Embassy Hotel

United States , San Francisco Area - CA
SAN FRANCISCO, 610 Polk St
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100 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

09 Mar 2026

Stephanie

I’m hoping someone reads this review because I wish I had read reviews before booking. First, this hotel is not affiliated with Embassy Suites. That’s what I assumed when I booked, but it’s actually a completely separate hotel called The Embassy.
It’s located in the Tenderloin District, one of the rougher areas of San Francisco. The location was not clearly advertised when booking, and if you’re a solo female traveler, I would strongly recommend avoiding this area. They even lock the front entrance door, so at times you have to ring a bell to be let in. That alone should tell you how rough the neighborhood can be.
To be fair, the towels and linens were clean and the staff was friendly, but the hotel itself is very dated and worn. The building has an old charm, but the moment we walked into our room it smelled like cigarette smoke, even though it’s supposed to be smoke-free. We had to notify management.There is no air conditioning, only an old furnace system that may or may not work. Luckily San Francisco weather is cool, so opening the window helped, but the street noise is loud, which may bother some guests.
Also, the photos on Expedia are heavily filtered and misleading compared to the actual condition of the hotel.Amenities are minimal, only a small fridge, no real extras, and the TV isn’t Bluetooth enabled.
If you just need a cheap place to sleep, it may be fine. But if you prefer cleaner, more modern accommodations or are traveling alone, I’d recommend staying elsewhere.

Family

2/10

Poor

09 Mar 2026

Sarah Tess

This hotel was absolutely filthy and not up to code in my view. The elevator did not work, there were pipes showing everywhere. The room was unclean. Sheets, bedding, and carpet were so old they were tattered.

8/10

Excellent

09 Mar 2026

Jasmine

Hotel is very fancy and clean but no air conditioning which sucked. Radiator was making noise all night which made it hard to sleep. Staff is very friendly.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2026

Maricela

Location, perfect.
Need more power outlets to connect devices. And a door mirror.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

07 Mar 2026

Margarita

Clean room

Self

2/10

Poor

06 Mar 2026

Alyssa

Was not what we were expecting had people yelling in the middle of the night arguing slamming doors

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2026

christian

Ein tolles Hotelim Zentrum der Stadt

2/10

Poor

05 Mar 2026

Sathya

Disgusting

2/10

Poor

04 Mar 2026

Katrin

No water, no coffee, no coffee maker in the room or in the hotel! Very old bathroom! Holes in bed sheets, holes in the bathroom curtain, rust on the bathtub hole, ugly aisles, very vey old and damaged plugs . I don’t recommend it at all!

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

03 Mar 2026

Kimberly

The place was pleasant and clean, but the room was incredibly hot. Bring a fan! Also no fridge and no coffee provided in the room. Overall, for the area it is in, it felt safe and clean. Parking was nice to have, although pricey.

Partner

2/10

Poor

02 Mar 2026

Jesus Vasquez Jr

The hotel is so old. No air conditioning. The room smells. Bathroom tiles re-painted, so ugly. Just want to check out after we checked-in.

Partner

2/10

Poor

02 Mar 2026

Jamie

Checking in and it smelled bad of cigarette smoke, the outside is not safe. I had to walk by people doing meth and a bunch of homeless just to get into the hotel We ended up not staying and cancelling our reservations

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

01 Mar 2026

Karennina S

Our experience at this hotel was unacceptable from the moment we arrived. The description on Expedia was completely inaccurate compared to what we encountered in reality.
First, the location felt extremely unsafe. The surrounding area did not feel secure at all, especially arriving with luggage.
The building itself was in poor condition. They charged us the $100 dollar deposit . The elevator felt unsafe and unstable, and the flooring was uneven. In the hallway carpet, there was a large dark stain (approximately 30 cm in diameter) with a strong odor. We could not tell if it was blood or something else, but it was deeply concerning.
When we entered the room, the situation got worse. The beds and sheets were visibly stained. Again, we could not determine what the stains were, but they were large and clearly noticeable. The room had a strong unpleasant odor and there was no air conditioning. The key cards did not work properly
After 30 minutes, we decided we could not stay there. We felt uncomfortable and unsafe. We had to urgently book another hotel at the last minute ($559 per night).
To make matters worse, when we were leaving, the staff member locked the building behind us, not allowing us to go back inside to wait for our Uber despite the unsafe surroundings.
This property does not match its online description, and we would strongly caution future travelers. We expect Expedia to review the accuracy of this listing and return our money as soon as possible.

