Cova Hotel

A fine hotel if you are on a budget. They offer a shuttle that is never available, and our original room had no hot water. There’s lots of homeless people around the area.

My experience here hasn’t been great… at all. I already had a bad feeling when they charged us $ 30 for parking, even though we were already checked in to stay for the night, but whatever, I should’ve known that parking anywhere in San Francisco is gonna cost you. Next, the customer service was pretty terrible. The lady behind the desk was rude to my brother and mom while they were checking in, and when my brother asked for 4 free breakfast passes, the lady said, «Oh I only see that it’s for one guest.» Our room was for 4 people, including my mom, me, my dad, and my brother. She was reluctant, but eventually gave him the passes. Not that it had any redeeming qualities, though. The breakfast was mediocre — not that I expected it to be top-​notch — with some fruit, bread (no toasters), hardboiled eggs, etc. Oh and apparently when you check in from Unilocal,you get a free snack tray. Yep, never got that snack tray. And we tried to use the phone to call the front desk. But lo and behold, the phone doesn’t work. I felt like I was a character in a Stephen King novel because my experience at the Cova hotel was a complete and utter nightmare. Stay away from here if you can.

Affordable price, clean rooms have everything you need. The beds are very comfy and the staff was very friendly and helpful! I would definitely stay here again next time I’m in town! And don’t forget to check in to get your goody basket!

My 1^st review in 3 years… either a really good thing or a really bad thing. Sadly, it’s the latter.
HOTEL: They have an in-​house parking area, yet they will charge you $ 30−40/day to park there whether you’re a guest or not. Very odd and a first for me but I thought, it is San Francisco and parking is never free or available. So, I reluctantly handed over my $ 30 for overnight parking.
Along the lines of other reviewers here, the neighborhood here is really bad. Just a few steps out the front of the building and you’ll see why.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Just a few minutes into our stay at Cova Hotel and I already had a bad feeling about our stay here.
Instance #1: While checking in, I noticed that we only received 2 stubs for the complimentary breakfast yet I had registered for 4 guests. When I inquired about it, the front desk employee replied back in a snarky manner explaining to me that my reservation was only for 1 person. I showed her my reservation for 4 adults. She offered no apology as she just continued along and handed us our key card claiming she didn’t see that part of the reservation in her computer.
Instance #2: The thermostat in our room, or floor per se, is centralized. A first I’ve seen in countless stays in hotels all over the world. We walk into our room after a day of touring around SF and we were greeted with a toasty room at around 70 – 80 degrees. It’s January and pretty cold in SF, but not THAT cold.
I go downstairs to inquire about it and the front desk guy nonchalantly explains that there’s nothing he can do to help us since the maintenance people are out and that he can send an email. Yet, he also goes on to say that they might not be able to help. Gee, thanks a lot!
So now, we’re sitting here in the room with our balcony door wide open to combat the full blast heater that’s radiating in our room. Just how I pictured our night here in SF.
CONCLUSION: Cova Hotel is one of those places that looks good on the outside but is just a nightmare. Save your money and go somewhere else, or spend more and stay away from trying to save a few dollars by staying here. You’ll probably ending up spending more with the extra costs and headaches you’ll encounter here.
Pros
–Free breakfast
–Clean room
Cons
–Parking $$$
–Overly priced
–Bad location
–Horrible customer service
–No control of room temperature
–Slow/​unreliable wi-​fi

I really liked this hotel. It is located in the Tenderloin and had its share of cray crays at night. But the hotel provides a shuttle from Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf to avoid the loonies at night. You just sign up at the front desk for pick ups and drop offs. The FW shuttle fills up fast so I would suggest signing up as soon as you get there. Another good thing is the breakfast that is included in the room rate. A continental buffet in the morning saved us money and time. Excellent fare. Eggs, fruit, strong coffee, fruit juice, assortment of breads, croissants etc. The hotel staff was super helpful and polite. The rooms are a bit small but this is SF which is slowly becoming the Tokyo of the West. The beds were big and comfortable. The bathroom had all the amenities. And I think because of the location, the deals are excellent. I am sure the prices will go up once the Tenderloin is completely gentrified. Till then, I will be back.

