Hotel Review: SPG Park Central San Francisco

California, Hotels & Lodging, San Francisco, USA
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I am back working in San Francisco for a few weeks. The 4th of July holiday weekend was coming up and I decided on a last-minute change of lodging. My current hotel was the Aloft at the San Francisco Airport, but I wanted to spend my weekend somewhere in the city. After some research, I decided I want to go with the Park Central in San Francisco if possible. However, I had to call the SPG Hotline for several reasons. First of all, I tried to use some of my SPG Suite Awards, and I wanted to know more about the $44 facility fee.

Unfortunately, I was denied my suite awards because I didn’t make the reservation ahead of time enough. The SPG agent, Kimberly, did her best to try to get me my suite awards but she couldn’t confirm them anymore but put a note on my account. I also asked her about the facility fee. This sounds like the usual Las Vegas scams where hotels have super cheap prices and then add a $30 or higher resort fee to your room for every single night. The same here at this property, they just call it differently. Instead of the resort fee, it’s called facility fee and it is the same. The fee gives you access to the internet, gym, and so on. All the amenities you take for granted. Kimberly and I talked, and I told her that some of the benefits, like high-speed internet, are included with my SPG Diamond member level and I told her that I don’t need the other amenities which would be included with the facility fee. She put me on a brief hold and talked to the hotel and the hotel is actually willing to waive the facility fee for SPG Diamond guests. In my case, the room rate was about $146 and with the facility fee of $44, it would raise to $190/per night. This doesn’t even include parking of $58 a night. Kimberly from SPG was able to get the facility fee waived by talking to a manager at the Park Central. I was super glad that it worked out that way. With $44 you get a good dinner for one person or some drinks at the hotel bar.

The next morning, I checked out of the Aloft, which is also an SPG property, and headed to the Park Central after work.

The Park Central is the tall building in the center background.

The Park Central is located on the corner of 3rd Street and Mission Street in San Francisco and just one block from Market Street. The entrance to the hotel is off 3rd Street, which is a one-way street at this location. The hotel offers only valet parking for a hefty fee. Not as hefty as the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, where the fee almost doubles. Be careful by pulling into the hotel. You have to cross the sidewalk and it’s usually very busy here. I gave the valet my key and let him know that I would check in and would be back in a few minutes.

Valet Parking

Valet Parking

Check-In

As with all my check-in experiences so far, I didn’t count on what I would see here. I walked in through the revolving door and right after the door, a huge queue started. Everyone was lined up for the check-in counter. It looks like a bus just dropped off a bunch of people and there was a KLM crew as well. My first thought was that it would take hours just to check in but then it hit me. I am top tier elite with SPG, they must have a dedicated line at a hotel like this. Surely enough they did, and I was able to bypass the whole line because nobody was waiting at the elite member line. There was only one couple ahead of me already talking to the front desk agent and I was next up. This was the first time I ever could get some real “value” (time) out of this benefit.

Once at the counter the check-in was a breeze. I tried to see if they could honor the suite upgrade but because of the upcoming holiday weekend they were pretty sold out. Understandable! What I got instead was not bad either. They gave me a room on the top floor of the hotel, the 36th floor. I love being up high. Especially most hotels I stay for work aren’t even that high.

Once I got my room key, I headed back outside to the valet to grab my bags and headed up to the room. The valet took care of my car, and I was on my way to the 36th floor. Well, it took a second to realize that you must scan your room key first to get to any floor at this hotel. Now I was on the way!

View from the Elevator Lobby on the 36th floor.

Premier King with Garden View (Room 3609)

After exiting the elevator lobby my room was located down to the left on the right side of the hallway. It was the first room after the elevator. I opened the door and walked into a very spacious room with a few facing south. The big floor to ceiling windows give you a partial few of the bay and a good few of the Yerba Buena Gardens and Moscone Center from this room. Looking out of the window all the way to the right, I was even able to see the San Francisco City Hall which is nicely lit up every night.

Premier King with Garden View

After entering the room there is a huge wall closet on the left and the entrance to the bathroom on the right. The bathroom had a sliding door but the shower itself has no door at all. The bathroom was spacious enough and you had enough space to move around.

Wall Closet

On the left side was also a small closet which housed the refrigerator and further down on the left side was the wall-mounted flatscreen TV and the work desk. On the right was the King bed with nightstands and next to the window a small table with magazines and information about the city and a sofa bed.

Desk with magazines

There were many power outlets at the desk and on both sides of the bed. I hate it when I can’t charge my phone on the nightstand. The room and bathroom were clean and in very good shape. Even the furniture was a great match for the room and the location and had no signs of wear or tear.

Public Areas

The Park Central’s lobby is the main gathering spot. Besides the check-in counter, you have plenty of seating opportunities in a dimmed lit environment. The concierge desk is also housed in the lobby. The concierge can give you tips on where to go and what to see in San Francisco or book tours for you. Check out also my blog for more sights and off the beaten path spots in San Francisco. Adjacent to the concierge desk is the “Grab and Go” breakfast. The hotel puts it up every morning at 6 a.m. and you can select from a wide variety of breakfast items and be on your way. This is perfect for busy people who have to start their days early.

Hotel Lobby with Check-in Counter in the background

Grab and Go Breakfast Stand in the Lobby next to the main entrance.

