Hilton San Francisco Financial District [In-Depth Review]

I stayed 2 nights with my family of 5 at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District. We flew into the San Francisco area so we could head up to Redwood National and State Parks, but I wanted to spend a couple of days in San Francisco before making our way north. We’d originally planned to just spend 1 night, but I’m so glad we had 2 nights in San Francisco to kick off our California trip. This hotel was a good choice for our plans.

With a location in the Financial District at the edge of Chinatown, we enjoyed cultural richness and convenience. The Hilton San Francisco Financial District hotel offered a cozy guest room, warm service, and nice views of the city.

Let’s explore more of what we enjoyed about this hotel.

Booking the Hilton San Francisco Financial District

This was my first time in San Francisco and I was clueless regarding where to stay, though I knew we wanted to stay in the city proper. We tend to stay at Hilton and Hyatt properties, so I pulled up options for both, comparing prices, locations, and reviews.

There were surprisingly few Hilton options within San Francisco, but I liked Hilton San Francisco Financial District because it was in Chinatown, had a low room rate, and the reviews looked good. We chose a Hyatt hotel for our last night before flying out of the San Francisco area, but this Hilton property had a lower nightly rate, so it was a better choice for our 2-night stay.

With taxes and fees, we paid about $184 per night, and there was no resort fee. However, there was a $68.40 daily parking fee, tax-inclusive. That parking fee was painful, but I’d looked around at other hotels in the area, and it was fairly standard and offered in-and-out privileges, which we needed.

Between the room rate and parking fees, I earned 9,548 Hilton Honors points on this stay. I have Hilton Honors Diamond status, so that included a 100% Diamond elite bonus of 4,274 points. Another 1,000 points came from a Diamond MyWay bonus.

I used my Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card to pay for our stay and parking. The Hilton Surpass card earns 12x points per dollar on hotels and resorts for eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, so I earned another 4,617 points after my card statement closed. That got me a total of 14,165 Hilton Honors points for our 2-night stay.

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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

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An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

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Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Welcome Offer

Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.

165,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$825

Annual Fee

$150

APR

19.99%-28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re someone who loves traveling and loves staying in Hilton hotels, adding a co-branded Hilton hotel card to your wallet is almost a no-brainer. From automatic Hilton elite status to up to $200 in Hilton credits every year, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card can be a great fit for Hilton loyalists looking to up their travel game.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 12x points per $1 at Hilton hotels
• 6x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
• 4x points per $1 at U.S. online retail purchases

Cons

• Annual fee of $150 (rates & fees)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
• Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
• Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club^® program is required. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $150 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Hilton San Francisco Financial District Location

The location of the Hilton San Francisco Financial District was a mixed bag. We loved that it was adjacent to Chinatown. While it was still a somewhat touristy area, we walked among many locals going about their days, and we liked our food and entertainment options nearby.

In the Financial District, we were surrounded by a mix of office buildings, shops, and restaurants.

We had numerous restaurants and shops within blocks of the hotel.

On the third floor of the hotel was the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.

From the third floor, we could walk out onto a bridge that went over Kearny Street and into Portsmouth Square. My kids were thrilled by the rainbow stairs and the pagoda at the end of the pathway to the park.

The park had a small playground, seating, and restrooms.

Ross Alley, the oldest alley in San Francisco, once known for brothels and gambling, was just a few blocks away. It was only about a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

One of Ross Alley’s most notable shops is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, where you can see how the cookies are made.

Some describe this experience as a free tour, but essentially, you just take a few steps into the storefront to watch the workers fold fortune cookies. You can check out the selection of cookies, which include jumbo, candy-coated, specialty-flavored, and adult fortune cookies. Cookies are available for purchase, and tips are accepted.

By car, the hotel wasn’t very far from the places we wanted to go, particularly the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods National Monument. It was only about a 15-minute drive to the Presidio of San Francisco, where we entered the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Muir Woods was just a 40-minute drive, including a trip over the Golden Gate Bridge and through the Robin Williams Tunnel.