I took a trip out to San Fran recently and stayed at the Cova. Like the other reviews say, the surroundings are a total thumbs down Cova itself is awesome. Friendly helpful staff, clean rooms and free breakfast saves some cash. Shuttle is a definite plus. I would def stay here again :)

Overview: The Cova Hotel is a 3-​star class hotel located on the slightly west side of the Tenderloin in San Francisco on Ellis Street that has reasonable room rates and many amenities due to its fairly awful location in the Tenderloin.
The Room: We had a standard (non-​suite) two-​queen room that was spacious, and had everything that you would want in a room. An armchair with a light, a desk, and a flat panel television with a decent amount of programming. Granted the carpets weren’t the cleanest (I regretting walking barefoot) but I understand it’s pretty darn difficult to keep carpets at «pristine» condition. The beds and comforters were exceptionally comfortable and I enjoyed the wide varieties of pillows provided. The view was nothing to write home about, facing a rather drab tall beige building. No patio but large sliding glass window to invite the very loud noise from outside (bongo drummer, botched drug deals, traffic noise) into the room. We kept it shut the entire time and because we visited during November, the weather was perfect with the windows closed.
The Bathroom: Surprisingly spacious with a cool round modern sink. Tub was clean and decently sized but shower flow was very low (understandable due to the current California drought.) Fairly little space to place toiletries unfortunately. Towels average softness.
The Amenities: Free breakfast at the restaurant at the ground floor which serves boiled eggs, small croissants, sweet bread, plain yogurt, very mediocre oatmeal, and children’s cereals. Mediocre coffee and lipton tea are included as well. Overall I was very pleased and only wish that they had scrambled eggs. In addition checking in on Unilocal gets you a small basket of goodies that includes chips, a few bottles of drinks, and candy.
The Neighborhood: This is where the primary downside of the Cova lies as the Tenderloin is where the city’s homeless and poor population generally live. While the violence here may be less than Bayview/Hunter’s Point, it sure looks more uncomfortable. Walk outside the hotel and turn right and you’ll see rows of homeless people and junkies panhandling. I only went east a single time and witnessed a man stealing a bicycle seat in broad daylight. People holding prescription bottles yelling at each other, and urine on the floor. Head west out of the Tenderloin and it’s not a bad walk besides the occasional homeless person.
Conclusions: The Cova Hotel is a well priced hotel (at least compared to the ridiculous costs of most SF hotels) that has good rooms, a good bathroom that could use more counter space, a decent and free breakfast, a cute goody basket for checking in on Unilocal,but sadly is located in one of the worst neighborhoods in SF. I would highly recommend it for adventurous people who are used to «city life.» I would not recommend it for smaller, younger women, families with small children, or romantic couples as the surrounding atmosphere definitely breaks the mood.

Rating the hotel alone: Great staff at the front desk, house keeping and the restaurant were so great. The hotel rooms were clean and modern, same as the rest of the building. Loved the rooftop patio, continental breakfast and access to the complimentary shuttle which most other hotels don’t have. Very impressed and will be staying here again especially considering how inexpensive it was for downtown. Cons: the area isn’t great but most of the hotels near Union square are he same so might as well get more for your money here with the extra perks.

Cet hôtel n’est pas situé dans un des meilleurs quartier de SF mais bon. Il n’a pas de parking et le garage qui est dans le même hôtel est très cher et son personnel est très désagréable ! Les chambres sont petites et né sont pas très bien équipées, elles né disposent pas par exemple de frigo. Le petit déjeuner est correct et la salle à manger est très grande donc pas de problème pour trouver de la place à plusieurs. Pour la terrasse, pas de chance, elle était fermée pour cause soirée privée !

