Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel Union Square

We were looking for somewhere to stay in San Francisco which was well-located but also quite reasonably priced and came across this hotel, which proved to be a really nice place to start our holiday. The hotel is a block or two from Union Square but also isn't too far from the dockside area which you can walk in well under an hour, either by braving the hill or walking a couple of blocks across where the gradient is a little easier! You can also get the cable car from Union Square itself. The hotel was clean and well-presented, and the stay included breakfast which was a Godsend as feeding five of us in San Francisco wasn't cheap! There was also a Happy Hour each day where drinks were free, and whilst we didn't curtail our day to make sure we were back it was a nice treat on those days when we'd already arrived. As the name suggests the hotel is a memorial to the Marines and the walls are covered in posters and pictures of their various successes (as is the library) but if you're not interested in military history it certainly doesn't detract from your stay. We found the staff very pleasant and welcoming, both in the restaurant/bar and also catching up with Troy who was always happy to talk about the history of the hotel and also ideas of what to do in the city!

We spent 5 nights here in early May. The hotel itself is just up from Union Square and the location is good for getting around SFO. The cable car stop at Powell St is 10 minute walk from the hotel. It's in a good location for seeing all the sights. The hotel itself is an interesting place to stay with all of the military memorabilia. The staff were very pleasant and helpful, particularly the very friendly concierge. Our room was big (no view but we knew that) with a big walk-in closet. Breakfast was fine – typical American buffet – and the hotel does a Happy Hour from 4 – 6pm each day for guests. I would certainly recommend it. Downside: the tipping culture in the USA is getting out of hand. When I book a hotel room with breakfast included, I find it odd to be expected to tip a waiter to bring me a coffee and orange juice!

Summary: Excellent value, service and location. Convenient, secure parking nearby. Free hot buffet breakfast in a rooftop lounge (great city views) adds to the value, convenience and pleasure. No-brainer to stay here if attending an event in the Marines Memorial Theatre, which we did. My wife and I had tickets to an event in the theatre, so staying at the hotel seemed like a good idea. The hotel recommends parking at the Olympic Club Garage, a half block away. It’s valet parking, but secure and convenient. I made an online reservation and was glad I did, because the parking was “full” when we arrived, but we could park with our reservation info (I printed it out, which aided check-in). The parking is a bit old school, with attendants running around to get cars. Olympic Club members also use the garage. It can get busy. Make sure your garage reservation times are what you need. Our clean and basic hotel room was perfectly good. Comfy king bed. Everything worked fine. The bathroom is tight and the shower a bit dated, but worked fine. Hotel staff was very nice. After the theatre event, we we able to fine late-night dining about 2 blocks away at the lively, excellent Japanese-sushi restaurant, Ryoko, on Taylor Street. Next morning, we loved the self-serve complimentary breakfast buffet: eggs, potatoes, burritos, grilled veggies, sausage, bacon, pasties, pancakes, yogurt, cereal, coffee, tea, etc. My GF wife was delighted to see yummy GF pastries and hot foods labeled GF. Lots of staff were around to check on tables, buffet, etc. A bonus was the outstanding 12th floor city view. A mix of old and new architecture. After breakfast (closes at 9:30 am), we appreciated the later noon check-out because it gave us ample time to walk around nearby Union Square and dip a little into Chinatown. We walked about a 6x6 block area, enjoying the holiday decorations and vibe. I’m a 60-year-old native of the Bay Area, visit SF frequently, and have stayed in 20+ SF hotels. This was one of the best hotel experiences I’ve had. Definitely will be back.

Perfect hotel in the center of SF, next to Union Square. The rooms are a bit old, but clean and nice! Very nice breakfast with plenty to choose from. Nice bar at the top (12? floor) with a very good view of San Fransisco.

Location was ok. Bed bugs evident, appears like many American hotels housekeeping do not change the linen on the beds. Room was good. Buffet breakfast a joke as eggs were like what you receive on a plane and the waiters chasing a tip for an average breakfast and service. Offer free drinks for happy hour ( not on public holidays )

I mean, WOW! The service is unforgettable in this hotel. This might be a 3-star hotel but the service makes it feel like a 5-star. When you walk in you're greeted by staff immediately after walking into their grand foyer. The place is packed with memorabilia and facts about our servicemen and women. They have upgraded some feature such as the elevator that will take you directly to your floor, no need to stop on different floors for other people to catch the elevator. The rooms are nice. We had a corner room that gave us views on two sides of the room. The room also comes with robes that you can use during your visit. While the bathroom sinks seem to be newer, the showers could use an upgrade but they're not bad. Room service comes everyday or when you request it and they do an excellent job. There's free breakfast which is not your typical continental breakfast, this was the real deal! Some days you order and are served and some days they have a buffet. Breakfast is served from 730-930 am. They have a daily happy hour from 4-6pm with very strong drinks! You can order just about anything. This hotel is our go-to while staying in SF because we know that we'll be treated kindly and have a nice clean place to rest. It's also located in the middle of everything in Union Square and at the bottom of Nob Hill. If you're up to it, you could walk the city from this location.

We’ve just had a 3 night stay at the Marines Memorial Club and Hotel and were very impressed. The hotel is in a great location to explore the city with public transport links close by. We stayed in room 512, they were spacious and clean rooms with everything you need including a safety deposit box. The bathroom was quite basic and could maybe do with a refurb. The beds are huge and incredibly comfortable. What was an added bonus was the daily happy hour from 4 until 6pm, where hotel guests can have complimentary beer, and selected wine and spirits. We took advantage of this throughout our stay. The breakfast has a good variety and it all tasted good, it was a buffet but they also provide table service. There is a good daily maid service and the WiFi speed worked well also. The staff on front desk were really friendly and on a couple of occasions gave us some smaller currency notes which was so handy. We paid £525 for 3 nights which I feel was very reasonably priced. I really don’t have anything bad to say about this hotel!