We have stayed here before, in fact, it is where we were engaged. The canopy beds and cute decor are always a welcome departure from the traditional hotel fare in big cities everywhere. This stay was just as pleasant as our others but I had to share a newfound secret: If you don't book a parking/hotel combo package with the hotel, try the street parking on the hotel's cross street, Taylor, just before 6pm. It's metered until 6pm but after that it's free! And if you don't catch one of those spots, there is a parking garage open 24hrs on Taylor one block from Geary (the corner where the hotel is) that is cheaper than giving the car to valet at the hotel, especially on weekdays ($18/day + tax). This is the garage the hotel uses anyway and they are much faster bringing your car to you than to the hotel.

We booked the Hotel Monaco for a four night stay and chose it over other hotels in San Francisco for the location and the little extras that the hotel seemed to offer. When we arrived at the hotel, the check in was prompt and it was nice to be offered a glass of wine. However, there was a snobbish atomsphere in the hotel and we felt a bit uncomfortable by this as we felt a bit under-dressed (but we had just arrived off a flight and comfort was our priority).

The room was very small but I guess this is to be expected in an older city hotel.

We got room service once and the food wasnt very good. We didnt eat in the hotel again. In addition to this we never got another glass of wine. We arrived back at the hotel one of the days at the time of the wine reception but all the wine was gone.

All in all, it was a nice hotel (the concierge lady was very friendly and helpful) but we tried to stay out of the hotel as much as possible as we didnt like the somewhat pretentious atmosphere.

I've actually stayed here a number of times. VERY cute rooms, with a nice style. The meetings department could use some work, but overall a pleasant stay. However on my recent visit I really felt the neighborhood had turned quite seedy (scared you're going to get knifed by the tweaker in the drugstore across the street kind of seedy -- or scared you're going to get mugged by the homeless guy on the corner seedy). Anyway, as though that wasn't upsetting enough I wake up to bedbug bites! And unbeknownst to me they hitched a ride home with me on my suitcase. Thanks for nothing. Not only will I NEVER stay there again, I'll be moving any conference I plan elsewhere. HORRIBLE. (On top of it all they double charged my room!)

Everything about the Hotel Monaco is first-rate, like many of the Kimpton hotels I have tried. From the moment you step inside, you will be treated as a valued guest by the genuinely friendly and helpful staff. The location is close to great shopping, dining, transportation etc. My room was noisy during my last visit because it faced Geary street and there was some construction going on - not the hotel's fault. Usually the rooms are very quiet. One of these days I am going to make a point of getting back to the hotel in time for the wine & cheese + tarot card reading each evening, it sounds like fun. I would not recommend this hotel if you are looking for a place with sumptuous view rooms to lounge in. The rooms at the Monaco are on the small side, so this is the perfect hotel for business trips or when you want a comfortable, welcoming place to sleep after a long day of shopping/sightseeing/dining and enjoying all that SF has to offer.