Cova hotel isn’t located in a great area. I wouldn’t advise walking through the town at all. I saw things I have never seen in my life walking around that town. The service from the front desk was sub par. Didn’t really seem willing to help. I assume they think they can talk to guests however they want because I noticed most of the guests were European and didn’t understand great English. The rooms weren’t bad at all. And the cleaning staff were very nice. I gave this hotel 1 star because the service was just terrible. Wouldn’t stay at this hotel even if it was free

Extremely poor service. The continental breakfast we were given was mostly bread products and bruised bananas. The ‘balcony’ that came with the room was not even a foot long and the view made me want to jump off it. Also, the maids were lolly gagging around and not even cleaning. One maid had beer in her cart and was joking around with the others about what was left in the rooms and they even took some stuff for themselves. The rooftop wasn’t lit up at all like it is advertised. The elevators also took literally so long and it isn’t even that tall of a building. Very disappointed.

The Cova, at least by San Francisco standards, is an inexpensive option for budget travelers. That’s probably because it’s in the Tenderloin. But its unusual layout set back from the street means you’re somewhat removed from the honking horns and random screaming arguments that emanate up from the street. It’s like stepping out of a horrible neighborhood into a somewhat decent one.
The room was a decent size with all the basic amenities you’d expect. Hot running water with good pressure, black out curtains, a little bench to sit on and a bed that offered middle-​of-​the-​road comfort. The front desk clerks were always chatty and friendly even when dealing with some more unruly guests.
The biggest downside is that the valet lot is directly beneath the hotel, meaning random car alarms and valets shouting at each other were some of the noises I unfortunately could not escape. If I stay here again, I’ll request a room away from the street side.

We stayed for 4 nights at COVA and were happy with our Hotwire deal. COVA really lies somewhere between 3 and 4 stars and could easily be a 4 star hotel, if only for some minor tweaks. The staff at the front desk is courteous and welcoming, as is the group that works in the parking area for the hotel.
Despite the «I just burped in your face» looks I received from friends familiar with the Tenderloin District, after I informed them where we were staying, there is absolutely nothing to be fearful of when roaming the streets nearby the COVA at any time of night.
The room was comfortable and modern, as was the bathroom. The free WiFi is a huge plus, especially in a major city where every perk seems to come in the form of an additional cost. Yes, they don’t have A/​C, but we were there in November of 2014, so none was needed. The only issue I had with our room was that the carpet was really dirty and the off white color of the carpet could not hide the fact that it hadn’t been professionally cleaned in a while.
The Continental breakfast is much better than how it’s described. It’s offered at the restaurant adjacent to the hotel and includes your choice of several hot options, including eggs, sausage, potatoes and fruit. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better traditional breakfast option, so save yourself the time and try breakfast at the hotel.
I’d definitely stay here again and recommend that others do the same. Your within a 10 minute walk to Union Sqaure and right around the corner from a strip club!
*Tip 1*
Go up to the rooftop area at night for some great views of the city. I wish they had a bar up there with some music and a fire pit (Suggestion, COVA!!!)
**Tip 2**
Walk to and from Union Square at night. The people in the Tenderloin are nice and the people watching is fun.
***Tip 3***
A guy runs a t shirt and hat shop on the corner of Larkin. His clothing line consists of some fun stuff and he’s nice to talk to.

This is a great hotel. Service was fantastic and the room was stylish and clean. My room came with continental breakfast, which was adequate. My room did not have air conditioning, but there was a fan in the room that kept the heat manageable. I was at this hotel in the beginning of March (2015). I imagine not having AC in the summer could be a bit of an issue.
I only gave a 2 star rating because of the hotels location. For me, the poor location overshadowed the good parts of the hotel. Cova Hotel is located in the tenderloin district. During the day it’s not terrible, but at night it takes a sharp turn for worse. I have traveled to many large urban cities in the Unites States and Europe and this area in San Francisco was the only city where I felt I needed to be on red level high alert. The streets are dirty and there are a lot of transients and people who just give off a bad vibe. If you’re a woman traveling alone or a family, pay a little more and stay somewhere else.

