We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.
We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.

Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel

4.0 of 5
450 Powell Street, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 94102 (Downtown)
Hotel amenities
Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
Ranked #86 of 235 hotels in San Francisco
Enter dates & see best prices*
Show Prices
*from our partners
Write a Review

1,206 reviews from our community

Traveler rating
    338
    407
    252
    115
    94
See reviews for
Families
162
 
Couples
436
 
Solo
92
 
Business
277
 
Rating summary
  • Location
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Sleep Quality
    3.5 of 5 stars
  • Rooms
    3.5 of 5 stars
  • Service
    4 of 5 stars
  • Value
    3.5 of 5 stars
  • Cleanliness
    4 of 5 stars
Date Rating
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 18, 2013 NEW via mobile

We stayed at the Drake throught our 9 nights visit to San Fran. From check in to check out we were treated to high quality service. We received an upgrade upon arrival and a great view from the 17th floor. Leif, the concierge gave us great advice on tours to take, highly recommend the napa limo bus tour, and booking... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Wenatchee, Washington
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 18, 2013 NEW

First of all, the doorman Labon is great! He made us feel like old friends right away. He also made getting our taxi to leave an absolute breeze! The front desk staff were always smiling, laughing and making us comfortable. The wine hour from 5-6 every night was a very nice touch to have! The rooms are a little small... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Kansas City, Missouri
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 17, 2013 NEW

I stayed at the Sir Francis Drake during a conference in 2012 and liked it enough that I chose it again for this June even though it's not the closest hotel to where my conference is. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. My room was on the 14th floor and had a nice view. I had no problems... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Moscow, Russia
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
4 hotel reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 15, 2013 NEW

Despite the convenient location, I would not recommend to stay in Drake. Renovated recently, the hotel still had many rooms (we had one for the 1st night) with very lousy insulation, so all the street noises were there. We had to ask to change the room (classic) to a King one, and to move few floors up. The service at... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Jim G, Front Office Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 17, 2013

Dear AlexanderBlanc: Thahks for your feedback. It is certainly not our service standard to ask our guests to "bring your own bag down": our front desk agent may give an "option" to our guest to bring her baggage down if a guest doesn't want to wait for our bellman to move it especially during the busy time. Hopefully, after a... More

New York City, New York
1 review
1 of 5 stars Reviewed May 15, 2013 NEW

I have never written a hotel review online before but that is how disappointed I was in this property. My stay here was May 13 to May 14, 2013. I checked in and went to my room. There were fingernail clippings on the sink. Disgusting! Then I discovered my TV didn't work. Next I found that there was no soap... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Jim G, General Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 16, 2013

Dear TheRealDavidK; I appreciate that you brought your experience to my attention. I have already alerted the appropriate department heads that each room needs to be thoroughly checked and cleaned before allowing a guest to check in. Also, please know that when a guest checks into a room and see any problem and alert our front desk, we usually move... More

Travelers are raving about these San Francisco hotels

Argonaut Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
4.5 of 5 stars
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d268533?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_RavingAboutButton
Hotel Drisco
5 of 5 stars
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d80983?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_RavingAboutButton
Suites at Fisherman\
4.5 of 5 stars
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d247005?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_RavingAboutButton
BEST WESTERN PLUS Tuscan Inn at Fisherman\
4 of 5 stars
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d80780?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_RavingAboutButton
Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square
5 of 5 stars
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d1175274?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_RavingAboutButton
Washington, DC
Senior Contributor
46 reviews 46 reviews
26 hotel reviews
Reviews in 33 cities Reviews in 33 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2013 NEW

Loved, loved, loved! You can't beat the location - right near Union Square and walkable to great shopping, restaurants and trolley stop. The lobby sets the stage for a memorable stay. They kept the charm and elegance - just kitsched it up a bit. My room was small...no tiny. The two beds barely fit, but the decor was so well... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Jim G, General Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 15, 2013

Dear pbgvluv: I really appreciate your review on the Drake! It's a fresh breath of air to know that you sense our "quaint and cozy" atmosphere and do actually enjoy our location to go explore while on your trip! You may know, but we are one of the historical buildings that was built in 1928 and during our renovation in... More

Surrey, Canada
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
6 hotel reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 13, 2013 NEW

My husband and I stayed at the Drake May 3-4. From check-in to check-out the staff were amazing! Especially Calvin and Rindi at the front desk. We were very happy with our small but lovely room. Very clean and classy, free Wi-Fi, and a very comfortable bed. We were 8th floor, which seemed good, there was really no noticeable noise... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 2
Jim G, General Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 14, 2013

Dear tamster888: I appreciate your wonderful review on the Drake! Sounds like you enjoyed ALL, including drag brunch show at Starlight, wine hour, even the Prohibition room! Yes, we pride ourselves in offering one-of-a-kind stay including our rooms that are mixture of history and modern. Thanks for mentioning our staff's names so that I can personally give each a high-five... More

Wales
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
4 hotel reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 12, 2013

