Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton Hotel in San Francisco, CA

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Telephone:	+1 415-392-7755
Website:	www.sirfrancisdrake.com
Address:	450 Powell St, San Francisco, CA, 94102 b/t Post St & Sutter St Union Square
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:	370 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 16, Union Square North 580 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 5, Union Square South 990 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 17, China Town
Categories:	Hotels

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Accepts Credit Cards	Yes
Wi-Fi	Free

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Local time (San Francisco)	20:25 Wednesday, 16 July 2025

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Description

Specialties

The story of Sir Francis Drake Hotel is Experience the Legend.

Few hotels in the country are as synonymous with the city they’re in as Sir Francis Drake Hotel. The hotel defines San Francisco — exciting, romantic, and a little off-beat. Take in the ornate lobby, and the clang of the cable cars — it’s all part of the legendary San Francisco experience. Thousands flock here to have their picture taken with the most photographed person in San Francisco, our famous Beefeater doorman, Tom Sweeney.

You may leave your heart in San Francisco, but you’ll always know where to find it… at Sir Francis Drake Hotel.

Delight your senses in one of our renowned food and beverage outlets. Enjoy Executive Chef Jen Biesty’s Northern Italian Cuisine in Scala’s Bistro, sip a prohibition-era cocktail in the lobby at Bar Drake, or take a ride up to the 21^st floor where you’ll find Harry Denton’s Starlight Room with panoramic views of the city, award winning cocktails, and dancing nightly.

History

Established in 1928.

When the Sir Francis Drake Hotel opened its doors in 1928, San Francisco had never seen anything like it. Although the city boasted a number of luxury hotels, the Sir Francis Drake Hotel was something else entirely: a sleek state-of-the-art marvel reflecting the dynamic spirit of a new city growing up out of the devastating 1906 earthquake.

The hotel got its name from the English explorer who, in 1579, narrowly missed discovering the San Francisco Bay itself and instead sailed the Golden Hind into Drake’s Bay 28 miles north.

The Sir Francis Drake Hotel quickly obtained the glamorous aura in the late 1920s and became a favorite home away from home for stars of vaudeville and the silver screen.

Now, the Sir Francis Drake Hotel is a premier San Francisco historic hotel offering opulent accommodations, meeting rooms, and elegant weddings and receptions.

Meet the Manager

Jim G.

Manager

Jim Gross

General Manager

Sir Francis Drake Hotel

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25 reviews of Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton Hotel

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Bill S.

Place rating: 5
La Mirada, CA

We booked the Drake based on the crap shoot you take using Priceline. Truth be told, we really lucked out. Especially, being that it was the weekend before Super Bowl. The Drake is located in Union Square with a Cable Car stop right in front of the hotel.
The Drake is a grand old lady built back in the 1920’s. That being said, you have to have certain expectations when you stay in an old hotel. First and foremost, the rooms will be small. This was the case with the Drake. However, our room comfortable and nicely decorated. When you enter the hotel, you are greeted by marble stairs, high ceilings, and lots of wood, gold, and yellow. There is also a bar in the lobby.
Check-in was pretty easy. Just so you know, if you book with Priceline, the hotel will hold $ 100 per night. We had no problems with staff and everyone was friendly. Also, in the morning, there is complimentary coffee, tea, and hot chocolate in the lobby. There is a Starbucks next door, but why pay for a cup of ambition if you can get it for free, right?
I heard rumors that the Drake was haunted and that there were also hidden rooms. However, we did not see any dead people, nor did we find any back room poker games. I am sure if the walls of the Drake could talk… they would have a lot to say.
The only thing I am bummed about is that we weren’t able to experience the Starlight Room, but overall, I would stay at the Drake again.

Matthew J.

Place rating: 3
Irvine, CA

Love Kimpton Hotels. Expected the same experience at Sir Francis Drake, but wasn’t pleased with the service we received. Our TV and phone were both out for the duration of our one night stay, and the hotel receptionist let us know that our only recourse would be for us to switch rooms the next day — which we both knew was impossible since we were only staying one night. Not cool! Will be back at other Kimpton hotels, but probably not this one.
Beyond this snafu — the hotel had a very neat vibe. The bar is sweet. Rooms are small, but cool. Standard Kimpton Happy Hour for guests. Would recommend staying here — but if your phone and TV go out, good luck!

Chelsea C.