We enjoyed our first trip to the Bay area recently to see Dave Mathews with Tim Reynolds in Oakland. The hotel is conveniently located near major attractions and not far from both Wine Country and the Paramount Theater in Oakland. The problem is that to walk anywhere one must endure panhandlers and hookers on streets that reek of urine… Not the hotel’s fault; however, greater care could be taken to make guests fully aware of the shuttle and other options. The parking garage charges $ 27 for an «oversized vehicle» (we had rented a small Nissan SUV). It is «staffed» by an attendant who is rude and never in his kiosk… Plan on an additional 10 to 15 minutes on any trip to retrieve your vehicle and expect the hassle of paying each trip rather than just at checkout.
We did not use the complimentary continental breakfast because I was not aware of it until I was writing this review and saw it on some other reviews. The same is true for the roof top lounge… Another win for the staff.
The room was small overlooking the parking garage and a brick wall. The carpet was full of stains and cringe worthy of a hotel that was listed as 3 star on Priceline. The patio is no more than wide enough to set your shoes out to dry if you see the ocean. (Muir Woods and Muir Beach are both uncongested and amazing.)
We also were required to pay another $ 15 per night because our daughter stayed with us. I am not sure what she did to inconvenience the hotel that much other than sleep in one of the two beds we supposedly would have had full access to had she not been there.
If I had the trip to redo, I would have found a B and B near Napa or Sonoma and made the short commute here for the sites… Especially since parking would have been the same. Stay up there, be refreshed, avoid the hassle… This three star hotel has not earned our repeat business.
It is in reality no more than a 1 ½ or 2 star hotel as there is no distinction between it and a Super 8 or Howard Johnson other than being downtown.
UPDATE: we searched our things and found the comp tickets in the packet from check in… Again, a little communication would have gone a long ways; however, the breakfast was delicious. Nothing extravagant with limited choices, but good nonetheless.

So as far as the hotel goes, nice décor, free decent breakfast, clean rooms. They don’t have a/​c though. The windows open to help the cool the room down. Location wise, terrible. The gentlemen at the front desk told us to steer clear of Ellis street due to the homeless. We did but we still felt uneasy wandering around after dark. The smell, oh my goodness, the smell! I won’t even describe it. So I wouldn’t come back here only because of the location. Also, if you check it on Unilocal,they give you a free «snack basket». The lady looked at me like I was crazy when I showed her the voucher, but housekeeping ended up bringing it to the room.

I had a great time at the Cova Hotel during our Labor Day Weekend vacation. All the employees at the front desk were courteous and our room was always restocked with fresh towels the next day. The room and bathroom were spacious. We had a comfortable king sized bed and I glass door that opened and allowed in fresh air. Complimentary breakfast buffet was offered each morning by the restaurant attached in front. The hotel was central to all the touristy places we wanted to visit during the day.
I would say that it’d be nice if the cost of parking at the hotel was also complimentary considering I’m already paying to stay there.
Overall, a great experience and I will definitely be staying there on my next trip.

My stay overall was positive.
Pros:
— Friendly front desk/​staff
— Modern amenities and furnishings
— Great complimentary breakfast next door
— Free shuttle to Union and Fisherman’s Wharf
— Walking distance to Big Bus tour bus routes and Union Square
— Close to BART stations
— Free wifi
Cons:
— As mentioned it is in the Tenderloin neighborhood which is riddled with the homeless. We made the mistake of walking from the BART station to the hotel via Ellis Street. Ellis has the worst concentration of homeless people. On my journey to the hotel I saw a man peeing on someone’s brand new car… aside from the smell of urine and other unmentionable scents it is not a very welcoming walk to take after a long flight.
— Avoid Ellis and take other streets to get to where you need to be
— Take the cab when coming back to the hotel at night
The hotel would be 5 stars if it were in a better location. But the price is reasonably and the accommodations make up for the location.

