Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco

Rooms and decor

Picture a grand hotel that has held its corner of Market Street since 1875 — through the city's boom years, through the great earthquake and fire of 1906, then rebuilt and reopened in grand style in 1909. That's the Palace Hotel, one of the oldest and most storied addresses in the city, now part of Marriott's Luxury Collection. The building is classic, grand architecture standing proud at the corner of Market and New Montgomery. Rooms come in a range of layouts, most done in traditional, plush tones with high ceilings, heavy drapes and wood furniture that carries a period feel newer hotels can't manage. Many are spacious enough to actually move around in, and reviewers praise the soft beds and the quiet once you draw the curtains. If you love the idea of sleeping in a hotel with more than a century of stories and waking up in a high-ceilinged room that feels genuinely grand, you'll likely fall for this place from the moment you step into the lobby.

Food and amenities

If this hotel has a beating heart, it's The Garden Court, the legendary dining room everyone talks about — a soaring space topped by a vast stained-glass dome assembled from tens of thousands of pieces, with daylight pouring through to throw color across the room. Marble columns and big crystal chandeliers line the space. Plenty of guests say an afternoon tea or Sunday brunch under that dome alone is worth the trip. Another spot with a story is the Pied Piper Bar, a classic bar anchored by the legendary Maxfield Parrish painting "The Pied Piper" — a moody, characterful place for an evening cocktail. For downtime, the standout is the large indoor pool beneath a glass skylight that lets natural light fall over the water, a classic look that's hard to find in a downtown hotel. Alongside it sit a fitness center and spa, plus a concierge that helps you piece the city together.

Location and getting there

Location is another card the Palace can't be argued with. The hotel sits on the corner of Market Street and New Montgomery, right where the Financial District meets SoMa, at the center of the action. The handiest part is Montgomery station, with both BART and Muni Metro, just a 2 to 3 minute walk from the door, so you can hop a train almost anywhere in the city. Better still, BART runs straight from here to SFO airport with no taxi needed, or across the bay to Berkeley and Oakland in a few stops. A few blocks on foot brings you to Union Square, the downtown shopping and theater district, while on the SoMa side it's an easy walk to Yerba Buena Gardens and the SFMOMA art museum. If you want a base that's about as train-friendly as it gets and steps from both shopping and museums, this location is a perfect ten.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The thing reviews flag most is the rooms: charming and classic, yes, but some feel older than modern, with decor and upkeep in spots of the historic building that may look less polished than the price suggests. If you want bold, modern design, ask about a room on a recently renovated floor when you book. Second, this is a large hotel of around 550 rooms and a popular venue for the city's conferences, weddings and events. When something's on or it's busy, the lobby and common areas can feel crowded, and service in those moments isn't as personal as at a small boutique. Third, watch for extra charges worth confirming up front — both a destination/amenity fee and fairly steep valet parking, standard for a luxury downtown hotel. Finally, while the location is very convenient, the Market Street side toward SoMa can be crowded in places, with some homeless presence typical of a big-city center. Asking for a room facing away from Market Street will make for a quieter, more restful stay.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real guest reviews, the Palace Hotel sells "the charm of a historic landmark plus the Garden Court, a glass-domed room on a landmark level, plus a central location that's about as train-friendly as it gets" in a way that's genuinely hard to match. If the trip in your head is staying in a grand hotel more than a century old that opened in 1875, heading down for afternoon tea under a stained-glass dome that glows with color, swimming in a pool under a classic skylight, then walking a few minutes to catch BART across the city and to the airport, this is a choice that sticks with you. But if you're expecting bold, modern rooms, boutique-level personal service or a quiet neighborhood, you'll want to budget some patience for the old-building rooms, the busy area and the extra fees. Overall we give it 8.8/10, best for couples, luxury travelers and business travelers who love a historic hotel and a central location more than modern flash in the rooms.