Hotel des Arts

This is an economical, no frills hotel conveniently located right in the heart of downtown San Francisco, but far enough away from the Cable Car lines so you don't have to listen to their clanging. Good restaurants are nearby, and so is BART/Muni. In January, the nights were cold, so the small radiator kept the room warm enough, but little of its heat made its way into the tiny bathroom

OpenKey is not convenient. Passcode would be preferably better. Lift doors are cumbersome.

The elevator is 100 years old and very unwieldy. The stairs are less than 2ft wide near the top of the first flight with pipes and stuff in the way. I never saw a single person at a desk or anywhere. There were no curtains (only blinds) in the room, no AC only a steam radiator. The shower was tiny, plastic with no labels on the faucet, and no ventilation. The absolute worst part was the bed. No box spring, an uncomfortable mattress on a metal frame like a fold out couch! The sheets were clean, and the TV worked. If you value a good nights rest, look elsewhere.

The in room refrigerator was set to the coldest setting which caused a nice bottle of wine and some food to freeze. Very loud banging (maybe construction) at 6 am for at least 2 hours. No personnel to check you in or out and no room service either.

Its a nice, clean place, very well located. Customer service communication / web announcements veracity must improve though... Room Didnt have fridge, and web page said it did and re confirmed vía email by their customer support when i asked them in advance a lot of days before arrival. So it would be nice to check before customer arrival everything is as its shown on the web page and working well. However the other issues that needed to be solved, eventually were solved.. Customer service was nice and understanding. But in general, a nice place, nice art, location price/quality is good too, since SF prices are really high. We would come Back, and still recommend :)

It was great, although self check-in required assistance. Floors are slanted, elevator is old and slow, staff is polite. It's quirky and somewhat inconvenient, like being on vacation in a charming town without too many amenities. Fantastic location.

Funky, old hotel in great location. No front desk personnel - entrance and room key all digital. We knew the room would be small but no lamps or reading lights - just an obnoxiously bright ceiling light. No air-conditioning - the room was HOT. No chairs or place to sit other than on the beds. And the TV didn't work - no internet connection. Overall the 2-night stay was passible but definitely not comfortable. Also, rooms on the Rush St. side are very loud - not recommended.

I liked being able to come and go without front desk staff, though it felt like no one was there to field concerns. Fold out Bed/Couch in our suite was sub par for either and made for an unusable salon. T.V. in our bedroom was not functioning. Bed is excessively stiff and bedding smelled of bleach. Had hopes for continental breakfast, alas none was to be had. Overall acceptable value for price though there is a missed opportunity for connecting visitors with contemporary SF art and culture.

There is rarely staff on site. Communications are done via text. Responses via text are quick, but it is somewhat problematic that no one is there in person. The storage closest for luggage is no larger than a phone booth, and was full when we needed it. Key expired at 11am on check out day, despite getting an extended check out until noon. The rooms don't have individual temperature control.

Stayed for GDC at the Moscone Center, it was quiet and nice. It's also connected to a lounge/record store which was pretty cool.

The room was good, but I found 3 mices in it and they don't want to change my room

I’m stayed at hotel des arts and had an incredibly terrible experience. I woke up with tons of very painful and itchy bites on my neck. I’m in unsure if it is bed bugs but i did not feel comfortable staying here any longer so I vacated immediately after my first night on Thursday. I was supposed to stay check out on Sunday but left early Friday morning letting the front desk know of my troubles who felt terrible. They let me know since I booked through expedia I would need to request the refund through them but would be able to approve it. I then chatted with not one but two expedia agents whom both also felt awful and reassured me I would be refunded and compensated for this inconvenience. I was charged in full $420 to not even stay there, leave with huge bites that that I am honestly still dealing with days later. Disappointed is an understatement, I truly hope I can be compensated fairly for this experience in the near future.

Much better than one would have expected… cleanliness is key to me and they delivered! Very clean.

I had a very disappointing stay. The hotel did not feel secure at all, the hallways and room were dirty, and the constant smell of weed made it uncomfortable. This is not the experience I expected.

The stay was great, the staff was excellent, however upon checking in we discovered a huge cockroach in our room! My wife is HIGHLY allergic to cockroachs so it definitely put a damper on our first night. Luckily the staff handled the issue in an acceptable time frame and we ended up having an ok time.