I really liked this hotel, but the Tenderloin district is awful. It’s basically all homeless people roaming around during all hours of the day. And at night, hookers and creeps everywhere.
The staff here is really friendly and helpful. We booked 2 rooms for 5 people with double beds, but we got 2 rooms with one king bed each! They upgraded one room to a suite, but still. it only had one king bed and the 3^rd person in our room had to sleep on a rollaway bed. Not comfortable at all! We did like the suite though.
We got a free snack basket too that I found if we checked in on Unilocal,but when we called to ask if it was the basket that was already there. they had no clue what we were talking about.
This hotel is pretty clean. They have a cool roof top, but it is too cold to go up there to hang out. I love the smell of the lotion they give you with the toiletries.
The best part was that Cova was down the street from Brenda’s Soul Food! If you ever stay here, please go to Brenda’s and get some broiled oysters, crawfish beignets and BFC. It’s pretty amazing.
And the free breakfast is ok. It’s located in the restaurant attached to the hotel. They have scrambled eggs, roasted breakfast potatoes, croissants, yogurts, cereal, fruit salad, sliced ham, sliced cheese. Not much of a variety.

Just stayed this past weekend. I really enjoyed our stay at the Cova. Despite the few blocks that surround the hotel vicinity with a homeless population it was safe. Don’t let the rural appearance scare you.
The staff was excellent especially Lawrence, he was such a huge help, he even arranged for a car company to pick us and drop us off at the airport for a small fee.
Great pizza place a block away. Was able to walk to Civic Center & Union square.
The free breakfast was not bad either, worth it!
I recommend the hotel to stay, looking to visiting again soon.
Con: low water pressure in shower & a bit rural outside hotel premises but worth the experience.

Im Rahmen einer Rundreise durch Kalifornien bin ich in diesem Hotel abgestiegen. Eines der wenigen Hotels, die ich schon in Deutschland gebucht hatte. Das war allerdings auch gut so, weil in San Francisco zu der Zeit irgendeine Konferenz stattfand, sodass die (bezahlbaren) Hotels ausgebucht waren.
Dieses Hotel ist ganz ordentlich, sauber und frisch renoviert. Das Personal hilfreich und zuvorkommend. WLAN ist frei.
Es gibt eine Dachterrasse, die zwar nicht den schönsten Ausblick hat, wo man aber trotzdem den Tag ausklingen lassen kann. Im angeschlossen Restaurant McCrave bekommt man das includierte Frühstück.
Das angebotene kostenfreie Shuttle entweder zum Union Square oder zum Fishermans Wharf sollte man nach Absprache in Anspruch nehmen, da die Ellis Street, an der das Hotel liegt, nicht die ungefährlichste in SF. ist.
Sonst hat mir das Haus sehr gut gefallen, ich würde es wieder buchen.

This hotel definitely deserves to be 4 stars solid. Looks like the hotel was recently renovated… the lobby, rooms and fitness center was in pretty good condition. The hotel staff including the valets were attentive and friendly. They offer free continental breakfast, wi-​fi and shuttle service to major locations (ie. Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square).
With all the positives — you must wonder why the 3 stars? It’s the location. The hotel is situated in Tenderloin — which we weren’t aware was known as a shadiest neighborhood in San Francisco. While it’s bearable in daylight… at night it is a total different story. Definitely, do not recommend walking in the neighborhood. Best to take cab or drive car to front door.

L’hôtel est assez luxueux et confortable. Le wifi est gratuit et le petit déjeuner (très copieux) se prend au 8ème étage ce qui donne une vue sympathique sur les environs. Même s’il est situé sur la Ellis Street, ce quartier est rempli de clochards (cela dit ils né demandent jamais rien). Il n’y a pas de parking gratuit.