White Swan Inn

9.2

Wonderful

968 Guest reviews

9.2

Wonderful

968 Verified Reviews

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Cleanliness9.4/10

Service9.4/10

Comfort9.0/10

Condition8.6/10

location9.6/10

Neighborhood8.8/10

Value9.6/10

Amenities9.0/10

Will be going back.

Super charming hotel

Charming…very nice front desk staff…room a little dated…small bathroom…

Comfortable cozy place to stay

We definitely made the right choice by choosing this hotel! It offers a warm, cozy, and inviting atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. The common area downstairs is beautifully decorated, featuring fireplaces, comfortable furniture, and books—creating the perfect space to relax. One of the highlights was the complimentary wine and a variety of cheeses, adding a special touch to our stay. Our room was also wonderful, featuring a fireplace that made it even cozier. Everything was exceptionally clean and well-maintained. The service was outstanding, with friendly and attentive staff ensuring a great experience. Breakfast was delightful, with fresh pastries and coffee to start the day right. Overall, this hotel exceeded our expectations, and we highly recommend it for anyone looking for a comfortable and charming stay!

Lovely quaint hotel in great location. Loved the wine and nibbles each night at 5 till 6.30pm. Room was large, comfortable and clean. Staff were very friendly and helpful. I would stay here again.

European Charmer

This is such a cozy and charming place with thoughtful considerations to decor and service. The rooms however are dated. Blinds looked grimy and were broken. Tape on windows from where it was cracked. Furniture was worn, but this is overlooked by the fireplace, incredibly comfortable bed with clean comfy sheets. They offer an actual usable bathtub, nice toiletries and have robes for guests. All of this and the character make it easy to overlook the age especially in the romantic glow of the fireplace. I prefer the personal attentive cozy environment of the common areas, the staff that White Swan offers and would happily choose this over a Hampton Inn. Other guests were pleasant and friendly. I wasn't aware that there is a separate fee for the open tea bar and coffee bar they have (which please keep milk out later for those who like it in their tea please) and the complimentary Wine Hour, but again this did make the stay more relaxing. Breakfast was simple yet served in style and really nice. Great quality.

Quirky & cosy old style hotel with very friendly staff, especially Tony on reception who was very kind to me when I checked in late 💚 Very clean & safe & a short stroll from Union Square. It was also lovely to have a proper deep bathtub.

We love staying here and have for 20 years! We miss the more extended breakfast options. Thank you for making our anniversary trip amazing!

the vintage elevator was not working most of the time. we had to dragged our luggages down two floors beacuse of it. the breakfast selection is very limited. The room walls has cracks all over and can hear all the noise coming from the outside.

Wonderful experience

We had a fantastic stay! The location is fantastic, with transport nearby, and the cosy, stylish rooms were perfect for winter. Afternoon wine hour was a highlight—Luis and his team were so friendly and welcoming. The only minor downside was check-in and check-out, where the front desk staff (different each time) didn’t make eye contact initially, which felt a bit impersonal. That said, it didn’t take away from an otherwise wonderful experience. We’d happily stay again!

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I felt at home in this hotel. My room was spacious and comfortable. I loved the fireplace and how I always had fresh coffee and tea when I wanted it. The staff were friendly and responsive.

This was a great place to stay and the location was totally walkable. The only quirk is that while breakfast was good, the only hot option was oatmeal and there was no protein option except yogurt, not even peanut butter.

Great!

Perfect for every occasions.

Loved our stay

Beautiful property and very helpful staff. We WILL be back

White Swan

Cozy boutique hotel! Complimentary breakfast and wine hour was great as well! Location was walking distance to Union Square. Staff were very helpful and friendly!

This is a lovely property complete with clean, quirky, and spacious rooms and kind and attentive staff! For the price, I'd reckon these rooms are a steal. I loved my room— the fireplace was sealed the deal— and I greatly enjoyed the inn-style atmosphere. Additionally, I'd like to note that the complementary wine/cheese hour in the parlor was a great way to unwind and meet people. However, the only thing left to be desired is location, as the hotel is situated within the heart of lower nob hill (i.e., close to the tenderloin). Nonetheless, this was a non-issue during my stay and shouldn't act as a deterrent to any interested parties, but rather something to be aware of before booking. With that being said, the location is very central and convenient. Overall, I'd happily stay here again!

