Beacon Grand Hotel In San Francisco Lacks Luxury Service & Quality

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - When we talk about a "luxury" hotel service is really what matters. Luxury is not just about how expensive sheets are, if there are tile floors, or wood on the floor. It is also about how a guest is treated as they vacation.

I stayed at Beacon Grand recently and was shocked at how they treat guests. The hotel sells itself as a "luxury Union Square hotel," the hotel room itself has a facelift from a historic property that came from a time when San Francisco was one of the most powerful cities in the U.S.A.

The room is reminiscent of history, but not always in the best. The shower ran well but was not adjustable with the showerhead far above the average height. The sheets were nice, however they had some soot here and there from the room smudged on them. I decided to order in-room dining because I was finishing up some work and received a large coffee, orange juice, biscuits, and a salmon bagel. The total by the way was over $80 for what could easily be a continental breakfast.

The salmon bagel costs $28 and is not memorable or anything better than something you could get a convenience store. The bagel is average at best - you could seriously make a better one at home. A regular bagel with cream cheese is $8 - so they are charging you $20 for butter lettuce, onions, and salmon.

The bed sinks in and the pillows are not very firm, so my sleep quality was so-so. I did like the TV in the room, the seating, and the view of the city. The decor was trendy and similar to other boutique hotels. The couch and chairs were nice.

I checked out the gym in the morning and it had a few weights and people working out. Overall - it was okay - maybe what you would see in a small apartment building, but nothing luxurious about it. I have stayed at hotels in the past with specialized equipment for a true experience.

I visited The Post Room at Beacon for lunch. The place was deserted without hardly any customers. The Food & Beverage Manager stopped by and was professional and made sure my order was put in, but then the server disappeared after he dropped off my food and beverage. I had to get back to the airport and it became stressful without anyone coming to close my tab. I will say the burger was excellent, but the lack of a soul of this place was apparent. This was not a place people in San Francisco go to and it lacked the ambiance of a hotel restaurant powerhouse.

The hotel had agreed to provide a $75 meal credit at the property and then proceeded to swipe my card when I was checking out without asking first how to settle the bill. Then was hardly apologetic when trying to reverse the transaction and acted like it wasn't their problem. Really? If this is how you treat someone who is supposed to a VIP guest, I wonder how you treat someone who is a regular customer and why a "luxury" property does not how to treat guests. What if I was an American Express cardholder using my benefits or any other number of travel benefits.

Concierge should always check with guests on room charges before closing out a reservation at the end of stay in case some charges may not be accurate. Additionally, the attitude given when the incident happened was one of being aloof. The staff could not care less and to be quite honest, I have no desire to dine or vacation where I will not be treated with the utmost respect and care. This is anything but luxury, but more like a typical rundown motel in the Tenderloin.

If we are talking about the outdoors, it's obvious Union Square is not what it once was. Westfield is gone and several local shopping spots have shuttered. Express, Uniqlo, and H&M are gone. Macy's is hanging on by a thread. There are countless unhoused people outside and it is hardly safe at night and feels shifty even during the day. The hotel does have security, but let's not pretend its in a nice area by any means. Union Square continues to slip as a destination and in my opinion this hotel has a serious service problem if they want to be known as a "luxury" property and I do not recommend it.

450 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102.

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 10 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats (https://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics.