Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square By IHG
A basic downtown base near Union Square offering comfortable beds and free breakfast, though rooms are compact.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square provides a simple, clean base within walking distance of central transit and shopping. Guests appreciate the efficient staff, comfortable beds, and included daily breakfast. However, rooms are noticeably squished together with low shower heads, and hallway or street noise can be an issue. 1711
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- Guests consistently praise the convenient downtown setting close to Union Square, Chinatown, and Powell Station. 17
- Reviewers regularly highlight the polite, helpful staff and smooth check-in. drawn from the full read
- The complimentary breakfast is widely appreciated as a solid, convenient perk. 17
- Bathrooms come stocked with Dove shampoo, body wash, and hand soap. 11
The catch
- Some guests report a quiet experience, while others warn that thin walls let hallway traffic and downtown street noise bleed into the room. 17
- Reviewers on upper floors enjoy decent outlooks, whereas other rooms face closed-in courtyards with limited views. drawn from the full read
Who it's for
- — Budget-conscious travelers wanting free breakfast
- — Sightseers wanting easy access to Powell Station and Union Square
- — Short downtown stays
Skip it if
- — Light sleepers sensitive to street noise and thin walls
- — Tall travelers frustrated by low shower heads and cramped rooms
- — Drivers looking to avoid $75 valet parking fees
Seen on camera
12 moments · 2 videos · Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square By IHG
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“food on first floor was very convenient whether it be to dine in or grab a sandwich to go”
youtube.com1:33“And we'll get our cab view. These are very tall cabs actually and they're really nice. It's sort of got Holiday in color…”
youtube.com3:10“Oh, and I also forgot this red switch right here controls this light above the headboard which gives the room a nice glo…”
youtube.com8:29“And it's the shower. This shower head is actually very low, so it's hard for a tall person to shower, but it's even you…”
youtube.com10:13“it has a pretty good location it's pretty close to pulk Street parklet 350 M Mary Ellen Pleasant M Memorial Park 500 M S…”
youtube.com0:37“The sink actually gets pretty good water pressure.”
youtube.com10:02“when we first arrived we asked for a microwave and it was delivered and set in our room fairly quickly”
youtube.com1:11“sta was very friendly and were willing to help with any questions”
youtube.com1:29“As we make our way in here, we have a nice little breakfast area. with 24-hour coffee and the breakfast.”
youtube.com0:46“Anyway, so you have a nice big studio suite in here. Right here you have a lamp.”
youtube.com7:37“the housekeeping staff were so friendly and helpful”
youtube.com1:09“if you want a more local Vibe of the city this is a great location I found great local stores in the area shout out to J…”
youtube.com1:49Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
Score breakdown
How the 78/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
92Food
89Location
97Noise
85- “Hotel Milano near Market St. is also good and is a stone's throw from BART, the cable car and the street car. It's also right next to the Metreon, the U.S Mint, the Nordstrom shopping center, Moscone, and pretty much everything else.” 15
- “Hotel Milano near Market St. is also good and is a stone's throw from BART, the cable car and the street car. It's also right next to the Metreon, the U.S Mint, the Nordstrom shopping center, Moscone, and pretty much everything else. It's also very reasonably priced.” 15
Room
81Service
85Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-10
Where it sits
Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square By IHG and the 33 other hotels we cover in San Francisco. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
Falls short of what $$ usually buys
Scores 8 points below the mid-range median of 86, across 655 hotels in the same bracket. In San Francisco it sits 4 points below the local median of 82.
- This hotel
- 78
- Bracket median
- 86
- Index median
- 86
Based on 655 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
No reviewer has yet described a room, floor or aspect specifically enough to act on at this property. Room intelligence appears here the moment they do.
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 65 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “Haven't stayed here in years, but it's very convenient, has covered parking and the rates still seem reasonable. https://columbusmotorinn.com/” 12
- “I stayed in Hotel Zetta and had really good rates and felt like it was a pretty nice spot” 12
- “If you want to park nearby you have to use valet, which is $75 or the nearby (6 blocks away) parking garage which is $46 a day. Also, the rooms are squished together! As soon as you walk in the bed is there and the bathroom is an afterthought! So small! Not worth the price!” 17
- “Third, in the Fairmount is the famous Tonga Room - a kitschy faux tiki bar that is where the indoor swimming pool used to be. Its drinks are overpriced, but it's really a fun spot for a mai tai, or other tropical drink.” 15
- “Room is very tight/ small and it was a problem to find good price parking because the hotel does not offer parking” 17
- “Close and walking distance to everything such as restaurants, shops, public transportation, trams and department stores.” 17
- “Arriving to the hotel by car was like pulling into a gangster movie set in downtown LA. Groups of what looked like gang members dressed predominantly in black on all street corners.” 15
- “Rooms are okay, and the location is good being near North Beach and Chinatown.” 15
- “Nice, clean and simple hotel - close to lots of amenities.” 17
- “it has a pretty good location it's pretty close to pulk Street parklet 350 M Mary Ellen Pleasant M Memorial Park 500 M Sergeant John M aalii Park 600 M and also close to attractions like Washington hide Park 600 M Lafayette Park 650 M Helen Willis Park 700 M” On camera80:37
- “Holiday Inn San Francisco - Golden Gateway 1500 Van Ness I just saw this hotel the other day and thought it is a perfect location for tourists.” 12
- “First, the location perched on Nob Hill is splendid. Nothing is terribly far, the views are amazing, and shopping, restaurants, and attractions are an easy walk (or short cab ride) away.” 15
- “Nice place on a budget. Great location. Would stay there again.” 17
- “if you want a more local Vibe of the city this is a great location I found great local stores in the area shout out to Juniper Bakery golden Farmer Market and Bob's Donuts all all found on pulk Street” On camera81:49
- “I've stayed in multiple Holiday Inn Express hotels. I've never had a complaint. The free breakfast is actually quite good.” 11
- “food on first floor was very convenient whether it be to dine in or grab a sandwich to go” On camera81:33
- “Breakfast does not have variety of options especially for vegetarians” 17
- “There's one in Memphis we love so much that we keep going back. The breakfast lady is amazing and has offered us her family & friends discount.” 11
- “Complimentary breakfast was a nice added bonus. I truly enjoyed my stay at this place.” 17
- “Breakfast in the morning was good, was it amazing? No, pretty standard, but the coffee was excellent, and they had Chiobani yogurt which I love.” 11
- “it keeps the glare off the tv. also, those cinnamon rolls at breakfast. ugh so good!” 11
- “"Room service YUM! The brussel sprouts and artichoke dish! We indulged in several menu items and they were all delicious!” 15
- “the Campton Place restaurant in Union Square used to be one of the best in the city, but it's slipped considerably in recent years, although the lobby bar there is still pretty urbane.” 15
- “Breakfast is decent enough for an included hotel breakfast. I also appreciate that most have microwaves and fridges in the rooms.” 11
- “"- Room service food was awful. We had the pastrami sandwich which was cold when it got to our room, not to mention the portion was sub-par. The brownie was nothing special... we didn't even eat it all. How can girls say no to chocolate? "” 15
- “As we make our way in here, we have a nice little breakfast area. with 24-hour coffee and the breakfast.” On camera140:46
- “In my experience the St. Regis is considerably nicer than the Four Seasons in San Francisco and is also nicer than all of the hotels in Nob Hill and Union Square. It has newer, cleaner, quieter rooms and a better lobby bar and restaurant.” 15
- “Breakfast is decent enough for an included hotel breakfast.” 11
- “Hotels are basic, but overall clean and comfortable. Breakfast is decent enough for an included hotel breakfast.” 11
- “Excellent location, good breakfast, friendly staff, room very small, but bathroom good size” 17
- “Our stay was brief. However, I left my phone charger, called about the charger and was told to call back. It was found, but NO CALL BACK when I asked to have it mailed to me. The housekeeper was new, she told me, and said she'd have to ask her manager. They never called back. Very frustrating!!” 17
- “The staff was super friendly.” 17
- “Friendly staff and great breakfast” 17
- “Breakfast was basic but good, staff was super helpful.” 17
- “i am a huge fan of HIX. especially the new ones with the headboard backlighting, that's so nice. it keeps the glare off the tv.” 11
- “Small hotel, well maintained, daily cleaning, near to union square and powel station, zero noice, family friendly” 17
- “The staff was always nice and helpful at all times even when i came back super late at night.” 17
- “Staff was polite, efficient and non-intrusive. Complimentary breakfast was a nice added bonus.” 17
- “The staff and service are what you expect from a five-star hotel.” 15
- “I actually left my home early and was arriving at 12:30 based on my GPS, in the meantime the hotel called and told me my room was ready for my arrival and this was at 11:30AM. It was really nice, and they were nice.” 11