2/10

Poor

28 Feb 2026

Kayana

The room was disgusting. No full sized towels. Furnace was from 1940 and was extremely loud every 20-30 minutes. Smelled like sewer. Bed was not comfortable. Whole building was weird vibes.

2/10

Poor

27 Feb 2026

Zachary Logan

We left after one day it was absolutely awful. way too hot with no room control as well as it was extremely dirty and unsanitary and the radiator was broken

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2026

Steven

Great place to stay in the Ternderloin! Staff was very friendly, room was clean and suitable, area's not the nicest but the location couldn't be beat given where I was going. The price was right too. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.

8/10

Excellent

24 Feb 2026

Ramon

Decent hotel looks better in pictures. You can hear everything through the walls

6/10

Pleasant

24 Feb 2026

Thomas

Seems like the room needs care

Partner

2/10

Poor

24 Feb 2026

Lynnet

Horrid stay left hotel same night

Self

4/10

Poor

23 Feb 2026

Luanna

The room was dirty and I found somebody else's underwear under the bed.

Self

2/10

Poor

23 Feb 2026

Ofelia

The room and restroom were not up the standard.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2026

Nathan Christopher Malwah

Everything was great

4/10

Poor

22 Feb 2026

Carl

Minimal staff support, unkept rooms and old broken amenities. Cheap price and quality overall.

Business_and_leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

22 Feb 2026

Ozgur

The entire hotel smelled stale and dusty. The room they first put us in had a ladder and tools strewn about. Told the front desk who had no idea this room was not available. They changed our rooms to the next room so now we could hear the construction from the first room. The dust made it impossible to stay. We ended up filing a claim and finding another hotel.

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2026

Philip

It was a lot closer to a sketchy neighborhood than I remember that location being. LOL not the hotel's fault but still it would be good to know. Turc, Eddy, Ellis between Polk and Taylor was sketchy af and if I were a single woman I'd have felt very unsafe. But at the same time, City Hall and Market St are super close and that is a very safe neighborhood.

The hotel was fine, clean sheets, and clean rooms but its glory days were certainly behind it - everything was a touch dingy. The radiator gurgled all night very loudly, for example. The price was great and staff was very pleasant.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

Bill

The staff were all courteous and helpful. I loved hearing that until last year a single family had owned the hotel since 1929.

Self

2/10

Poor

21 Feb 2026

Sanjiv

Yes

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

Daniel

great !

2/10

Poor

20 Feb 2026

Olga

Looks absolutely nothing like the pictures. This place is filthy, it looks like there’s no housekeeping. There was mold all over the walls. I left, could not stay there after seeing how disgusting this place was. Do not stay here, it’s a health hazard!! Not sure how it’s still open

10/10

Exceptional

19 Feb 2026

Eileen

This was a pretty cool hotel, very convenient to where I had to go for my trip and was not a high traffic area so it was enjoyable very close to the scooters that I rented over the weekend. A good distance from the pier and Golden Gate Bridge, but very good place to stay if staying in the city.

Friends_and_family Friends

2/10

Poor

19 Feb 2026

Patrick

The room looked neglected the furniture was from the 1950's and looked falling apart. The hallways had a musty smell its was terrible.

Business

6/10

Pleasant

16 Feb 2026

Debra

Rooms where ok considering it's a old hotel, only complaint there was no mini fridge to store our drinks and snacks, hotel could definitely use an upgrade but it did its job .... thanks

6/10

Pleasant

14 Feb 2026

Louis

Better than last ti.me.

6/10

Pleasant

13 Feb 2026

david

Okay condition.

4/10

Poor

11 Feb 2026

sumit

Not very happy

2/10

Poor

10 Feb 2026

Kathy

Lobby was nice. Front desk staff was nice. Got to our room and it was disgusting. Very dirty. No A/C. Top blankets on bed looked like they had never been washed. Elevator was sketchy too. Did not feel safe in the room. Went back down to lobby and canceled our week stay. We got all but one night refunded but we checked out and didn't stay there.

Business

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2026

Leslie

Nice staff.

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2026

Carlos

Room was good! And Bill was a great host

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

Daniel

Had a great stay here. The room was clean, comfortable, and well taken care of, and the staff was friendly and helpful throughout our visit. The location was convenient and made getting around really easy. Everything felt smooth and stress-free, which is exactly what you want when staying at a hotel. Would definitely stay here again and recommend it to others.

2/10

Poor

08 Feb 2026

Josue

Hotel keys weren’t working had to get 4 different pairs from front desk. Shower head worked horribly and only had a small curtain to block water. Requested for a fridge and they gave us one that was dirty af legit had residue all over the bottom. Walls are also super thin so you can hear everything…and I mean everything. Only good experience I had was with house keeping that were always happy to help us open our room because our room keys never worked.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

06 Feb 2026

Claudia

No clean, the bathroom was dirty smelly and liquid water from the roof outside the bathroom’s door, and enter door too they are next to each other, the enter door was so hard to open.