Fireplaces throughout the property made it warm and inviting. Wine hour was nice with 4 wine choices, cheese and crackers. Free water and sparkling waters were included in the room fridge in generous amounts. Breakfast was simple but good for continental. Choices included fruit ( not cut but whole), 2 types of pastries, bread to make toast, a few different types of jam, several choices of dry cereal, oatmeal(the only hot choice) milk ( with options of soy, low fat etc), orange juice, coffee and tea. Close to good restaurants and Union Square.

Staff was helpful and informative about local places to check out and friendly.

Great hotel, funky, great breakfast & happy hour! Loved our stay

Love the White Swan Inn!

My stay at White Swan Inn was spectacular. The room and bed were incredibly comfortable and the fireplaces were such a fun amenity. The staff was also super friendly. Highly recommend!

A charming hotel. They offer wine and cheese in the evening and groups or couples can sit together in separate alcoves or rooms. I would stay at this hotel again.

If you like historic inns this one is cozy with fireplaces in each room…The decor is French floral with a mod flair of 60s art throughout. Loved staying here! Very convenient to downtown and Union Square.

Very charming and comfortable bed. A great attention to antique details. A cool fireplace. The many street views where beautiful . The noise from the restaurant/bar across the street was a little loud for a Thursday night, but wound down after the midnight hours. I wish the staff was more outgoing and made my friend and I more welcome. There was some hostile energy from the unit below me and on the adjoining room. I believe the hotel could be more inclusive and friendly to us as I experience much prejudice as a transgender person. My friend reported back to me that the majority of people at the breakfast floor appeared to be heternormative, conservative, and not very friendly. Perhaps more education on transgenderism and the importance of respect for gender identity expression would be beneficial and appropriate.

Really great property with fantastic staff. Not luxury so don't have that expectation. But do expect that they will do everything to make your visit as comfortable as possible. Great example they were booked so got a queen bed for 3 of us and they added another small bed. Was going to ask for that but just knew we needed.

The check in process is very fast and convenient. The amenities and parlour are great and it’s easy to ask for help when needed. Definitely will be staying here again in the future!

We had a lovely stay at the White Swan. The complimentary onsite tea and coffee plus continental breakfast were very nice, the common area lounge room is well-appointed, and the fireplaces in each room were a nice touch. This is an older property, but has lots of character and the staff is helpful without being too intrusive. A real value at the price we paid! We would return whenever seeing an event at the near by Masonic Auditorium, or shopping around Union Square.

I had the most fabulous time at this hotel. I stayed a few days out of the city and wish I had stayed in the city here the entire time. The staff was friendly. The hotel had a sweet charm and felt like home. The back patio is hidden, quiet and you don't even feel like you are in the city. I would stay here over and over.

Charming and clean hotel! Excellent customer service!

Very quaint with all the amenities one could need.

Nice place! Cool rooms.

Charming old building with working fireplaces in each room! It was perfectly convenient and walkable for our business and pleasure. We’d stay here again!

Expect that this place is a bit older, with the charm of an old-fashioned elevator - substantial feeling - and a swinging 60s type decor. Our room was lovely and comfortable. The staff were very nice and helpful. I appreciated the included breakfast, which just started our days of exploration off really well. We could walk or take transit to the things we wanted to see, and one of the cable cars was close enough to be an option for transit.

The inn itself was fine. The elevator is old & tricky. The street noise starts around 5:00 AM and makes it difficult to sleep.

The art and vibe is cool, but the hotel is older so carpet and windows etc could use an upgrade. There was no AC so in August it was very hot in my 3rd floor room, and even though the outdoor temp cooled down, the outside air didn’t cool the room down to a temperature suitable for sleeping; even with a fan. There was also a lot of street noise outside my room since there’s a bar right across the street. It was fine for a short business trip to SF but probabaly wouldn’t stay there again.