- “Property was clean and well-located. Staff was polite, efficient and non-intrusive.” 17
- “sta was very friendly and were willing to help with any questions” On camera81:29
- “Rooms are luxurious. The staff and service are what you expect from a five-star hotel.” 15
- “the housekeeping staff were so friendly and helpful” On camera81:09
- “I arrived check in was great. I had joined their points program, but booked my stay via Booking.com and was asked for my membership number and they attached the stay to the account so I got points.” 11
- “Shower water pressure too slow. Need better signage for dining location from elevator” 17
- “And it's the shower. This shower head is actually very low, so it's hard for a tall person to shower, but it's even you can even adjust it to go shorter.” On camera1410:13
- “The sink actually gets pretty good water pressure.” On camera1410:02
- “Engine customer Jun 2026 Nice, clean and simple hotel - close to lots of amenities. Its right in a busy part of downtown so does have some street noise at night.” 17
- “Full warning the walls are thin so noise bleeds thru from the hallways and outside and the breakfast is a continental breakfast but none of that bothered me but some others may feel differently.” 17
- “Hotel Milano near Market St. is also good and is a stone's throw from BART, the cable car and the street car. It's also right next to the Metreon, the U.S Mint, the Nordstrom shopping center, Moscone, and pretty much everything else. It's also very reasonably priced.” 15
- “Hotel Milano near Market St. is also good and is a stone's throw from BART, the cable car and the street car. It's also right next to the Metreon, the U.S Mint, the Nordstrom shopping center, Moscone, and pretty much everything else.” 15
- “Full warning the walls are thin so noise bleeds thru from the hallways and outside and the” 17
- “Oh, and I also forgot this red switch right here controls this light above the headboard which gives the room a nice glow.” On camera148:29
- “For the older guests, the room views can't be beaten: the Bay is just outside the window and stretches as far as the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.” 15
- “The AC went out on the first day and the hotel was not able to fix it. I had to wait until the next day to change the room.” 17
- “The lobby was clean, the room was clean with Dove shampoo, body wash, hand soap and body lotion.” 11
- “Room was comfortable, specious, clean and well-organized.” 17
- “The lobby was clean, the room was clean with Dove shampoo, body wash, hand soap and body lotion. That was a great surprise since Hilton often doesn't have hand soap.” 11
- “when we first arrived we asked for a microwave and it was delivered and set in our room fairly quickly” On camera81:11
- “The rooms are approached with minimalist yet comfortable decor, and the on-site bar, Benjamin Cooper, is a favorite with locals for its delicately handcrafted cocktails and fresh oysters.” 15
- “The first time I stayed in SF, I stayed at the Hayes Valley Inn: http://www.hayesvalleyinn.com/. It is reasonably priced ($83 for a queen bed), with nice, clean rooms.” 15
- “Anyway, so you have a nice big studio suite in here. Right here you have a lamp.” On camera147:37
- “then, I went back to my room and sat in a really awesome chaise lounge chair that was so comfortable, I kind of tucked into the corner and read for a while.” 11
- “The bed was fluffy and comfortable.” 11
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- No reviewer has named an individual room number here yet.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about view.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 2 sources — too thin to rely on.
Ask about Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square By IHG
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Solid coverage · 55/100We read 18 sources for this property, and pulled 111 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-11.
Watch this hotel
We keep reading Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square By IHG. Tell us when you're staying and we'll follow it until then — you'll hear from us only when the verdict is rewritten, the score moves, or new reviews land. No daily mail, and the watch closes itself after your stay.
Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
4 of 6 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 18 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 16The Inn at Union Square - Safe area/good hotel?reddit.comForum thread2025-07-29RecentRead originalreddit.com
- 12Best place to stay : r/SanFranciscoSecretsreddit.comForum thread2025-07-01Recent8 quotes used
“Haven't stayed here in years, but it's very convenient, has covered parking and the rates still seem reasonable. https://columbusmotorinn.com/”
Read originalreddit.com - 11Holiday Inn Express : r/hotelsreddit.comForum thread2024-01-21Ageing17 quotes used
“I've stayed in multiple Holiday Inn Express hotels. I've never had a complaint. The free breakfast is actually quite good.”
Read originalreddit.com - 2L'hôtel Holiday Inn Express Union Square de San Franciscobons-plans-voyage-ouest-americain.comReview site2018-04-17Ageing7 quotes usedRead originalbons-plans-voyage-ouest-americain.com
- 1Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Union Square, an IHG ...holiday-inn-express-san-francisco-union-square-an.wheree.comReview siteDate not statedRead originalholiday-inn-express-san-francisco-union-square-an.wheree.com
- 3
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