Business_and_leisure

4/10

Poor

06 Feb 2026

Joan

No house keeping, when did ask, we just got bedding left in the room,, our room did not see any kind of house keeping of any description,, the area was inondate with down and outs the smell of drugs was overwhelming at times, personally we will never return to this hotel or the area in general.

Partner

2/10

Poor

06 Feb 2026

Tatiana

I left after being there for 1 hour. There was bloodstains all over the carpet and screaming and yelling. The sketchiest and dirtiest hotel I have ever been to. did not offer any refunds for the biohazards in my room, and to top it off my deadbolt on my door didn’t work. As a women staying alone this is unacceptable and unsafe.

Business Self

2/10

Poor

05 Feb 2026

Jessica Molina

The hotel was not what we expected, terrible beds, it smelled, very noisy… we just stayed one night and we left

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

31 Jan 2026

Catniss

United was horrible. Wheelchair assistance was terrible.

Leisure Self

4/10

Poor

29 Jan 2026

Rikel

The room was not ideal. And was too close to the road. So too noisy. And couldn’t sleep.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2026

Rebecca

the staff was very friendly and helpful, the facility was clean and safe, the hotel was in a fantastic location to get to all the tourist sites. The front desk people were always available and willing to answer questions or help in any way they could.

Leisure Self

2/10

Poor

27 Jan 2026

Bianca

This was an appalling experience to say the least. To begin, this is in a terrible area riddled with crime and drug use across the streets. Secondly, the elevator is archaic, slow, and tiny. The worst part, though, was the room. It was filthy, with stains on the drapes and shower floor. And the bed sheets made us itchy all night---so much so that we had to use our own towels and clothes as blankets to minimize the itch. I called the front desk multiple times at 11 PM, and nobody answered.
Spare yourselves the trouble and listen to the reviews. I made a mistake and trusted their endless replies about improving the place and taking customer feedback seriously. It is not worth your health, sanity, or money.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

27 Jan 2026

Dylan

Hotel hasn’t been remodeled, no daily housekeeping, one elevator

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Jan 2026

Everything was clean, functional; staff was polite and helpful. Excellent location for downtown.

Good value for one or two evenings. The hotel itself could be a little old if you're aiming for fancy.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jan 2026

Ernesto

It was fast

Leisure Friends

4/10

Poor

25 Jan 2026

Victoria

Amenities and parking. I had to get my room keys renewed 4 times because they were not working. Parking is extra and parking staff was rude.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2026

The room is clean. The Front desk and manager services are considerate. Parking is convenient and the service is excellent.

8/10

Excellent

24 Jan 2026

Jose

The desk staff were helpful when my key card stopped working. Overall, the room was perfect for what I needed for the weekend.

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

23 Jan 2026

Seth

The room was clean, the staff was friendly and professional.
My only big issue is that there is no A/C or fan in the room (fan would be fine for SF) - and the old heater/furnace is REALLY noisy (you can't really turn it off) - it woke me up a lot at night.
Other than that everything was fine and I will most likely stay here again.

Business Self

2/10

Poor

23 Jan 2026

Zachary

I really don’t have high expectations for hotel rooms. I just need a place to lay my head down and sleep. Unfortunately, this was not the place for that. These rooms use an old time radiator for their heating system and it bangs all night. Whether it’s on or off, it is making an absurd amount of noise. Barely got any sleep on a night when I could have used it.

In addition, there are other inconveniences, including a toilet that does not flush entirely, a hotel phone at his nonfunctional, and only one outlet in the entire room. Overall you can tell there is no attentive care given to the room. I just hope they care enough to clean it well but doubt that is the case based on my experience.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jan 2026

Luis

Nice

2/10

Poor

21 Jan 2026

David

The heating doesn’t work.
Tv doesn’t work.
The humidity smells it’s crazy

Business Family

6/10

Pleasant

21 Jan 2026

Shaemon

It was as good as can be

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2026

George

Great helpful staff. Rooms clean.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Jan 2026

Amberli

The room was alright. It needed air freshner. No one came to refresh my room in 5 daysp