Place rating: 2
Costa Mesa, CA

I am a very frequent kimpton hotel stayer because I love their hotels– this one however was the west kimpton I have ever stayed at… This hotel is very well decorated– VERY small but cute rooms and cute bar. However our tv and phone didn’t work our whole stay here. When we called on our cell phones to contact someone we were offered an attitude and to switch rooms at 1am! No thanks. We really just wanted to see if new batteries would help our tv but that was not an option for us. Also when I complained to the front desk about our tv and phone not working the whole time here was no apology what so ever! I will never stay here again :/

Mark R.

Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA

Stayed there on the nights of February 9^th and 10^th, 2016 in room 723. On the day of the 10^th I began to itch all over, come to find out I had over 60 bug bites (not mosquito bites) all over my body. Not the first time this has happened to me in San Francisco, have to wonder if people in for the Super Bowl had the same experience. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Huntting B.

Place rating: 2
Bellevue, WA

I love this hotel. It has a lot of character, the people are wonderful, the location is good for most people, the wine hour is nice, the bar is good, the valets are predictable and kind.
BUT: Here is the problem: They will overcharge you. Every time. Watch your credit card bill after you stay here. Of the 20 – 40 times that I have stayed here, 15 – 30 of them have resulted in being overcharged for the minibar. I never use the minibar… EVER…even though I get a 10 dollar credit here for it because I’m staying here for business and it is a giant PITA to deal with erroneous charges on my credit card.
So, I love it here, I think I’m finally done with it though and won’t be back because I’m just sick and tired of having to call in and fix charges after the fact.

Rivka S.

Place rating: 1
Henderson, NV

Yoga mat for guest use in the closet, but no coffee maker or even hot water? Coffee in lobby was very good, but having to get dressed and go down for it just wasn’t a good option. Bathroom is so small you have to set your makeup case or shaving accessories on the toilet. Nice wine reception, but all all that is overshadowed by a $ 100/night fee tacked onto the bill in case your incur a bar bill or damage the room! Yes, they back it out the next day, but I consider that to be a deceptive and highly irregular business practice. We will never be back!

Kelly T.

Place rating: 3
Philadelphia, PA

Pluses:
Nightly wine happy hour
Convenient location next to shopping, close to SoMa, public transportation, and the highest rated Thai restaurant in the city
Great customer service at the front desk
Minuses:
Small rooms
Beds were not very comfortable (under the pillow top hid a rock hard mattress)
Friend asked for the room to be made feather free and the request was never accommodated
Concierge recommendations for a brewery walking tour were severely lacking. We ended up making our own and were impressed almost everywhere. If you would like to do the same, ours was great and consisted of:
–ThirstyBear Brewing Company
–Black Hammer Brewing/Pacific Brewing Laboratory (our favorite of the bunch)
–Local Brewing Company
–Hopwater Distribution (ended here for dinner options, this is not a brewery, but has about 30 great selections on tap).
Altogether it was about a three mile walk!

Elena N.

Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA

I used to come here all the time for the Starlight room. It was a fun place to have a drink or two and enjoy the view. This past Friday, January 8^th, I came for a company holiday party. The party was on the 2^nd floor in the Cypress /Monterey rooms. The evening consisted of drinks, dinner and dancing.
The hotel created a reception area for pre-dinner drinks. They didn’t do much with the space except put a couple of tables in the room. There was one table with some chairs and a few standing tables. Later on, a coat rack showed up for coat check. The room felt very empty and stark to me instead of fun and festive.
The bar was right outside the reception room. This had a better feel. Warm colors and a more inviting atmosphere. After getting my second drink, I hung out here for the rest of their cocktail hour. There were two bartenders so it wasn’t very hard to get a drink.
The dining room felt very much like a wedding reception. Not quite as decorated, but the same concept. Dinner included bread, a spinach salad, entrée and dessert. Entrée choices included steak, chicken or salmon. Dessert choices included cheesecake or a fruit tart. The salad was pretty good as I love spinach salads. I got the steak as my entrée. I like my meat rare, so this was overcooked. But I managed to eat the center. I had a bite of both the chicken and salmon. Unfortunately both were dry. I don’t remember the desserts much, but I remember the cheesecake tasting rich and creamy. I believe the tart was apple? Or maybe pear? I took a small bite of it, but I don’t really remember it much.
The night ended with dancing. This was very much like a wedding in terms of the music. I danced for a couple of songs, but really spent the rest of the night by the bar outside. The bartender Josh was awesome and kept the drinks flowing.
Nice place to have a party, but I didn’t really enjoy their food. I’d have to say, the bar was my favorite part of the evening. Overall, it was a fun night.

