Hotel Reviews – Four Points San Francisco International Airport
I am sometimes quick to form opinions about a property that are very hard to overcome. The Four Points San Francisco International Airport is one of those properties. I had a lousy stay here a decade ago and have steered clear ever since. But unusually high rates for my last travel to the area meant that this was the only property that fit my budget needs as the other half-dozen properties I would normally consider first were all pricing at over $300 per night that week. At over $200 for a one night stay at this particular property, my expectations were extremely high.
Check In
I arrived at the hotel late in the evening but was pleased to find that there was still street level parking in the hotel lot. There is also an underground garage with access to the lobby via elevator. This might be the better parking option for anyone with heavy luggage as the front door requires walking up four steps to reach the lobby level (there is no ramp, but the hotel does have a wheelchair lift for ADA compliance). Parking is $10.95 per night and required filling out paperwork at check-in. (With that knowledge, next time I may return my rental car and take the shuttle if I’m flying out in the morning.)
Check in was fairly quick. I was originally given an upgrade to a bi-level suite but as I do not particularly like bi-level hotel rooms, I requested a downgrade to a single level room. I was quickly reassigned a king room (described as a mini-suite). I was offered my choice of Platinum Amenity and I also received a hand-written welcome note from a manager.
The Room
My biggest issue on my last stay at this property was noise. Not only was the corridor fairly noisy and well-trafficked on that stay, but I was also assigned a room on the 101 Freeway side and listened to loud highway noise all night long.
This time I was assigned room 316 facing away from the freeway. I noticed no noise this time around but I was unable to ascertain whether the previous noise issues still exist with the freeway-facing rooms.
Rooms are spacious and decorated in a modern style. My room was in pristine condition and used space efficiently. It is apparent that the hotel has refreshed the rooms to the most current Four Points standards.
Lighting was excellent and the room included a sitting area with a full sofa and armchair in addition to a functional desk set-up. While the furniture was basic and not of five-star quality, it was in good condition for an airport hotel.
The sitting area was the bright spot of the room and pulled together an otherwise drab airport hotel room.
There were dedicated plugs at the bedside which made it easy to plug in and recharge electronic devices. I liked that there was also a small stool under the nightstand as I often end up with my laptop plugged in by the bedside and this provided a great place to keep it.
The bathroom was reasonably sized with a shower/tub combo and a single sink/vanity area which had been refurbished. The bathroom was functional for short stays but the tub was an old-style low tub that I would not recommend for bathing.
Food Options
I did not try out food options available here although I did locate a room service menu. Breakfast as an option as a Platinum Amenity but I selected the extra points instead as I prefer the dining options at SFO.
Checkout
Checkout was very efficient. There was not a room bill under my door but I was able to obtain one quickly. While reviewing my bill, the front desk clerk noticed I’d been charged for two night of parking instead of one and quickly remedied that. The manager who had signed my handwritten note was downstairs at the desk as well. She recognized my name from her elite list and asked for direct feedback on my stay. I love that type of positive proactive management attention!
Summary
This stay has inspired me to give second chances when they are deserved. I frequently stay near SFO and while I still prefer the full service hotels located there (Westin, Hyatt, etc.) this provides me with another viable option on those weeks that rates creep higher than normal. I was impressed with management’s proactivity to ensure a good stay and that level of service goes a long way with me. The Four Points San Francisco International Airport will definitely get business from me in the future if my stay plans allow.