After a disaster at another hotel, I ended up here by luck. The staff - particularly Josh - really hooked me up and made me feel at home. I ended up in this special suite dedicated to the Golden Gate Bridge. It's not often you get to stay in a place filled with such amazing art. If you're staying in SF, then this is the place to stay.

Also, if you're at all into the bridge, splurge on the upgrade. This is the coolest room I've ever stayed in.

We spent 5 nights at the Hotel Palomar for a business meeting and also celebrated our anniversary while in San Francisco. We were pleasantly surprised upon arrival to find that we were upgraded to a suite. The room had a nice vibe with a Rene Magritte theme including clouds on the ceiling. It was well appointed including our goldfish companion "Fishcasso." The bed was quite comfortable and the sitting area was a nice addition. My only complaint was that the lighting in the bathroom was a little dim.

The hotel staff were warm, friendly and helpful in that wonderful Kimpton way we have come to expect and appreciate. They arranged for a beautiful flower bouquet for my wife on the day of our anniversary and also provided us complimentary champagne and chocolate, very nice. There was a problem with a fruit and cheese platter I had ordered for the night we arrived but the problem was more than satisfactorily resolved with apologies. I appreciate the fact that they were so responsive which is indicative of a well trained staff. Although we were having so much fun in the city during the day and never seemed to be around for the complimentary wine hour in the afternoon, we really enjoyed the convenient coffee and tea station set up on the fifth floor every morning, also complimentary.

The Union Square location was excellent within easy walking distance to shopping, excellent restaurants and mass transit including BART, Metro and of course the cable cars. We took the BART line to and from the airport with no difficulty and saved at least $60 compared to a cab. It also familiarized us with the transit system which we used extensively. Do not bring a car if you can avoid it as it isn't necessary.

We would certainly stay at the Hotel Palomar when we return to SF and look for Kimpton Hotels wherever we travel. Join the in-touch reward program for free wifi access and other perks.

Hotel Palomar in San Fran was the perfect location and experience for my birthday celebration! Josh was extremely helpful throughout our stay and made us feel welcome. His recommendations were spot on and only enhanced our stay. Thank you Josh and the Palomar staff :)

Even tho the weather did not cooperate in mid-August, we had a great time in San Francisco and really enjoyed the hotel Palomar. It’s a really fun city to visit and the hotel is right in the middle of everything, downtown, financial district, shopping and a very short walk (although uphill) to China Town for shopping and great Dim Sum.

It's a small boutique hotel so don't expect all the amenities and sprawling space of the Marriott, that's across the street. Where you DO have to visit the roof top bar, for the most spectacular view of the city. What the Palomar does have is very friendly and helpful staff, great restaurant (although a bit pricey), free happy hour, and pet friendly. They have a chocolate lab perched behind the desk that was very sweet and friendly. Yes it's loud, yes bums are sleeping outside, but hey it's a downtown city and it comes with the territory. We had a courtyard facing room which was very quiet and clean. Highly recommend for low key, comfortable and hassle free stay in San Fran.

Transportation-Take the Bart from the airport and get off 1 block from the hotel, it's only $8 bucks. A very helpful homeless lady helped us figure out the ticket machine at the station in trade for our old tickets. Hilarious. The cable cars are fun to do once, but expensive. And when you get tired of walking, the old time trolleys and buses are a buck or two for all day and will take you anywhere in the city.

Food-Next to the hotel is a bar restaurant where we ate 3 times! They as well as the rainforest cafe a few blocks away were very good and average priced. For Dim Sum my hubby (who's Asian) searched everywhere for the best one. We stumbled across Canton seafood and dim sum Restaurant which was amazing, and it was my first experience with dim sum.

Alcatraz – If you want to visit the Island pre-book online at least 2 wks ahead, they get packed. We took a 90 bay cruse from fisherman’s wharf (must see) and we got a good look at Alcatraz and the bridges. Good enough for me.

Weather – The warmest time in the Bay area is in the fall so pack a jacket and warm clothes if you visit any other time.