Ken M.

Place rating: 4
Phoenix, AZ

I stayed here celebrating my 50^th birthday, and to ring in 2016 in style!
I loved this old grand hotel!
I loved it! It’s a quirky old beautiful hotel!
My room was lovely, intimate, and except for the street trumpeter who seemed to only know one verse of Edleweiss, rather quiet!
Yes the bathrooms are small but STFU! Many comments here are such first world, elitist problems really.

Chenise T.

Place rating: 3
San Luis Obispo, CA

Free upgrade to the 19^th floor, $ 10 credit for mini bar, scalas, or the lobby bar (plus another $ 10 if you skip having your room serviced), and the starlight room up top… All in all, pretty good. The hotel is old, but that’s pretty par for the course in San Francisco. The one thing that was truly exasperating was the slowness of the elevators. I was on the 19^th floor and it was actually faster to walk down the stairs to the lobby than it was to wait for the elevator.
Cons: The bathrooms are small (I saw several rooms and all the bathrooms are small) and the mini bar is a joke. The décor can be creepy at worst– I wasn’t a fan of the weird portraits over looking the bed– gaudy and outdated at best. Beds aren’t the most comfortable.
However for the price– it was decent and fair. And the location is good
Would I stay here again… Probably not. I mostly stayed here because I had a dog in my company and they are dog-friendly.

Kati M.

Place rating: 1
Los Angeles, Vereinigte Staaten

Der einzige Punkt gilt für die zentrale Lage. Ansonsten hat dieses Hotel für mich nicht mehr Punkte verdient! Es war Ultra laut aber nicht wegen der Lärmkulisse draußen sondern einem Lüftungsschacht der sich im Bad befand und ständige Lärm machte. Somit haben wir 2 Nächte nicht wirklich schlafen können.
Die Zimmer waren so klein, dass man Probleme hatte 2 Koffer abzulegen. Das Bett ist dementsprechend auch nicht für 2 Personen geeignet gewesen. Eigene Hotelparkplätze haben 60 $ die Nacht gekostet. Insgesamt viel zu teuer für das was man geboten bekommt. Von unserem Kalifornientrip war das mit das schlechteste und teuerste Hotel. :-/

Tiffany W.

Place rating: 2
Los Angeles, CA

This is definitely the worst Kimpton hotel I’ve been to. From the very beginning, service was very underwhelming. The man at the check-in desk was far from friendly (although the bellman was nice). We came with our beloved dog, and we asked the front desk to bring a food and water bowl up for us. Hours later, we still didn’t get it. We called down again to remind them, but hours passed and no one came with the bowls. Eventually my boyfriend went to the front desk and wanted to wait there and just get the bowls, but the front desk said they didn’t have it and housekeeping would bring it up. I have never had to ask a front desk more than once to bring something up for me.
Their complimentary coffee and tea in the morning was quite frustrating too. The hotel website clearly states, «Complimentary morning coffee and tea service from 6 to 10 am daily in our lobby,» but when we went downstairs a little after 9 am, the concierge said that coffee ends at 9 a.m. Um, what?
There’s also a wine hour from 5 – 6 pm in the lobby. Other Kimptons I’ve been to also offer a reverse wine hour. Just sayin’.
Another qualm we had was the elevators were FREAKING SLOW. We were in a mad rush around 5pm and it took a good 5 minutes to just get up to our room. No thank you.
The location is pretty good. It’s right in the middle of union square. Rooms are small, but to be expected since it’s SF. Overall, definitely will not be coming back, which is a shame because we love Kimpton hotels.

Santa C.

Place rating: 4
Fremont, CA

…news flash… Santa arrives at the Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco. Interesting to find the lobby virtually empty (it was 11 pm).
First — what is up with the bar cloooosing at 12? Really?
Second — if there is going to be a private party at the Starlight room, then please use more signs. On LL I wouldn’t know unless I saw the little sign in the upper lobby. And spent 5 mins being bounced between 17^th and 20^th floor. (See the first item. The only other bar is in the Starlight Room)
Third — Managers change often, as often as Santa changes his thermals. Right after I get one I like, they leave… arrg.
With all other good things, it’s still fun.