Interesting Older Building In A Good Location

The White Sean is in an interesting older building where it’s probably smarter to use the stairs than the century-old elevator.

Great location

Clean, comfortable,and very charming room. While the room wasn’t spacious it wasn’t cramped at all. There were also a lot of books in the room that I thought was a very nice touch. I only stayed one night so I didn’t have time to read one but would have loved sitting by the fire reading a book if I did. All the staff members were very friendly and helpful. Room isn’t particularly soundproof but that is to be expected with an older building, area is quiet so it wasn’t a huge deal. Very convenient for Grace Cathedral, 5 minute walk if that. Unless there is a back entrance I didn’t see it isn’t wheelchair accessible, but I’m sure that’s true for a lot of the buildings in SF. If I come back for another concert at the cathedral I will definitely stay here again. Also plenty of dining options very close.

Great European Style Hotel in the ❤️ of SF

Excellent location. Very cozy hotel. Great breakfast. Mattress was a little too soft. The nightly wine and cheese is a very nice touch. Close to cable car routes and transit. Highly recommended.

The White Swann Inn is very good value. The staff were friendly. The room was clean although the hotel is a bit dated.

One of my most favorite rooms I've ever stayed in. It felt like home esp with the little fireplace. Really conveniently walkable. Only thing I would change is the motion sensor in the bathroom light switch, it doesn't stay on very long and you have to keep waiving at it. That is a small detail though, I was generally very happy with this stay.

the staff were really nice, especially in the bar. The location is good, close to Union Square and Chinatown, and there are not many up or downhill to get there. the building itself is really old and also the ammities were really old and I think they need improvement or better to be replaced with new ones.

Great find in SF

A great find at an affordable price. Staff was super helpful and friendly. Bed was comfortable and we had plenty of room

White Swan Hotel is very charming, with helpful staff, interesting common areas, and thoughtful touches like late afternoon tea & wine service. While the rooms are very charming with a bed and breakfast feel, we found there to be a lack of good lighting.

What a beautiful place to stay! Lovely, professional staff. Spacious room with a fireplace and wet bar. Absolutely a hidden gem and a very pleasant surprise in the heart of this magical city.

While this property is charming, the downside is how noisy it is from street activity. And I suspect the guests above us had a child? Running back & forth.

The staff incredibly friendly, great amenities and cool funky vibe. Only reason I didn’t give a perfect score, terrible pillows. Everything else was impressive and A

A Gem of a Hotel

We had to find a hotel quickly in the Union Square area of San Francisco and Hotels.com guided us to the White Swan Inn. It is a gem of a find. The staff was helpful and the room and facilities a wonderful historic gem. We'll be back.

Quirky, boutique hotel with lovely staff. Room was large and the bed was incredibly comfy. The wine and nibbles are a lovely touch and the wine was gorgeous! Would highly recommend.

Nice property . Wine and cheese everyday. Good breakfast . Only drawback were the hills which were difficult to walk.

Good, slightly quirky hotel. Decent sized rooms.

Love this place. It is a quirky old hotel that has kept the character of the neighborhood. The free breakfast is good but is lacking protein. They have boiled eggs and yoghurt every day.

Nice boutique hotel - convenient location. Valet parking is kind of expensive. Breakfast was included - relatively ok options.

Perfect stay! Staff was exceptional,

Everyone I encountered was amazing and helpful. Really likes the quirkiness of the property including the old elevator. Had the best sleep

Good value

I would stay at this hotel again.

Good

Beautiful quaint property in the heart of Union Square

Breakfast included

Very clean.

Very nice

Like most hotels in this area it is an older hotel. The hotel was clean and well maintained for the age. The downstairs has a charming area with an outdoor patio, indoor tables, library and sitting area that is beautiful decorated and just special. They served wine and cheese in the early evening and a continental (European like) breakfast in the morning. The room was clean and spacious. No air conditioning, but it was nice weather so we just opened the window. The staff was professional and friendly.

