Hotel Emblem San Francisco

5 stars for what we needed and were provided. We stayed here through "day break hotels" as our flight left at 10pm - we checked in at 12 and out at 7pm. The location just around from Union Square was great for the last minute shopping my wife did. The rooms were cosey, but there was a bath which was awesome. Well stocked fridge and water for sale at what you would expect priced. The bed was super comfy and the atmosphere was super hygge. We didn't eat or drink here but there was a cafe attached and happy hour 4-5pm (I think)

I’m giving a one star review based on the Lack of cleanliness at the hotel. I work in hospitality and realize things happen, but there was a theme of unacceptable measure from trash all over the floor throughout the building to sticky surfaces and smelly upholstery. I tried to let the receptionist know about the trash on the floor, which was right in front of her, then she deflects asking me when I checked in… there is potential here to have a five star experience, but without cleanliness, I don’t know what to say… Unacceptable especially what I paid to walk in the door… An added bonus was seeing an unauthorized charge on my credit card today.

We were excited to stay here and had heard great things. The hotel is thoughtfully designed and clearly aims to have fun and quirky amenities and bar vibes. Staff seem kind and well-intentioned, and we were given a nice welcome drink. All of that said, the heater unit in our room didn’t work upon arrival, and after asking for someone to look at it, we were told it would just take time and he’d bring a space heater in the meantime. Over three hours later, it still didn’t work and we never received the space heater. The room couldn’t get above 63 degrees. After asking again, the front desk eventually did send someone up with a space heater but having to wait for so long not knowing if we should unpack, just wanting to go to bed after a long day of travel (it was after 9pm when resolved), made the whole experience uncomfortable enough that we would not return to this hotel.

Check in was easy. Room was comfortable. Great location around lots of restaurants and bars so it can get noisy. Water fountain at the end of hall and ice bags. Café attached to hotel for breakfast. Relaxing lounge to get away from the city noise.

I stayed here for the Portola Music Fest weekend. The staff were great. They were professional and accommodating. The small but mighty surprise was the amenities, of which we used the essential oil diffuser and the starry night light. The stay was comfy and compact. Don't expect a huge room but it served my group well. I am usually particular about the bathroom cleanliness and Hotel Emblem exceeded my expectations.

Scammed by barman: I went to the bar here, and later got a notification from my credit card company that a 114% tip had been added to my bill. Sure enough the barman had added a massive tip to my bill after I'd left. Called the hotel about it three times, got nowhere, after a week, they eventually agreed to refund the entire bill – but never did. Be very careful going here. I now have to follow up with my credit card company, BBB, etc., and pursue them for fraud. EDIT: In response to the owner's comment below: no, I have already reached out to the hotel three times about this, and was falsely told it would be rectified, so I think that avenue to resolution has unfortunately been exhausted.

Even before stepping foot inside, Hotel Emblem has already made a fantastic impression on me thanks to their exceptional customer service. I recently booked a weeklong stay several weeks in advance but never received a confirmation email. Since I hadn’t stayed here before and couldn’t remember the hotel name, I searched my inbox (and spam) using every keyword I could think of — nothing came up. Assuming the reservation hadn’t gone through, I made alternate plans. It wasn’t until I unexpectedly received a confirmation email much later that I realized the booking had existed, which prompted me to reach out. Huge shout-out to Mandy at the front desk/reservations line for being incredibly gracious, patient, and helpful. Despite the timing falling outside the standard 72-hour cancellation window, she took the time to understand the situation, acknowledged the tech glitch with the delayed confirmation, and helped resolve the issue with kindness and professionalism. It was such a relief; being double-booked for a weeklong stay is stressful, and her empathy made all the difference. Based on this experience alone, I’m genuinely looking forward to making Hotel Emblem my destination on my next visit to San Francisco. If the in-person experience matches the level of care I received over the phone, I have no doubt it will be a great stay.