Krista N.

Place rating: 4
Warsaw, IN

This hotel is located perfectly located in Union Square.
The service is great from the bellman, valet, front desk, to the hotel bar. Always cheerful and helpful.
The rooms are small with very little room to move around the bed. The bathroom are even smaller. We did a lot of sightseeing so we weren’t in our rooms very much.
The beds are okay, nothing exceptional. The outdoor noise is a little loud at times throughout night and early morning but you are down in the heart of the city so I guess that’s to be expected.
Would stay here again beside of the service.

Beth J.

Place rating: 4
Kailua-Kona, HI

Very nice historic San Francisco hotel. It’s in the prime area of Union Sqare and surrounded by wonderful shops and restaurants. The hotel is very old but well maintained. Our room was o.k. At first the room had lots of traffic city noise but became much quieter after mid night. We were on the 10^th floor so had a nice city view. I didn’t like the garish décor of the room but that’s just my opinion. The room colors were done in bold reds, purple, gray, and black.
If you want nostalgic San Fancisco then this is the hotel for you. The staff was wonderful and very accommodating. One tip, it’s valet parking so you drive to the entrance and have the valet assist you. It’s very hectic during rush hour and we had to drive past the hotel, around a few blocks and back up to the hotel entrance.

Chris B.

Place rating: 4
Cramerton, NC

Great stately hotel. It represents old San Francisco well in design. If you’re looking for a modern hotel, past this one buy.
Helpful hint. As others have noted, the rooms are small and the bathrooms are smaller. Reminds me of my first place in NYC. Do no, repeat, do not, get a room with a queen sized bed unless you’re traveling alone. There just isn’t enough space for two people.
Now, with that said, the location is awesome. On the west side of Union Square and most tourist stops are easily accessible. Plenty of cheap eats.
The service is just incredible. I usually stay at a Ritz or Four Seasons when I travel and the service is on par or better without the pretention that goes along with those mid luxury market brands.
Room service was fast and the good was great. Well cooked to my liking.
The front door staff are uniformed in period costumes and their personalities are equally fitting. Gracious, welcoming and ambassadors for the city. Cable car stops in front of the hotel.
Parking per day is brutal at almost $ 60 per day. Taxies aren’t cheap either.
I travel here often but its my first time in Union Station doing tourist stuff. Glad I finally did. Great little city and great little hotel that thinks it can be glamorous and serving… and it does!

Sam S.

Place rating: 4
Munich, Germany

I cannot comment on the rooms here as I have never stayed here before. I do however love the ambience of this hotel with its grand foyer, great old style meeting areas and bar and the excellent top floor lounge and meeting areas. Take me back in time every time I step in here.
Must stay here one time when I am back in SF :-)

Josh L.

Place rating: 3
West Los Angeles, CA

I stay at a lot of Kimpton Hotels and thought this one was a little lower level than I am use to. It was just an okay experience. The staff did not seem the same as I am normally use to and I can’t really pinpoint why. It is a pretty grand entrance when you walk in and the old architecture is pretty impressive. I am a high standing member of this hotel and they typically will give me a gift of some sort when I stay with them, in this case it was a plate of rotting fruit as a amenity gift. I thought that was a little lower level than the normal Kimpton experience. I think if you are looking for an okay place to stay, the Sir Frances Drake is okay, but not the full experience I was looking for.

Andie L.

Place rating: 5
New York, NY

Staying here for a business trip and I have to say, I’ve had a great stay. Every staff member I’ve interacted with is super nice, welcoming and helpful. The vibe of the hotel is really fun and a cool experience. My room is a little small but it works since it’s just me. If you order room service it comes from Scala Bistro and the food is very delicious. I usually expect room service to take a while to arrive but it was at my door in 15 minutes! A good thing to know is for each day of your stay that you choose not to get maid service they’ll give you a $ 10 coupon you can apply to charges on your bill like room service or snacks in the room. The hotel is located in a busy area with lots of shopping and restaurants. Very easy to get public transportation as well.

Farwah N.

Place rating: 2
Los Angeles, CA

For a supposed 4 star hotel, this place was horrible. We were given the worst room possible — right near the elevators and the bed was next to the wall, blocking the closet and its cloth drape and bathroom door. Bathroom was so tight — no place for anything.
2^nd night — got a king room which was HUGE. but again, no nightstand. Bathroom tiny, closet, huge.
Spoke tot he bellman. He said the hotel rooms weren’t made according to size and scale. this place is a definite 3 star imo. Nice staff, but the rooms were really a let down.