Great Stay

Safe neighborhood, walkable. Hotel front door is locked 24/7 so you use your room key to enter. I love this idea! Room was large, quiet, comfortable bed. Water pressure was great in shower. Breakfast and afternoon wine/cheese reception was wonderful and very much appreciated. Entire hotel staff water friendly and accommodating. We would definitely stay here again.

The staff were excellent!! We enjoyed our stay

Fairytale Victorian accommodations in historic San Francisco. Great restaurant next door. Reasonably convenient and too exorbitant parking. Great staff. Unique and enjoyable experience.

Very Nice Hotel

Very nice and spacious room. The hotel has a beautiful guest sitting room that we really enjoyed. We decided to stay in this hotel for two nights when attending a 4-days conference because it looks nice and one review stated the breakfast included local food, we were curious about local cooking, even though I did not find anything unique during our stay.

Beautiful property with unique style, very friendly staff, lovely happy hour, delicious and generous breakfast, centrally located

Great location and staff.

They had very friendly staff, free coffee 24-7, and a lovely breakfast, which was included. I thought it was a lovely place.

Good hotel in good location

Check-in staff was very friendly. Card reader didn't work, but we were able to work around issue. Hotel had a quaint, Victorian feel and was very clean. It was located in the Nob Hill area of San Francisco and was very close to shopping, dining, and other good places. The only issue I had was that the weather was cold and the heater didn't work. There was an older vent-type heater and it was only pumping out very minimal heat, even when I turned the thermostat way up. Other than that, it was a good stay.

Our only complaint is the loud restaurant patio on the back side of the hotel. Our room was on the back side also and it was very loud until the restaurant patrons left around 10pm. Then it was very loud again as the restaurant employees yelled and laughed while very loudly moving and banging the patio furniture around, dumping ice, and jostling dishes and glassware. Hotel was quaint and great. Would stay there again but request a room not on the back side.

Great boutique hotel, would definitely stay here again

Ah-mazing cute boutique hotel. It’s like someone’s eccentric billionaire aunt wanted to run an eclectic little hotel. A little noisy due to the next door restaurant, but it’s nice ambient noise, and they close at 10.

Charm

Everyone was so nice, the place was so charming and boutique-y. A great location. Just what we were looking for for our mom and daughter weekend.

I was travelling with my 15 year old son. From the moment we arrived we were warmly welcomed. This Inn is all charm! The service was exceptional. The property as advertised. We felt safe the whole time. The breakfast was delicious and freshly made. Most comfortable bed ever! Valet parking is a must if you have a vehicle. The dinner recommendation of John’s Grill was incredible. Will definitely return and recommend HIGHLY!

Overall nice place, would prefer not to be on the first floor.

Found our new Go to B&B in San Francisco!

Just a lovely respite in the hurly burly of a San Francisco overnighted. Quiet, safe and accessible. Decided not to go out to breakfast due the nice continental breakfast spread in a comfortable quiet gathering spot We will be back.

Friendly staff, spacious rooms, good location. Great value.

The place it self is beautiful and unique!! The staff was super kind and helpful! We really enjoyed our stay and enjoyed how close it is nearby to popular place.

The Inn is just charming, located in historical building in safe part of San Francisco. The staff is very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed daily wine and cheese reception with other travelers. It was nice to unwind after day of sightseeing of this wonderful city. Special kudos to the houskeeping. Our room and all common areas were spotless clean.

The staff feels like family. We really enjoyed the wine options during check in and happy hour. The company was great and the music playing overhead was on point. We look forward to visiting again soon.

Love

We loved staying here and will definitely be back when we're in the area!