Hotel concept is cute. Good location. Loved the check in process. However, guy at front desk was rude and condescending when I was having difficulty with the code for the front door and COCKROACHES!!!

Considering the cost/night, it’s not that worthy. Room was quite small with average cleaning and the shared bathroom not always clean. We paid 423€ for three nights - definitely not worthing cost-benefit. Positive note, customer service team was very nice and always available for support.

The building is in a good location. I did not interact with any staff. There is free coffee & water in the lobby which is nice. Unfortunately my room 206 smelled rotten due to some kind of back up in the sewage. I had to keep my bathroom door closed to try to reduce the smell (window was bolted shut) additionally there was about 12 fruit flies in the room, took me about 20 minutes to eliminate those. The staircase to the second floor is very steep and narrow, but it’s understandable since it’s an older building. Probably wouldn’t return to this location personally.

On the plus side, the hotel is well located. Close to restaurants, shopping, bars, etc. Literally across the street from Chinatown, which is fun. The Sutter Stockton parking garage is a half a block away, which was very convenient. On the negative side, the carpet in my room was dirty. I expected over-the-top decor based on the photos, but my room was like a college dorm room painted with fire engine red spray paint. The sink was not in the bathroom, was tiny, and there was nowhere to put anything while getting ready. My shower pan filled with two inches of water from a 4-5 minute shower. I mentioned this at the front desk and asked that it be fixed at about 8:30am of my second day. When I returned late that afternoon, I checked back and was told it had not yet been fixed. I pressed again and it was finally fixed by 5:30. Given the good things about the location, I was hoping that this would be an affordable solution for future SF trips. I will not be returning.

Good location but found cockroaches in the room so immediately left. Hard to get in touch with customer service to get a refund

Loved the room and decor and proximity to Chinatown. Wished it had air conditioning or at the very least, a ceiling fan. The air was stagnant, hot, humid, and the windows would not stay up and we were afraid to leave them (that they would break) up due to one dropping on us.

No A/C and no fans provided, very thin walls with minimal insulation.

The whole aesthetic and idea behind the hotel is awesome, and very affordable which I think is a big deal. The art is super cool and at least in my room had humorous undertones. My only issue is the walls are super thin and not at all soundproof and the beds are poor quality.

Outside noise prevented sleep. Everything was very good except for that. Noisiest room I have ever stayed in.

The staff was nice but she was one person, a cleaning lady. My room was above the bar so I could hear every bass line from every song until 3am each night. That's when the music from the Irish Bank next door didn't overcome the music from the bar below. (The bar is amazing though). Just not so quiet. I only found 1 cockroach on my final day so I count this as a victory.

1. The bed is the cheapest model they could find, felt like you were laying on an eggcrate over plywood, with the exception of the large steel beam going right down the middle of the bed that you really felt dig into your back anytime you tried to move. 2. No AC/heat. This is not a nice new hotel building. This is an old old SF building and while nice hotels put in those amenities for their guests, this hotel feels it's fine that you sweat in your room while sitting still. 3. Ventilation. There was one window in the room. It opened onto an enclosed lightwell with a bunch of the other rooms and the cackling girls from the other rooms filled that entire space and permeated my hotel room even with the window closed. The window which had broken blinds and no screen so, you know, bugs flying in. Also, no window in the bathroom which I'm pretty sure is a violation. 4. There were holes in the walls. 5. There was an electric cord coming out of the wall going to nothing just dangling out of the wall. 6. The only plug I had to use was a multi-prong extension cord just laying on the floor under the desk. 7. The art didn't cover everything so there were just patches of drywall and unpainted walls. 8. I'm pretty sure someone died in the closet since it looks like a serial killer hiding space. 9. The furniture (nightstand and desk) felt like they had been found discarded on the street and put into the room

I liked the artist vibe and location. It looked clean overall, just a bit musty smelling. No fan. What upset me was the noise and base from the bar that’s connected . I didn’t sleep well even w ear plugs on. The last night I turned up the volume of a YouTube thunderstorm and that helped a little.

Room was clean. It was extremely loud every night outside into the early morning hours, daily. Rooms are hot even with the use of a fan.