6/10

Pleasant

17 Jan 2026

Paige

The room was fine for the price and the age of the building. It's not in the nicest location, but we just avoided walking through Tenderloin and we were able to avoid a lot of the homeless in the area. The towels are very thin, the toiletries are cheap and the bathroom was a bit mouldy. Staff weren't overly friendly - I went to request an extra towel (we booked for 3 people but were only given 2 towels), an extra blanket and to see if they had a bath plug available. The receptionist was rude and made me feel like I was requesting too much. However, we were provided with the extra towel and blanket. I will pay extra money to stay somewhere else next time I visit the city.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

16 Jan 2026

Michael

Shower was dilapidated and only a trickle of hot water.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

Ahmad

Clean room

2/10

Poor

15 Jan 2026

Johnny

First room was mold and heater didn't work. Second room also had mold. Front desk looked at me like i was crazy and tried to argue with me. We left as soon as we could find another available hotel away from the bad area where we couldn't see drug addicts out our window.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

15 Jan 2026

Lara

The hotel is cheap and old, the fixtures and fittings have all seen better days. The staff seemed to be helpful, but on the first morning I complained that the hot water in the shower was too hot - the cold wasn't working. Plus the TV wasn't working, I was told it would be fixed, I left today still not working.
I didn't really trust that the room was that clean, as it was hard to tell with the marks left from previous visitors.
Plus the room smelt, it was supposedly non-smoking, but there was a definite odor - I had the window open the whole 5 five days and it seemed to get better, but I just think it was old and the smell was in the carpets/curtains etc.
I probably wouldn't stay again.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jan 2026

John

Hotel is dated older building as you would expect - great value, very clean, friendly staff - also a great location yet as u will find San Fran is still dealing with a serious homeless issue. It’s unnerving but manageable walking even at night. The homeless largely leave you alone, yet it is sad to see. And good to be aware.

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2026

Gregory

The location was unbeatable for the price, but there are no amenities, not even coffee, and the heat was broken so the room was uncomfortablely hot.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

12 Jan 2026

Nakisa

This was the worst hotel. There's mold all over the ceilings, bathroom tiles are falling off, and the blankets definitely haven't been washed. We could not stay at the hotel and left early.

Friends_and_family Friends

4/10

Poor

10 Jan 2026

Nicole

Room is more outdated- smell is musty and we had to open the windows to air out the room, bathroom is dirty, shower didn’t have cold water only hot water. TV and TV remote was not working right, only powered on and off. Room keys kept repeatedly not working and kept asking staff at the front desk to reactivate it to unlock the door to the room. Staff was nice and friendly however and helped promptly.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2026

Jacob

There seems to be an issue with the plumbing. When I was using the tub, I turned on the hot water first, then when I turn on the cold, the water started coming out brown. Just note to check plumbing at some point. Might have been my room, but best to look into it.

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jan 2026

Ryan

Location was convenient for our stay and rate seemed fair for the old condition of the hotel. The walls were very thin, there was no active ventilation in the restroom so it got a bit stuffy, and the shower water pressure was very high.

Business Partner

2/10

Poor

06 Jan 2026

Jessie Jr

If you ever find this hotel, RUN!!!! This is the worst hotel Ive seen in my entire travel life. Be mindful with the positive reviews you read online, they are unreal. Please do yourself a favor not to stay in this hotel

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

05 Jan 2026

Violet

Lots of cool spots near by. We had a fun trip!

Partner

2/10

Poor

04 Jan 2026

Brian

HORRIBLE!!!!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2026

Daniel Mark

The Staff was courteous and the room was very clean. I enjoyed just about everything there, and want to send my best wishes to everyone working at Embassy Hotel

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2026

Madeleine

The evening staff is really wonderful. His name is Bill and he’s just a really genuine nice guy. The day staff seems nice too. I just didn’t interact with them quite as much – I stayed there when I didn’t have power for four days. I would say the only downside is if you have a car it’s probably not a great place to park your car at night but if you don’t have a car, it’s pretty perfect in terms of location and it’s really cute; the rooms look like they spent a lot on maintaining the character of the building rather than just demolishing it all and starting from scratch. The bathrooms are so cool— they’re not anything fancy in terms of like special lighting or showerhead or anything, but what’s cool is that they kept the original tiling and it is beyond charming. One thing to take note of though is that they do not have microwaves or refrigerators, but I was able to stay there for $75 a night and that is a SF bargain if I’ve ever heard one!