Hot Tip:

Returning to San Francisco through the Robin Williams Tunnel revealed the Golden Gate Bridge with the city behind it. If you’re driving this way, make sure passengers have their cameras ready!

It was easy to reach points in and near the Financial District and Chinatown from the hotel, and driving to further destinations wasn’t a chore. However, the hotel’s location wasn’t within short walking distance of major tourist hotspots. The hotel was about a 20-minute walk to the Ferry Building or a 30-minute walk to Pier 39. Union Square wasn’t as far — about a 16-minute walk. Those might not be too far for adults, but with kids, we’d probably need to drive or get a ride-share.

Hot Tip:

The Hilton San Francisco Financial District is in a business district and many shops and restaurants close early. On our first night, we settled in around 7:30 p.m. and found that many restaurants closed at 8 p.m., which limited our options.

Getting There

We arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area via San José Mineta International Airport (SJC). In our rental car, it took us a little over an hour to get there. If you’re flying into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport (OAK), expect about a 20- to 30-minute drive by car.

The hotel does not offer airport shuttles. However, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains connect SFO and OAK to downtown San Francisco and other area destinations. The BART Montgomery station is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel.

Checking In

We arrived around 6:15 p.m. and entered the hotel’s covered drive, but it was very busy. I’d checked ahead and knew we wanted to park in the garage, so we headed down there after we saw the parking garage entrance just beyond the hotel’s front steps.

We took the elevator up from the parking garage to reach the front desk. There was no wait, and we were promptly welcomed to the hotel.

The front desk agent confirmed I’d need parking for both nights and informed me I had a $36 nightly food and beverage credit, which was good at either the hotel’s restaurant or market. They sent us up to our room on the 24th floor with 2 bottles of water as a welcome gift.

Elite Benefits

As a Hilton Honors Diamond member staying at a Hilton hotel, my benefits included:

• Free premium Wi-Fi
• Free bottled water
• Space-available room upgrades
• $36 daily food and beverage credit

Although the front desk didn’t specifically mention an upgrade, we were on a high floor — just 3 floors from the top. We also got free Wi-Fi, bottled water, and a $36 daily food and beverage credit for 2 guests.

The Lobby

The front entrance had 2 large sets of steps to reach the sliding glass doors.

There was also an accessible ramp to the right of the front steps.

Art and seating were within the lobby’s front doors. As soon as we passed through the first set of glass doors, we noticed a painted figure in front of a fountain — the elevators were beyond that.

There were also large carved and painted doors just before the sliding glass doors that led to the check-in desk. These didn’t open — they were just decorative.

The light-filled front entrance had comfortable chairs, tables, and a nice view of the patio outside.

The concierge desk, seating area, and a city map were within the lobby, around the corner from the hotel market.

The meeting room entrance was on the left side of the lobby.

This cozy seating area had books, a long upholstered bench, and tables with chairs.

The Room

We had a guest room with 2 queen beds on the 24th floor. I wouldn’t call it spacious, but it was just enough for us to be comfortable. The long desk was a nice feature, but the best feature was the lounger that made it easy to sleep our family of 5 without any creative bedding. I also appreciated the view of the city, though some other rooms have views of the bay that we might have enjoyed more.

Each of the queen beds had all-white bedding and tufted leather headboards. The beds were on platforms with just a small space underneath them. I appreciate not having open space under the beds when traveling with kids, as it’s easy for toys to lose their way under there.

Across from the beds was one of the reasons I booked this room: A lounger large enough for my youngest to sleep on comfortably. We used extra pillows and sheets to make a sleep spot for her here. A TV and a long mirror were in this space, along with a door for an adjoining room.

Hot Tip:

This lounger was a welcome feature, but be careful sitting down. The TV is mounted at head level, and 2 of us bonked the TV while taking a seat on the lounger.

Between the beds was a nightstand with 2 drawers, independent lamps, a phone, an alarm clock, the remote, and a notepad. These drawers were 2 of the 4 total drawers in the room. There wasn’t much in the way of unpacking space.