Lobby with Clock made up of Lightbulbs

Seating in the Lobby

Directly next to the concierge desk is a small boarding pass kiosk that allows you to print your boarding passes. The main entrance to the Park Central is through the revolving door in the glass front of the hotel which leads to the valet parking area on 3rd Street. From here it is only a short walk to Market St, the heart of San Francisco. Don’t forget to check one of San Francisco’s best-kept secrets – the rooftop gardens. There is one just up the street at One Kearny.

Concierge Desk and Boarding Pass Kiosk

The well-sized fitness center is located on the fourth floor of the Park Central. They have everything you need for a thorough workout or any other fitness activity.

Before you enter the elevators you will notice the gift shop at the end of the hallway. They offer a wide variety of items. Everything from snacks and beverages all the way to souvenir items and books.

Elevator Lobby and Gift Shop

Gift Shop

 

Gift Shop

A view along 3rd Street towards Market Street.

Dining

Beer Tasting at the Hotel

The on-site restaurant is called Maso and offers a huge continental breakfast buffet. The service here is great and I never had to wait to get a seat. However, I still would recommend you get to breakfast as early as you can. It got crowded during some of the days. Breakfast is amazing here. They pretty much have everything you can imagine, and the service is quick as well. If you need something, just ask a server here and they will help you out. Be aware that the buffet comes with a hefty fee of $25 plus tax per person. You can either book a rate that includes breakfast, or you select it as your SPG member gift instead of points or a local gift.

Before you enter the actual breakfast area with all the seating you will notice the bar on the left side. They feature drinks and some small bites starting around 11 a.m. and are open until midnight. See details below.

Conclusion

I really loved my stay here and for the rate, I got my room, it was almost too cheap to be true. I extended a few more days after the 4th of July but couldn’t extend any longer because they were already sold out for the upcoming weeks. Seems this is conference season time in San Francisco. The prices also skyrocketed after the 4th of July week. Now the rooms start at around $350 per night.

I am glad I made the decision to stay here for a few days. I really enjoyed the time here and the nice and friendly staff. It’s a great starting point to explore the city and an even better location if you are here for an event at the Moscone Center which is located a block away from the hotel.

My only negative experience here was the dry-cleaning service. This is not directly related to the Park Central hotel because the hotel uses a third party to offer that service. I sent out a bunch of clothing including pants to get cleaned. When I received the dry cleaning back, they put my pants on a hanger and stuck a note to it that they were unable to process this item and for the reason, they marked “other” but didn’t give any explanation why. I sent these pants out so many times and never had an issue with it. It’s just weird. The biggest issue was that I got it back the day before my check-out so I couldn’t send it out again to get cleaned.

Address:

50 3rd St,
San Francisco, CA 94103
USA
Phone: +1 (415) 974-6400
Web: https://www.parkcentralsf.com

See Map below

Hotel

  • Paid Wifi (included in facility fee)
  • Valet parking ($58)
  • 24-hour fitness center
  • Concierge Desk
  • Boarding Pass Print Kiosk
  • Gift Shop
  • Whirlpool / steam room / sauna
  • On-Site Bar (Maso)

Room

  • WiFi
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Coffee Maker
  • Dry Cleaning Service
  • Refrigerator
  • Safe

Hotel

24-hour receptionist on duty

Check-In: 03:00 p.m.

Check-Out: 12:00 p.m.

24 hours valet parking

Dining

Maso

Full Breakfast buffet:

Monday – Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 6:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Grab & Go

6:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Bar Bites:

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mon-Fri only)
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Bar Lounge:

Open Daily from 11:30 a.m. until Midnight
Weekly Tastings in the lobby area: Mon-Thur 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Pool, Fitness Center and more

Fitness Center

24 hours Monday – Sunday

Concierge Desk

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Located in the lobby. Can be reached by Email: concierge@parkcentralsf.com or ext 7000 from your room

Boarding Pass Kiosk

Next to the concierge desk and open 24 hours a day.

Gift Shop

Monday – Sunday: 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
located next to the elevator

Valet Parking

In and out privileges
$58 per night
Location

Address:

50 3rd St,
San Francisco, CA 94103
USA
Phone: +1 (415) 974-6400
Web: https://www.parkcentralsf.com

See Map below

Amenities

Hotel

  • Paid Wifi (included in facility fee)
  • Valet parking ($58)
  • 24-hour fitness center
  • Concierge Desk
  • Boarding Pass Print Kiosk
  • Gift Shop
  • Whirlpool / steam room / sauna
  • On-Site Bar (Maso)

Room

  • WiFi
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Coffee Maker
  • Dry Cleaning Service
  • Refrigerator
  • Safe
Hours of Operation

Hotel

24-hour receptionist on duty

Check-In: 03:00 p.m.

Check-Out: 12:00 p.m.

24 hours valet parking

Dining

Maso

Full Breakfast buffet:

Monday – Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 6:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Grab & Go

6:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Bar Bites:

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mon-Fri only)
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Bar Lounge:

Open Daily from 11:30 a.m. until Midnight
Weekly Tastings in the lobby area: Mon-Thur 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Pool, Fitness Center and more

Fitness Center

24 hours Monday – Sunday

Concierge Desk

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Located in the lobby. Can be reached by Email: concierge@parkcentralsf.com or ext 7000 from your room

Boarding Pass Kiosk

Next to the concierge desk and open 24 hours a day.

Gift Shop

Monday – Sunday: 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
located next to the elevator

Parking

Valet Parking

In and out privileges
$58 per night
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