It is too bad this hotel has become somewhat on the dumpy side. Location is great and they have remodeled the bathrooms in a nice stone tile but then it is downhill from there. Rooms have a musty smell. Furniture, beds, and carpets (stained) are worn and outdated. Housekeeping was poor. Behind bed nightstand were two used kleenix. Yuck!
If they relaced carpets, painted interior rooms and updated furniture I would go back and stay. For now stay away.

To give this five stars would be to impugn my rater credibility. Lack of updating in the rooms ( though you can imagine this place being pretty "in" back in the Ann-Margaret/Dean Martin era) make it three star. But for my purposes, it rated five. Had an excellent stay!

Do come here if you'd like to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Stay here if you wish to appreciate the awe-striking beauty of Lands End in the GG National Park area. Have breakfast down the hill, on the rocks, of Louis'. Hike out to Eagles Point and Mile Rock, and be stunned at the view of the GG Bridge. Experience the ominous fog rolling in at night. Have a drink at the Cliff House and imagine it is 1926 again.

Do not stay here if you want the Four Seasons, quick access to downtown SF, and a fast pace. That said, my parents stayed on Union Square in the Westin St. Francis, at five bills a night, and did not have a sitting area, kitchnette, nor a fridge, as I had at my disposal at the Seal Rock for $150/night.

The 38L will get you to Union Square in about 45 minutes. Renting a car is practical here since parking is readily available. Consider staying on the North side of the building for a decent ocean view as well as to avoid the buses idling on the west side of the hotel.

Again, this is a niche hotel, not much beyond the category of a motor lodge, but I would not hesitate to stay here again, given the value and the natural beauty of the immediate area!

Retro chic hotel with three floor. Our room was on the first floor and we walked up to it as the first floor is above the parking area. Plenty of free parking with in and out ease. Opened the window blinds and discovered a partial view of the ocean which was an unexpected delight. The room was very big and could have easily fit a family of four + if you are flexible. Staying at the Seal Rock was like staying in a different city than San Francisco. Quiet, less stressful and much less traffic. Even though a bus line was right outside our window we never heard a sound. We will return.

I picked the Seal Rock Inn for a stay of a couple days in SF. I had driven by it many times previously as it's just a block or two from Cliff House. The location was a big factor as it is close to Lands End, hiking, birding, plus it's an easy drive to see family from there. The room itself was adequate -- clean, relatively large, had a newly-renovated bath. Other reviews pointed out the lack of outlets -- they actually had an extension cord running under the desk that I used with my laptop. On the first night the internet router was down, but worked fine the rest of the time. The front desk staff was helpful and friendly, as was the person on the phone when I called to make my reservation. The bed was comfortable though on a bit of a slant. The on-site restaurant was good for breakfast -- don't even bother with the in-room coffee pot as it's as weak as can be imagined. But all in all, not a bad place to stay if you're looking to manage your costs while enjoying this great city.