Heather E.

Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA

Great hotel, perfect location, and wonderful service. I took my mom on a trip up the California Coast and we brought my dog. Sir Francis was one of very few hotels that allowed pets and they were so generous about it. The building is very antique (you can take that for old), but its very nicely decorated with newer furniture. We were able to walk to Fisherman’s Warf (1.5miles/mostly up hill), Lombard Street (uphill again), Union square, etc. I would stay here again, mostly because of the location. You don’t need a car.
Down sides to the Sir Francis is also the location. There was a bar across the street and ironically the Gold State Warriors were in the play offs. Its very noisy. I would never recommend this hotel to a business traveler who needs sleep. The building is holder so the toilet ran all night and at 120 pounds 5’5″ I hardly fit in the bathroom because it was so small. I also didn’t like how the coffee was served downstairs. For $ 500 a night I wouldn’t think people would be camped next to the coffee pots, but they are. Foreigners wouldn’t move… drinking their coffee one foot from the cream/sugar. No where to sit in the lobby.

Jessica L.

Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL

Very cute interior and friendly staff. However the hotel room did smell like cigarette smoke and the temperature of the room fluctuated too much for my comfort.
If you decline room service they give you a $ 10 voucher to be used towards anything in your room (candy, snacks, liquor etc) or their restaurants. Fantastic idea.
GREAT location. Tons of shopping in Union Square. Close to Chinatown and the financial district and the piers.

Dani S.

Place rating: 4
Loomis, CA

This place is surprisingly nice for a boutique hotel in SF. We’ve stayed at a few comparable hotels in this area and SFD was quieter, cleaner and more comfortable overall and actually a bit cheaper than competitors. The staff was very friendly, the bed was comfortable and we got a great nights rest here.
The rooms are small, but were fine for our needs. The lobby and bar areas are beautifully styled and spacious and give a fancy vibe to the place.
We’ll definitely stay here again.

Xenia K.

Place rating: 2
Campbell, CA

We stayed here after a milestone celebration in the city. Don’t get me wrong, I stayed at the number of historic hotels throughout my life, but this one seems like it stayed in the pre-historic era.
Rooms are extra small, walls are super thin (I feel sorry for the neighbors), and bathrooms are tiny. Is this a hobbit house??? Very low water pressure in the shower, water stays warm and never gets hot. I like my showers hot and steamy.
There was an open pipe in the shower ceiling, not sure what is was for. But felt like I was in the gas chamber.
They could barely fit in the toilet; at least that one was regular size. Every time I flushed the toiler it also scraped the wall.
This place needs some big-time remodeling. Not recommended. I would not go back.

Jackie T.

Place rating: 4
Sacramento, CA

I absolutely enjoyed my stay at the Sir Francis Drake hotel. I loved how I was able to walk among the many tourists in Union Square without having to worry about parking. The room we stayed in was a tad bit small, but I did not mind that at all. As long as there was a nice and comfortable bed (it was indeed comfortable) and the rooms are clean, then I’m all good. They had a wine hour that I was unable to go, but basically from like 5 – 6 each day, they got complimentary wine for hotel guests. They definitely don’t offer that at the Holiday Inn. Ha!
Unlike what a lot of other reviewers said, I did not hear any street noise in our room. Maybe us staying on the 7^th floor had something to do with it.
If you’re driving in and looking to avoid the valet parking because of the price ($ 59 plus tax or something), let me save you the trouble and just recommend you just suck it up and pay that valet. You can’t put a price on the stress you’ll experience driving around Union Square looking for cheap parking or even street parking. It’s just not going to happen. Oh and parking at the hotel, there is in and out privileges, so that’s a HUGE plus for me.
Checking in and out was a relative breeze. The only thing that took some waiting was when they pulled up my car. But they recommend that you call 20 minutes in advance before you actually want your car to give them time to get it wherever the hell they park it.
Overall impression: Definitely dig the old school décor and history behind this hotel.
Will I stay here again? Most likely. I like its close proximity to Union Square and Chinatown and any other place that I want to drive to.

Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton Hotel

San Francisco, United States

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25 reviews of Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton Hotel