The alarm clock offered 2 USB outlets and 2 pronged outlets.

Next to the bed on the window side was a desk that spanned the edge of the room. Under the desk and behind a vent wall was the room’s air conditioning unit. A sort of cubby space was under the coffee station portion of the desk — this is where the kids put their backpacks so we weren’t walking all over bags.

While most of the room was spacious enough for our needs, we didn’t have an inch to spare between the desk and the bed. If anyone sat in the desk chair, another person could not walk behind it to get to that side of the bed, reach the outlets, or access the minifridge.

The minifridge worked fine and had enough room for a few leftovers and drinks.

On top of the desk was a lamp with 2 pronged outlets. A flip-up outlet cover revealed an additional 2 pronged outlets.

The far side of the desk had the in-room coffee and ice. Although we got water bottles from the front desk, larger water bottles were available for purchase.

We had a nice view of the city from the desk.

In one of the largest buildings in the area and on a high floor, we had a nice perch to look down on the city below. Other rooms in the hotel have a view of the bay.

Back toward the room entrance was a small hallway with the room’s closet and bathroom entrance.

Within the closet was a small chest with 2 drawers, a safe, luggage rack, ironing board and iron, and a hanging rack and shelf. This is where my husband and I kept our bags. It would have been nice to have more drawer space.

Bathroom

Across from the closet was the bathroom, which had a shower/tub combo and a shiny black countertop.

We weren’t in an accessible room, but the shower wall had a grab bar. There were also small dishes for soap or toiletries in the corner and below the grab bar. Another wall had a towel rack with folded towels on top and a bar to hang wet towels. It was nice to have towels available in the shower and they were high up enough that they didn’t get wet. The showerhead was adjustable and had good water pressure.

The wall-mounted amenities — shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel — were from Crabtree & Evelyn.

At the bathroom counter was a single sink with a cubby for open storage underneath.

On the left side was a lighted magnifying mirror plugged into the wall outlet. This side also had the soap dish and wall-mounted Crabtree & Evelyn lotion.

On the other side was a collection of towels and facial tissues.

Underneath the counter was storage space with additional toilet paper and tissues, as well as a hair dryer.

Amenities

Hilton San Francisco Financial District didn’t have a pool or spa, but it offered a parking garage, nearby bike rental, a fitness center, Friday night movies, and a business center. There was also a lounge area adjacent to the lobby.

Parking

The hotel had self-parking available in the underground garage with in-and-out privileges. The self-parking fee at Hilton San Francisco Financial District was $68.40 per day inclusive of taxes and fees. Valet parking was not available.

One of the parking garage entrances was to the left of the hotel’s front door. I was initially issued a parking ticket, but I used my room key card to get in and out of the garage after we’d checked in at the front desk.

The garage had tight turns, and plenty of evidence was left behind on the walls of cars that didn’t quite fit through the turns. We made it through without any dings! The parking spaces were large enough, and we never had trouble finding a spot close to the elevators. I looked for Diamond member parking but didn’t see any. However, we did see numerous signs encouraging guests not to leave any valuables behind.

Electric vehicle charging was available on-site.

Hot Tip:

Car break-ins are common in San Francisco. We were advised by the rental car company, locals, the hotel, and numerous signs not to leave anything visible in the car, not just in this parking garage but anywhere in and near the city. A local said, “Anything more than a toothpick” might welcome a smashed window. We kept the car empty and had no problems!

Bike Rental

A Lyft/Bay Wheels bike rental station was right across the street from the hotel on Washington Street. Each time we passed it, numerous bikes were available. We saw many bike rental stations throughout the city, so this would be a good option for getting around without driving. Single rides start at $3.99 for 30 minutes, with daily, monthly, and annual passes available.

Fitness Center

The 24-hour fitness center was on the fifth floor. That floor was under renovation during our visit, and the elevators were down a hallway from the fitness center. We were instructed to take the elevator to another floor and take the stairs to get to the fitness center. It was a little out of the way, and we got a bit of a workout just getting there!