2/10

Poor

03 Jan 2026

Edith

The room smelled horrible of cigarettes, no bathroom service or cleaning of room. The pictures did not correspond to what it really looked like. The restroom is also hella nasty. Do not come here.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

02 Jan 2026

Mathew

Staff can be more friendly and helpful
Pillows are really old and need extra pillows to sleep

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jan 2026

Kaila

Hotel is falling apart, and not an electronic device friendly. But what you would expect for a really old hotel

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Jan 2026

John

It's old but I love it here. Nice big rooms, the windows actually open and it feels good to be there. The neighborhood is sketchy but it's where all the hotels in San Francisco are...so I'd rather pay less and be able to park my car for the time I'm there.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2026

Irene

It was a clean and cute hotel with friendly and very helpful Staff. My room was warm (the radiator heater worked really well). Parking was safe with gate and have the attendant. Surrounds area (1 block away) a lot of homeless, but the hotel itself is clean.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2026

Yesenia

The room was spacios and the bed was comfortable. The TV however was not working properly. The bathroom shower was not thoroughly cleaned but we had a good stay. The staff up front greeted us right away and check-in was quick.

Family

2/10

Poor

31 Dec 2025

Rithea

No good

4/10

Poor

31 Dec 2025

Mario

Bathroom and specifically shower very outdated and absolutely disgusting. Unclear where to park at especially at night. People arguing in lobby followed by police there shortly after to settle dispute. Very run down!

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

Mia

Cool spot for a quick trip id just say they need a full body mirrors in the rooms

Partner

4/10

Poor

30 Dec 2025

Luis

This place is a complete disaster. It’s outdated and doesn’t offer room service. Parking is $30 per night, which is reasonable and secure. However, the rooms are smelly and lack air conditioning or heating. The bathrooms are downright disgusting. Despite these issues, the location is great, so if you’re only looking for a place to sleep, it might be worth it.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

30 Dec 2025

Julia

the room was full of stains aswell as the temp in the shower would constantly change to scorching hot and the room smelled terrible, would not recommend unless you really need to budget

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2025

Lance

We stayed at the Embassy Hotel for approximately a month and had a genuinely positive experience. The staff were exceptionally kind, attentive, and professional, which made a long stay feel easy and comfortable. Customer service was consistently excellent, and we always felt welcomed and supported. We would happily recommend this hotel to others.

Business_and_leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2025

Enrique

Yes was good room just for the weekend

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2025

Ricardo

Love it

Self

2/10

Poor

26 Dec 2025

Chance

Horrible experience I went to San Francisco to enjoy the holiday weekend the hotel ended up not having power because half of SF had a power outage so I left and went to a hotel with power I maybe stayed in that hotel for about an hour before I decided to go somewhere else, I had to contact Expedia for a refund they said they cannot issue a refund and only give me a $15 credit towards my next hotel, not only that but the entire place was incredibly filthy and dusty worst hotel I’ve ever stepped foot in, the only nice thing was the worker he was incredibly nice and helpful other than that I will never stay here again

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

FRANCISCO

Great hotel, great location

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

Maria Rizza

The bathroom is clean even thoughtoilet seat os . The carpet needs updating. Hopefully better sheets.
Location is amazing and staff is friendly and accomodating

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

24 Dec 2025

Gary

The staff is very nice and will do what they can to accomidate you. Place is very old an run down but it gives a the cool historic feeling i guess. Location is prime to china town pier 39 and lots of of other attractions. Dont woder far late at night but its fairly safe. Weed will be in the air😅

Business_and_leisure Self

2/10

Poor

22 Dec 2025

Karan

2/10

Poor

21 Dec 2025

Rodolfo

No power the hotel had a power outage

10/10

Exceptional

21 Dec 2025

Isaac

The lights went out but they were really friendly. Cheap and it’s at a good place to stay at especially in San Francisco. Lots of places to go at a walking distance.

2/10

Poor

18 Dec 2025

Michael

Staff was terrible. There is no ac or cooling system. No fresh linen. Had to wait 30 minutes to check in because there was no staff at the front. The shower was tiny and didn’t look clean. The bathroom floor tile was dirty. Parking is $30 a night.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

18 Dec 2025

Chris

We rented 2 room on our stay and both rooms feels neglected. The carpet looks like it was never shampooed for years. The TV remotes don't work, we have to change the channel from the DirecTv box.

I understand that this is an old hotel so patches on walls old bathroom tubs are expected but they should at least clean the carpet.as that is the first thing you see when you enter the room.

The room only have an old heater but no AC so the room feels muggy. We have to open the window to get fresh air but you can't leave it open at night because you can hear the homeless people outside shouting. I can't imagine staying her during summer.

I gave it 2 stars because the front counter person is nice and the parking is gated so it feels safe. Also, it is the cheapest I found in the area. But if you want a comfortable place to sleep, I would find a different hotel.Maybe drive 7 to 10 miles out and get a nicer hotel with free parking for about the same price as this one.

Friends_and_family Family