Fabulous charming wonderful location

Wanted to be walkable to both Grace Cathedral, and glide Memorial, and to be part of the city union Square area to do some shopping with a friend and it was perfect to stay at the white swan inn. The place is utterly charming every single staff member, so warm and friendly and helpful. If you’re looking for really upscale, five star kind of place this might not be for you. It’s a little more of an in but I just loved it and so did the friend I was staying with the tea room the library it’s just really really charming, and it was incredibly quiet for being in the heart of San Francisco. We had rooms facing the back And both of us are light sleepers and it was no problem thank you white swan for a beautiful Christmas

It’s a beautiful inn! Everyone is very nice. The food is simple and delicious. I loved having a fireplace in my room. The old elevator was so cool!

The old Inn is very charming. Rooms well appointed and large. Complementary breakfast is ok and the complementary wine and cheese hour in the afternoon is very nice.

Excellent

I loved the hotel. The room was amazing and its conveniently located.

Loved the location. Plenty of dinning options. Union Square is 3 blocks away. Bed was comfortable.

Perfect location, the room was such a great size and loved the vibe of the place! The breakfast and wine and cheese were so good as well honestly such a cool added bonus!!! One of the best hotels I’ve stayed at! Definitely recommend!!

Excellent stay, comfortable and very enjoyable. Great service

Best place to stay because it is very welcoming and the staff are like family, having worked there for quite some time. The location is great for exploring the wonderful city of San Francisco.

Charming hotel with clean bathroom and comfortable bed (my top requirements)! Would stay again and recommend.

A dream of a hotel, especially for anyone who hates cookie cutter corporate chains! English country inn with unexpected rock & roll elements, in a wonderfully convenient, safe neighborhood with interesting things all around. The complimentary wine & snacks in the lounge were a perfect treat after my flight and the rooms were charming but luxurious. I can't wait to stay for more than one night (and bring my husband) next time!

Wonderful courteous staff, thoughtfully decorated space with charming details. Felt welcome and safe on day one and slept like a rock. Beautiful neighborhood with plenty of great restaurants and bars; a short walk, cable car or bus ride away from the best tourist attractions. Also - great for sipping some wine or tea, just resting and reading a good book by the fire.

I had a very pleasant stay this week at the White Swan Inn. My room was large, the bed comfortable and since I was on the back side of the building there was less city noise. The staff were welcoming and helpful, each one. The breakfast and daily wine/nibbles downstairs were nice. There was no “resort fee” as with many downtown hotels and was one reason I considered this hotel. This is a very well kept, well restored historic property. The walls are thin enough that you can hear guests in the next room so be aware of that. There’s no air conditioning but that’s rarely needed in SF. There are several good restaurants and bars within a block or two. The location is better, seemed safer, than other blocks closer to Market but downtown SF has a huge, distressing problem of homelessness that we shouldn’t look away from. But back to the hotel itself: I would stay here again.

It was very quaint and the pictures are an accurate reflection of this very old hotel. Breakfast is very good and the nightly wine and nibbles is a very classy touch!

Safe and quite.

The bed was horrible! It's not a queen as listed but a full. So soft that we kept rolling into the middle! Not a good bed and they should replace the mattresses!

Good location Great and very friendly service

Never again

I booked a room for 3 people. When we got there, all we had was a queen bed. There was no sofa bed.I asked the frontdesk clerk for help with this issue, he said they were all booked. I told them I will move to another hotel and they saud I will be charged for the 2nd night. After a while, this young asian man who looked annoyed by our problem, directed us to speak with the manager. Later, this young lady, very eager to help and understanding of our situation moved us to a king size bed with sofa bed bedroom. To our surprise, the bedroom was on top of a restaurant outdoor seating area. The noise was incredible up to 10pm. After that, you can still hear the noise of waiters removing dishes, moving chairs, etc. The old windows did not close sealed, so the cold air kept coming in and the noise too. The breakfast consists of one pastrie or two. 4 cereals, oatmeal, boiled eggs, yogurt and bread. No deli meat, no cheeses. I payed 70%more than the Intercontinental hotel around the corner, and got three terrible nights of sleep, a lousy breakfast. Look at the mattress of the sofa bed in the attached photos.

Adorable inn! Great breakfast and very walkable to all the fun attractions.