My room decor was interesting, a bit quaint, and I enjoyed the wall painting. Everything was clean, temperature was fine, and it was pretty quiet. Check-in (via the app) after hours went smoothly. And when the elevator acted up, someone responded to my text very quickly. However, on the most important measure for a hotel room - the bed - this hotel fell far short. The mattress provided very little support and was uneven (clearly most people slept on the side that had a night stand). It wasn’t even a spring mattress, just a 6-inch or so foam mattress on a metal frame. Thankfully, I was only there one night. I won’t stay here again.

Funky, old hotel in great location. No front desk personnel - entrance and room key all digital. We knew the room would be small but no lamps or reading lights - just an obnoxiously bright ceiling light. No air-conditioning - the room was HOT. No chairs or place to sit other than on the beds. And the TV didn't work - no internet connection. Overall the 2-night stay was passible but definitely not comfortable. Also, rooms on the Rush St. side are very loud - not recommended.

I had never checked in the way they had things set up so it was a little confusing and a bit frustrating when I had trouble with the code to open the door. I am partially to blame though because i didn't read their email with instructions like I should have. Other than that, our stay was fun. We enjoyed the unique experience of this hotel. There are no staff onsite, so be prepared, everything is self-serve.

Ok for the price but no staff at all. I emailed twice with some problems and no one answered. Water fountain ran out frequently and coffee was out of order on three occasions. No response for the supplied phone number and email address is totally unacceptable. Which is a shame. We will not stay again

Comfortable...easy to get around to and from. Stairs are a little wonky. No front desk staff present but that was on for most of my stay. Had to rely on apps and codes to get into hotel and room. App for room did not work 2nd day even after uninstalling and trying to reinstall app. Besides getting in room app is how u check out. I called number posted in lobby and they were kind and tried to be helpful. Said they would check me out on the back end. Been close to 30 minutes and no confirmation of checkout yet. Besides being forced to use technology I really enjoyed my stay

Fun, clean space in a great location and close to all attractions. Staff was very available & calls/texts were answered very quickly. Definitely will stay there next time.

The stay was great, the staff was excellent, however upon checking in we discovered a huge cockroach in our room! My wife is HIGHLY allergic to cockroachs so it definitely put a damper on our first night. Luckily the staff handled the issue in an acceptable time frame and we ended up having an ok time.

Hotel concept is cute. Good location. Loved the check in process. However, guy at front desk was rude and condescending when I was having difficulty with the code for the front door and COCKROACHES!!!

First the pros: clean and quiet room, nice location, very close to Union Square. The cons: 1) There is no physical key to the room. You have to download a phone app. So, non-smartphone users, this place is not for you. 2) Extremely uncooperative staff: There are no human beings at the reception to help you. Everything is done over the phone. I had already paid $100 to reserve the room. However, when I reached the hotel after a 24 hour long flight, I was told that I will only be issued a key if I make a full amount. When I tried using the website link to pay, both my credit cards were declined. The person on the phone was adamant that I would not be allowed in unless the full amount is paid immediately. Finally, I had to call a friend overseas to make the payment. 3) It was cold in December in San Francisco. The heater in the room didn't work. The additional lock on the door didn't work. To top it all, the shower did not work. When I requested a room change, it was declined. I then requested an option to take a shower in one of the empty rooms. That too was declined. I was understandably upset. In response, I was accused of being rude and that I was "yelling", none of which was true. There was a common shower right next to my room, the existence of which was never revealed to me. 4) Tiny room The maintenance staff, however, were a blessing. They provided me with portable heaters, extra blankets and told me of the shower next door. Without them I would have been lost.

It was great, although self check-in required assistance. Floors are slanted, elevator is old and slow, staff is polite. It's quirky and somewhat inconvenient, like being on vacation in a charming town without too many amenities. Fantastic location.

There is rarely staff on site. Communications are done via text. Responses via text are quick, but it is somewhat problematic that no one is there in person. The storage closest for luggage is no larger than a phone booth, and was full when we needed it. Key expired at 11am on check out day, despite getting an extended check out until noon. The rooms don't have individual temperature control.

Good location but found cockroaches in the room so immediately left. Hard to get in touch with customer service to get a refund

Perfect location… across the street from Chinatown’s moon gate, located by several bars and restaurants. Easy walk to BART. Room was small but enough space for comfort. Bed was just ok.

