at the amazing Sir Francis Drake by Kimpton in Union Square for the same price.
The staff are really nice and do seem to be trying.

This place is in the midst of growing pains as it tries to transition into a real Kimpton Hotel. The staff were lovely and the location was great. However, the room’s décor still can’t quite figure out what it’s doing and there are obvious signs of cut corners (amazing new bedding on a scuffed up bed frame that needs a quick coat of paint).
I know the staff follow and respond to these postings, so may I please request: YOU MUST GET DIFFERENT ICE MACHINES. They are the loudest things I’ve ever heard. Our room was two doors down and the rumbling it made even when not being used was loud enough to be heard in our bedroom. We were woken up by people getting ice out throughout the night. When we first heard it, we actually thought something seriously wrong was going on, like the ceiling was cracking and we ran out to make sure we weren’t in danger.
So yes, if staying at the hotel, make sure you are far down the hall. I know I sound crazy («seriously, lady, ICE MACHINE?!») but it was awful. The walls are very thin here (we also heard conversations going on in the room across from us when both doors were closed) so I suggest ear plugs.

Comfortable, minimalist, and inexpensive place to stay in the City. I’ve signed up for Kimpton Rewards and this hotel can be a low as $ 100/​night, which is unbeatable in SF for the quality. I would recommend, if spending the night in SF.
Pros:
(1) Inexpensive;
(2) Clean;
(3) Comfortable bed;
(4) Central Location;
(5) Friendly staff.
Cons:
(1) Bathroom door doesn’t lock (which is weird);
(2) Not the greatest lighting throughout the hotel.

We stayed here over the weekend, as we were in town for an event. The staff was very pleasant, parking was free, there was a wine hour, and we really liked the location.
Unfortunately we were incredibly uncomfortable in our room. The air vent over our bathroom sink was incredibly loud and rattled so often that we considered changing rooms
during the night. The absolute worst part was that there was a foul, sour smell from the entryway to our room all through the bathroom. It was like someone attempted to clean up a mess, or vomit, or bad dairy– whatever it was– it was bad. I admit that it was our fault for not asking to change rooms, but we didn’t spend too much time in our room and tried to just ignore it. The hotel hallways felt very tight, and just dark and dreary. We understand that they’re in the middle of a remodel, but I doubt we would want to stay again. They were definitely overpriced but can’t imagine how much more it will be once the remodel is complete.

You can tell this place is remodeling or at least started to remodel. The lobby looks nice, the elevator has some stylish wallpaper in it and the rooms look mostly remodeled. I will say the rooms were nice, but a little bland and the bathrooms look like some corners were cut. The bathroom door has a ball catch on top, similar to those normally used on closet doors, that wasn’t adjusted properly. So, it could be blown open with the shallow breath of a mouse. The Keurig machine did not work in my room and the TV was not working until I found a hidden on button on the back of it (ie, the remote did not turn the TV on). I did call to have someone come look at the TV, but nobody every came, and as I stated, I was able to figure it out on my own. The windows let in a bit more noise than I would have liked, but this area of town wasn’t too noisy when I was there.
The parking here is really expensive at $ 40 for 24 hour in/​out privilege parking, but they did mention that you can park at Japantown Center Parking Garage for about $ 24 a day, which was a much better price at less than a block away. However, they failed to mention that there was free two hour parking on the street and it was totally free after hours (I wanna say 6) and it was free on weekends. Since, we had a rental and were going to be driving around, we only needed to pay for a couple hours and then we were good to go. Also, they only have about 30 spaces, I think they said, for about 130 rooms.
The free wine and sake hour from 5 – 6 was about the only amentity this place has to offer. There is no pool, spa, free parking, or just about anything else even a basic hotel would offer normally. For instance, no continental breakfast was offered. At least they should offer some coupons to go to their restaurant, which doesn’t seem to get that good of reviews either.
I got this place via a Hot Rate deal on Hotwire for a 3 star hotel. I don’t feel like this place is more than a 2 star hotel and no matter the rating, it is extremely overpriced at $ 330 for a Friday night. Its not really near anything and not really worth a night to stay at. You will likely need to drive to wherever you are going and with that in mind, you might be better off staying a bit further out from the city and just planning your day accordingly to drive to wherever you are headed.

Quiet little Jem in Japantown, that fits into the vibes of the neighborhood. This hotel was awesome and unique. Cozy, clean and friendly staff with thoughtful little touches aimed to provide a nice hotel experience for their guests. Such as yoga mats, a jambox, kamonos, forgotten items list (anything one may need and offered to get it if they don’t have it). The mini bar wasn’t ready and they gave us the cutest reusable canvas bag full of Fred water and snacks. Enjoyed the toiletries and even took them home :) Beds were comfy and rooms were definitely up to par.

Needed a place in the immediate area last minute.
Here are the pros
Cool location right in J-​Town
Helpful friendly staff
Modern décor
Comfy beds
Cool sitting area with bay windows
Restaurant downstairs.
Here are the cons
Dusty. Headboards, pictures, armoire needed cleaning.
Small garage fills quickly. (I didn’t use)
I’d stay again and pack a Swiffer

Accommodating.
Price was right on Hotel Tonight.
Quiet rooms, classic, modern and sleek.
Great location… Short stroll from Japantown.
Free street parking– just keep an eye out!

Fantastic Hotel — further confirms my affinity for Kimpton Hotels.
Very pleased with guest services. We arrived several hours before our room was ready, and the front desk was able to accommodate us. Once checked in, the several times I called down to the front desk for sundry items or an extra yoga mat, the requested items arrived in minutes. As the mini-​bars weren’t yet installed, the hotel gave us a mini goody bag, which was a nice touch
The room was very nice, with full armoire, table, chairs, and a sizable shower with a real tub. AAA members get a little discount too, which I appreciated.
My only few comments: the pillows were a little weird, the Keurig machine didn’t have a nearby outlet.
All in all, I recommend this hotel for service, hospitality, design, cost, comfort, location…

Wow. Avoid this hotel. I got a great rate and am still checking out tomorrow. Dirty and stark. Cool lobby so that gets 1 star but this is absolutely not up to Kimpton standards. Kimpton lost most of its hotels in SF a week or so ago so I can only imagine they knew that move was coming so bought this dump and slapped up the Kimpton name. If this is what we can expect from IHG (they purchased Kimpton a year ago) I guess my Marriott account will be expanding.
Responding to GM’s comments – no, unfortunately I found the rooms stripped down and not very attractive. My point remains the same: don’t stay here expecting a Kimpton experience. I understand from our conversation that this was built as a 3 star hotel instead of a 4 star and so I guess it is fine if that is what you are looking for but I think it changes the brand. Kimpton’s choice but I will be more careful in relying on the Kimpton brand in the future.

Really nice front desk and hotel staff otherwise. Extremely convenient location. Exceptionally clean. Has a restaurant (so-​so) that hasn’t changed much since the Hotel Tomo days (which I was lucky enough to stay in back in 2010).
I think everything is relative and although this is not a nasty bed bug infested motel (you can find some of those off of Lombard), it was not as nice as I had hoped. The shower is difficult to use (I’m gonna just assume because it’s so new the controls were «stiff») and the room décor is quite bland. The parking garage is tight/​small/​kinda sucks BUT it’s free parking in SF so that evens out.
They have a wine/​sake reception which I did not partake but I’m sure it’s a nice addition.
Overall if you want to stay in SF where it’s very affordable and you get a bang for your buck, stay either here or Hotel Kabuki. I’d say Hotel Kabuki is a tad nicer but the parking isn’t free so maybe that would set it off.

I’ve wanted to stay at Tomo in San Francisco’s Japantown for years. The colorful wall murals and funky furniture really appealed to my sense of fun.
I arrived at Tomo and at first, could not find a way into the building. The lobby was under construction and entry could only be gained through the parking garage. The front desk attendant apologized for the mess and checked me in. I took the elevator up to my floor and entered my room. It was… classy. White walls, white bedding, white towels. Plush, but typical high end hotel. What happened? Where were the fun murals, the colorful linens? Well, I soon realized that the Tomo, which was formerly part of the Joi de Vivre chain, has recently been bought by Kimpton. I love Kimpton, but I’m a little saddened that they went this direction with their remodel.
Then the minor, but annoying problems began. There were no water glasses; just paper coffee cups hidden in an armoire. I was glad I’d brought up a plastic cup of cucumber water from the front desk.
There was no device to plug in an iPod. (Not expected, but disappointing just the same.)
I called downstairs for a softer pillow and was assured that one would be brought right up. It wasn’t. I asked for a pillow a couple more times during my stay and was always assured that one would be brought up but it never appeared. I slept on an inflatable travel pillow.
The worst thing was the shower. First, I couldn’t turn on the water. I tried really hard, turning the single tub faucet knob and pulling and pushing on it. Nothing. I called the front desk and was told that ‘sometimes you have to pull really hard.’ So I stood in the tub, bracing myself against the tub wall and used my weight to pull and finally, I had water. I don’t take really hot showers and this shower would not turn cold no matter how I tried to crank the handle to the ‘C.’ I took a shower that left me feeling sick from the heat and had to lie down for a while on the bed. This wasn’t just me. My boyfriend enjoys showers considerably hotter than I do and he said it was even too hot for him.
I mentioned that shower to the front desk that morning and when we returned that evening, our tub faucet handle was upside-​down! But really, it had been upside down before. Now it pulled on easily and the water could be adjusted to pure cold if we wanted. Bliss.
This made me realize that something else was probably fixable. The sink water never got cold. I reached under the sink and turned the handle for the cold intake and voilà — we had cold water to drink.
I’m sure that all these kinks will be worked out, but be aware, the Tomo isn’t animé anymore. It’s Kimpton.