Review: Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco

How did it strike you on arrival?
Though the original Palace Hotel was built in 1879, it was destroyed in the fire that engulfed San Francisco in 1906. This Palace was built in 1909, and the ornate space feels like a historic property, with marble floors, stately columns, and ornate ceilings. The massive Garden Court is 110 feet long by 85 feet wide, topped with a seven million dollar glass dome, and lined with marble ionic columns. If grand historic spaces are your taste, it's something to behold.

Fans of art history also will enjoy the Pied Piper bar, named after the 16-foot Maxfield Parrish painting of the same name that holds court above the century-old oak bar. Parrish was actually commissioned to create the painting for the 1909 reopening of the hotel. More than 100 years later, it still has the bright, saturated colors he's known for.

What’s the crowd like?
Business travelers, couples staying for romantic weekends, families, all of it. Grab a drink at the Pied Piper, and you'll see people in jeans and leather jackets, business attire, and maybe even a formal gown or two for a glass of wine before a wedding. It's a well-heeled crowd.

The good stuff: Tell us about your room.
The Palace renovated its rooms in 2015, so, despite the hotel's historic status, everything feels up to date, with clean lines and muted palettes. Guest rooms include details like crown molding, marble counter tops, and ample power storage. The spaces feel elegant and restful. The smallest rooms are 300 square feet.

We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?
Frette linens cover all of the beds.

How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?
I'm not entirely sure it's possible to steal a bidet, but rooms on some floors have TOTO washlets.

Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.
Yes to the crazy robotic toilets—rooms on certain floors have TOTO washlets, which have heated seats, and front and rear cleansing options.

Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?
Wi-Fi is $15.99 per day.

Staff: If you could award one a trophy, who gets it, and why?
There are three doormen—Paul, Jorge, and Marlon—who have been at the hotel for 30 years, and will give kids a gift if they say the word "luxury." On Thursdays at 4:30 p.m., child guests also can meet chief concierge Jose Lopez by the flowers in the lobby to pick up travel tips and lessons on travel etiquette.

Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.
Pool! A glass ceiling encloses the heated 60-by-20-foot pool, which is lined with lounge chairs. There is also a whirlpool.

What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?
The garden court is really something to see. Even if historic, ornate architecture isn't your style, this is a piece of San Francisco from more than a century ago.

Bottom line: worth it, and why?
The Palace is gorgeous, historic, and updated. The biggest downside is also a plus—it's in the middle of downtown San Francisco, on Market Street, at the border of SoMA and the Financial District, and at the crux of BART and muni lines. But street life is colorful here, so keep aware of your surroundings. It's not a bad neighborhood by any means, but that's what downtown San Francisco involves these days.