The fitness center had numerous aerobic machines overlooking windows with a view.

There were several treadmills in the adjoining room.

There were 2 Peloton bikes and a scale near the towel station.

Not 1, but 2 rowing machines with built-in fans rounded out the cardio equipment.

The fitness center leaned much more on cardio equipment than weights, but it did have some weight equipment. A weight bench, free weights, and weight rack were near the fitness center entrance.

There were also weighted medicine balls on a rack near the entrance. Most of the walls had mirrors for checking form.

A towel stand offered cleaning wipes, water cups, and individually packaged earbuds. Next to the towel stand was a water station, emergency phone, fire extinguisher, and balance ball.

Activities

An activities calendar near the front desk had family movie night picks for the month. It showed that a movie would be played every Friday at 6 p.m.

Business Center

Across from the front desk was the business center. This desk had 4 workstations with barstool seating, lamps, and a printer.

The Cloud

Near the front door was a lounge space behind frosted glass named The Cloud. It was open to all guests, as this hotel didn’t have an executive lounge.

This was where the hotel showed movies, but it also had TV on during the day.

There were numerous chairs and some small tables in the middle, with dining tables and booth seating along the walls. It was a convenient spot to eat the breakfasts we purchased at the lobby market just a few steps away. We sat near the windows and had a view of the street.

The Cloud had a microwave available for guests. A sign had instructions for ordering food and drinks that could be delivered to the lounge.

Pet-Friendly

Hilton San Francisco Financial District is pet-friendly for designated rooms. A nonrefundable fee of $50 applies, and the pet’s weight can be a maximum of 75 pounds.

Food and Beverage

Hilton San Francisco Financial District had 2 dining options: 750 Restaurant & Bar and The Market. Our $36 nightly food and beverage credit was good at either.

750 Restaurant & Bar

The hotel’s restaurant and bar served breakfast and dinner. On Mondays and Tuesdays, it was open from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. for breakfast. Wednesday through Friday, it was open for breakfast from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 4 to 10 p.m. for dinner. On Saturdays and Sundays, it was open for breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4 to 10 p.m. for dinner.

A continental breakfast buffet was $17, and the complete buffet was $27. The menu featured California fare with locally sourced ingredients. Entrees included ravioli, roasted chicken breast, filet mignon, and a signature burger.

The Market

The Market was in the lobby and open each morning from 6:30 to 11 a.m. The menu featured coffee, pastries, and breakfast snacks.

We used our food and beverage credit at The Market each morning. Our credit worked out to be just about enough to cover a basic breakfast for 5 on each visit. My husband and I got coffee and tea, breakfast burritos, and breakfast sandwiches, which were microwaved behind the bar.

These microwaved breakfasts weren’t exactly gourmet, but they were enough for a quick breakfast to get out the door to our day’s adventures. The kids were happy with pastries and cereal with milk.

Vending Machine

A vending machine with drinks was available on our floor next to the ice machine.

Service

The service at this hotel was warm and welcoming, and all of our needs were taken care of. We had positive interactions with all of the staff we encountered. The front desk agent got us checked in quickly and made sure we knew everything necessary for our stay. The lobby market attendants were patient with our kids as they mulled over the menu, then cheerfully and quickly prepared our breakfast items and got us on our way. As we left our room each morning, the housekeeping staff in the hallway greeted us, politely asked if we’d like our room cleaned, and wished us a great day.

Final Thoughts

We enjoyed our visit to the Hilton San Francisco Financial District. The guest room was comfortable and roomy enough for 2 nights, and I liked that we had a lounger to easily accommodate a fifth sleeper even though the room was only designed for 4 people. The view was nice, and the service was warm. The location worked well for our plans in and near San Francisco, though you might want to stay closer to the action if you’re planning to visit tourist hotspots along the waterfront, such as Fisherman’s Wharf.