InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco by IHG — Hotel in San Francisco

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Mark Hopkins Hotel for almost a week. Growing up in San Francisco, I have always admired this iconic, historical place with its stunning Art Deco architecture. However, this review is solely to emphasize the unparalleled warmth, hospitality, and kindness of the staff, which made my stay truly memorable.

From the moment I arrived, Ana at the front desk welcomed me warmly and efficiently handled my check-in. Her professionalism and cheerful demeanor set the tone for a wonderful stay. Victoria, also at the front desk, was equally helpful and courteous, always ready to assist with any inquiries or needs I had. David, who worked at the front desk as well, consistently went above and beyond with his warm and kind demeanor, making sure every detail of my stay was perfect.

During my stay, I unfortunately came down with a cold and decided to extend my visit from three days to six days, staying in my room for much of that time. Tonya showed remarkable kindness by bringing up a hot water kettle and some teabags, which was a thoughtful and personalized touch that made a big difference. Her attention to detail and genuine care for my well-being were truly appreciated.

Bob, the food and beverage manager, stood out with his personalized service and friendly greetings. He always took the time to check on me, ensuring that I was comfortable and had everything I needed. His warm interactions made me feel right at home and added a personal touch to my dining experiences.

At the Nob Hill Club, Akram, Wayne, and John provided exceptional service. Akram’s attention to detail and Wayne’s friendly and professional demeanor made every meal a delight. John’s consistent kindness and willingness to go the extra mile ensured that my dining experience was always top-notch. Their dedication to excellence was truly commendable.

Lastly, Ben at the Intercontinental Club was very kind and attentive, making my visits there enjoyable and relaxing. His warm hospitality and attentiveness to my needs made a significant impact on my overall experience.

The staff at the Mark Hopkins Hotel have been indescribably wonderful to me over the past week. Their dedication to excellent service and genuine care made my stay incredibly special, especially as I was visiting my family and needed extra comfort during my cold. The hotel itself is timeless, evoking a sense of being in the 1800s in London or old New York, adding to its charm. I loved every second and will definitely be returning.

I would like to extend a special thank you to the management of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) for assembling such an outstanding team at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. Each member of the staff deserves special recognition for their exemplary service, and I hope their efforts are acknowledged and rewarded accordingly.

Thank you, Mark Hopkins Hotel team, for your outstanding hospitality. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a memorable and...

We mostly had a good stay.

Hotel is historic which is reflected within. I absolutely hated our room. Dated with horrible carpet and old furniture. Whilst I appreciate the history of the hotel this doesn’t need to be reflected in the rooms. There is no reason why they cannot be modernised with usb connections etc (without having to rely on digital clocks to provide them), more modern furniture etc. The bed was comfy - nothing else was though.

This stay was for my husbands birthday which was clearly stated on our booking and repeated to the robotic member of staff who checked us in! I say robotic as he seemed to be programmed with all the questions but when answered with a not so positive reply (ie. how was your flight…. tiring) - he responded with perfect! 🙄 No recognition for my husbands birthday during our 5 nights stay and when I mentioned it on check out the lady said we were upgraded for my husbands birthday which in fact we would have been upgraded for my Ambassador status. When I told her this she said no the upgrade would have been to a junior suite and we were upgraded to a corner suite. The junior suite is actually priced lower than the club room we had paid for so that doesn’t even make sense! Anyway…. did I say I hated the room?! As per my IHG profile I always ask for a high floor and for this stay I requested a high floor with sunset view - we got 9th floor with sunrise view! 🤣 I give up!!!

Club lounge was nice enough with free pour of beverages in the evening for cocktail hour (5pm-7pm). Staff spend too much time watching telly than they do replenishing drinks and clearing tables though. Breakfast was just plain confusing. We were told on Day 1 that as we were club lounge we could have 1 breakfast item, 1 hot drink and 1 cold drink. On Day 4 I asked why we were only allowed 1 drink when tea/coffee & soft drinks are included in the lounge and was then told we could have as many as we wanted! Also transpired we could also have one of the side dishes too! Would have been nice to have been informed all this at the beginning of our stay. Also didn’t understand why each day we had to sign a check after breakfast seeing as it was included - still don’t. One breakfast ended up on our bill and despite me calling down to get it removed and informing the staff member of the club lounge it remained on our bill until I got it removed when we checked out.

Top of the Mark made good cocktails and sunset view was nice. Only went the once as the space is extremely bland and boring (again dated) and the windows were filthy (inside). No flowers, no colour, nothing. Such a shame for what could be an amazing venue.

Overall location was good and concierge were chatty and informative. However we wouldn’t stay at this...

Best way I can describe it is "inconsistent" quality.

Front desk staff are super friendly, as are Top of The Mark staff. But I'm not sure I'd call the team service-oriented. Housekeeping team came up short every day I was here, and each time they tried to make me pay ($$$) to correct their mistakes.

For example, when I arrived, the minifridge had previous guests rotting food still in it and didn't have bottles of water. When I talked to the front desk about this, their solution was to send up two bottles of water for $6 each, plus charges for delivery and gratuity. So, that was $19 for two bottles of water to replace the ones that should have been in the room to begin with. The mere fact they want to charge $6 per bottle for water is irritating enough, but having housekeeping leave old food in the fridge and not restock the water, then try to make me pay extra for it, is just poor customer service. After pointing this out, the night manager (Chetan) came up to the room with some gifts and an apology, which I appreciate.

The next day, room service again didn't restock the room with coffee or water. Wouldn't be a big deal, this happens at other hotels. What is different about the Mark Hopkins (again) is that when I called and asked for more coffee pods, I was told there would be a charge to have them delivered to the room. So again... hotel staff doesn't do their job and they try to charge me for it? I usually stay at Bonvoy hotels, so maybe I'm just not used to the IHG service model where the guest has to pay for every little thing, even when the hotel staff doesn't do their job.

As much as I love old hotel charm, the Mark Hopkins is particularly old and in need of renovation. The bedding had a slight moldy smell. The walls are paper thin. If you forget to set your alarm, don't worry-- you'll hear an alarm from one of the neighboring rooms, if all of the street sounds don't wake you up first. Also, unlike every Marriott (Bonvoy) hotel chain, the TVs in the Mark Hopkins are at least 10 years old and aren't "smart" TVs. You're stuck with glitchy cable on 28 channels. Minor complaint, but an easy win for the hotel given that smart TVs (with Netflix etc.) are so cheap nowadays. The location is also not particularly convenient. There's nothing remarkable (aside from Grace Cathedral) within walking distance. Lack of restaurants, shops, convenience stores. These things are walkable, but with the all of the hills, you'll want to be in good shape for that walking!

If you like old hotel charms with a lot of history, stay at The Palace. It's similarly storied, but is updated, soundproofed, and they don't nickel and dime you for basic amenities. Most nights prices are about the same. Do make a stop at Top Of The Mark...