My wife and I stayed for 6 nights at the Sir Francis Drake. This hotel is perfectly located for Union Square, Shops and Cable Car terminous. The hotel is full of character from the entrance staircase, lobby, reception,lifts and rooms. The room itself was spotlessly clean, excellent decor and furniture. The bed was large and extreemly comfortable. There is no... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
Jim G, General Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 13, 2013

Dear PAJAWALES: Hope you had a wonderful 6-day stay! Glad to know that you enjoyed our facility as well as our location, wine hour and coffee service! Ahh, Speakeasy room...not many people know about it, more less get to actually see it! You're few of the lucky guests! Jim Gross, General Manager More

Senior Contributor
41 reviews 41 reviews
33 hotel reviews
Reviews in 29 cities Reviews in 29 cities
36 helpful votes 36 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 10, 2013

I love Kimpton hotels, they are charming and cool. This hotel is the both. Great location, beautifully decorated but small room, charming details. The hotel is old but I like that, so if you want modern don't stay here. The service is really good, they go out of their way to get you anything you need or fix a problem.... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
See 2 more reviews by lorraine6225 for San Francisco
Jim G, General Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 13, 2013

Dear lorraine6225: You are absolutely right! We are charming and not "old", but rather one of the historical buildings in SF. Our decor is not cookie-cutter, one of a kind and I'm glad to know that you enjoyed our style! Yes, our location, staff are what I'm proud of. Many others seem to like our beds, too. Thanks for mentioning... More

Cornish, Maine
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 9, 2013

The superb lobby staff made a very fine hotel a very enjoyable experience. Thank you Leif the concierge for all the information , your patience and getting me where I needed to go. Nice to find someone when I'm on business travel that i can depend on. Thank to everyone for being so polite and helpful. Great place to stay

Was this review helpful? Yes
Jim G, General Manager at Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, responded to this review
May 10, 2013

Dear LARRY J: I appreciate your review and compliment on Leif and my staff. I have to agree, he's the best in the city! I'm glad that he made your stay a smooth ride! See you soon at the Drake! Jim Gross, General Manager More

Chancellor Hotel on Union Square
Great value on a similar hotel
San Francisco, CA
4.5 of 5 stars 2,826 Reviews
Show Prices
Still looking for a hotel?
Highly rated hotels in San Francisco
Trendy
Argonaut Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
Argonaut Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel 4.5 of 5 stars 2,688 reviews
Family-friendly
The Donatello Hotel
The Donatello Hotel 4.5 of 5 stars 1,611 reviews
Romantic
Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square
Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirard... 5.0 of 5 stars 346 reviews
Luxury
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
Grand Hyatt San Francisco 4.0 of 5 stars 1,463 reviews
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d268533?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d81394?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d1175274?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d80999?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_Style_Xsell
Travelers also viewed these San Francisco hotels
Prescott Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel 4.0 of 5 stars 627 reviews Hotel Triton - a Kimpton Hotel 4.0 of 5 stars 694 reviews Serrano Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel 4.0 of 5 stars 924 reviews Hotel Monaco San Francisco - a K... 4.5 of 5 stars 952 reviews
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d81215?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d81514?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d80802?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
Show Prices ABS:HotelCheckRates-d81985?&src=Hotel_Review&fromServlet=Hotel_Review&Action=QC_AlsoViewed_Hero
View all 235 hotels in San Francisco, ranked by popularity

Been to Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel? Share your experiences!

Write a Review Add Photos Add Videos

Hotel Summarization (Beta)

What travelers say

  • Room service(14)
  • Very nice(13)
  • Very helpful(9)
  • Business trip(8)
  • Powell street(8)
  • Street noise(6)
  • Top floor(5)
  • Night club(3)

Additional Information about Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel

Address: 450 Powell Street, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 94102
Region: United States > California > San Francisco > Downtown
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge Business Center Fitness Center Pets Allowed Restaurant Room Service Suites Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
#33 Luxury Hotels in San Francisco
#38 Romantic Hotels in San Francisco
#61 Business Hotels in San Francisco
#88 Family Hotels in San Francisco
Price Range: $$$
Hotel Class:4 star (4*)
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
The recently renovated Sir Francis Drake Hotel, housed in a landmark building in the heart of Union Square, is quintessential San Francisco: exciting, romantic, timelessly elegant and unique. The ornately decorated lobby, old-world hospitality, and Tom Sweeney, the hotel's infamous Beefeater doorman, transport you to another time and place. The legendary Harry Denton's Starlight Room, the adjacent Scala's Bistro and unmatched hospitality complete the picture to create an unforgettable San Francisco experience. ... more   less 
Reservation Options:
TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Hotels.com, Booking.com, Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, Otel and Venere so you can book your Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
Also Known As:
Kimpton San Francisco
Sir Francis Drake Hotel San Francisco
Sir Francis Drake Hotel
Drake Francis Sir

Owners: What's your side of the story?

If you own or manage Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers.

  • Manage your listing
Sir Francis Drake Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
Enter dates & see best prices* (from our partners)
Show Prices