This is an economical, no frills hotel conveniently located right in the heart of downtown San Francisco, but far enough away from the Cable Car lines so you don't have to listen to their clanging. Good restaurants are nearby, and so is BART/Muni. In January, the nights were cold, so the small radiator kept the room warm enough, but little of its heat made its way into the tiny bathroom

Very unique property design and style, especially the rooms. Loved the area, right beside Chinatown and a couple blocks from high-end designer stores. Never felt unsafe.

For the price and location it was perfect for us. Walking distance to everything we wanted to see

The location was perfect! The hotel was clean and the quad room that we had was a good size.

Excellent location! Across the street from the Dragon Gate. Cool little hotel, very artsy as the name implies. These are basic rooms, very comfortable but a Victorian bathtub/shower. Perfect for our purposes but we only had the room to sleep in.

It was great, although self check-in required assistance. Floors are slanted, elevator is old and slow, staff is polite. It's quirky and somewhat inconvenient, like being on vacation in a charming town without too many amenities. Fantastic location.

Good location and clean.

Just one block to China Town. Perfect location.

I really enjoyed my stay! The room was beautifully decorated and I was surrounded by many dining options which I loved.

Ok for the price but no staff at all. I emailed twice with some problems and no one answered. Water fountain ran out frequently and coffee was out of order on three occasions. No response for the supplied phone number and email address is totally unacceptable. Which is a shame. We will not stay again

NOBODY WORKS HERE!!! This hotel is run by an app, I would not recommend staying here. Please don’t support a place that doesn’t employ people. No security, no lock on the door beyond the smart lock, no chain or latch. Tv barley worked, shower was warm half the time, no ice machine, no breakfast or anything, there’s a kurig in the “common area” that you are asked to keep clean like it’s a dorm.

This is a great spot and super fun stay! I enjoyed everything but the bed, but it was a cool place to lay my head down. Wish there was a ceiling fan or some way to move air, the windows did not open. And one of the blinds did not open and were always partially open. The bar below closes at 2am, bring ear plugs or skip this amazing art hotel if you are too sensitive. I can't wait to come back and stay in another cool room.

The in room refrigerator was set to the coldest setting which caused a nice bottle of wine and some food to freeze. Very loud banging (maybe construction) at 6 am for at least 2 hours. No personnel to check you in or out and no room service either.

I liked the artist vibe and location. It looked clean overall, just a bit musty smelling. No fan. What upset me was the noise and base from the bar that’s connected . I didn’t sleep well even w ear plugs on. The last night I turned up the volume of a YouTube thunderstorm and that helped a little.

Its a nice, clean place, very well located. Customer service communication / web announcements veracity must improve though... Room Didnt have fridge, and web page said it did and re confirmed vía email by their customer support when i asked them in advance a lot of days before arrival. So it would be nice to check before customer arrival everything is as its shown on the web page and working well. However the other issues that needed to be solved, eventually were solved.. Customer service was nice and understanding. But in general, a nice place, nice art, location price/quality is good too, since SF prices are really high. We would come Back, and still recommend :)

This hotel is in a wonderful and central location, close and accessible to everything. The staff are very nice and the rooms/beds are very comfy and clean. Just a note... the rooms aren't large and there isn't a huge amount of space to hang stuff. This is a great place for longer stays as well as short, I was there 9 days, but could have been happy for a longer stay, with a mini fridge in the room and coffee, tea, toaster and microwave down in the lobby dining area. If you are looking for a good-priced place to stay downtown, I highly recommend Hotel des Arts.

I liked being able to come and go without front desk staff, though it felt like no one was there to field concerns. Fold out Bed/Couch in our suite was sub par for either and made for an unusable salon. T.V. in our bedroom was not functioning. Bed is excessively stiff and bedding smelled of bleach. Had hopes for continental breakfast, alas none was to be had. Overall acceptable value for price though there is a missed opportunity for connecting visitors with contemporary SF art and culture.

Stayed for GDC at the Moscone Center, it was quiet and nice. It's also connected to a lounge/record store which was pretty cool.

I really enjoyed my stay! The room was beautifully decorated and I was surrounded by many dining options which I loved.