I'm writing this review because I wish I had read Yelp reviews before booking. I booked this hotel…read morethrough Expedia, and the photos and description gave a very different impression than the actual experience. First, this hotel is NOT affiliated with Embassy Suites, which I mistakenly assumed when booking. It's a completely separate hotel called The Embassy. Pros * About 15 minutes from Fisherman's Wharf * Affordable stay compared to most San Francisco hotels * Friendly staff * Clean towels and linens * Charming older building architecture Cons The hotel is located in the Tenderloin District, one of the rougher neighborhoods in San Francisco. The location wasn't clearly advertised when booking. If you're a solo woman traveling, I personally wouldn't recommend staying here unless you're comfortable navigating rougher areas. The front entrance is often locked, so you sometimes have to ring a bell to be let in, which gives you an idea of the surrounding neighborhood. While the building has some historic charm, overall it felt dingy and worn. When we arrived, the room had a noticeable cigarette smoke smell, even though the hotel advertises itself as smoke-free. We had to notify management about it. There is no air conditioning, only an old furnace system that may or may not work. San Francisco weather is cool so opening the window helped, but street noise is loud, which could bother light sleepers. The photos on Expedia appear heavily filtered and misleading compared to the actual condition of the hotel. Amenities are very minimal -- only a small fridge, no real extras, and the TV isn't Bluetooth enabled. Bottom Line If you're simply looking for a cheap place to sleep and plan to spend most of your time out exploring, this may work. But if you're expecting modern accommodations, accurate listing photos, or a safer-feeling neighborhood, you may want to stay elsewhere.

The hotel itself had a retro feel (which was nice). My room had no a/c, and there are wood pieces…read moreon the window tracks to prevent one from opening them, no coffee pot, giant size tv, bed was alright, but the walls were thin and whoever was next door had their tv blasting till 6 a.m. The room looked retro (which I totally liked). The bathroom also had a retro look. The biggest issue I had was no ac no open windows. My overall experience wasn't good.

Providing details of my recent experience!…read more I applied for a Q2 family visa on 6/29, received confirmation on 7/7 on the online COVA site to submit passport, and went in person on 7/8 to drop off passport. I arrived at 11:43 AM, and there was no line outside. I was able to go straight inside, get through security, and take a number from the machine. My number was called at approximately 11:55 AM. I submitted my passport and was given a slip of paper to return on Monday, 7/13, to collect my passport. I was not required to show barcode or application. The guy simply scanned my currently valid passport upon receipt. I asked if payment would be due upon pick-up, and he confirmed it. The entire drop-off process only took about 15 minutes from the time I arrived to the time I received the paper receipt for pick-up. I returned at 12:22 AM on 7/13 to pick up my passport with the Q2 visa. Once again, there was no wait to enter. As I went through security, I was asked about the purpose of my visit. I informed the security officer I was here to pick up my passport. He directed me to window 1, and I did not have to take a ticket. I proceeded directly to window 1 after collecting my stuff from the screening machine. Within a few minutes, I was served. The guy helping me with pick-up didn't speak much. He mostly used gestures to indicate where to go, when to pay, and when to sign the receipt. By 12:29pm, I received my passports, so the entire pickup process only took 7 minutes! Prior to starting the visa application process, I anticipated there might be some issues, but in reality, it was very efficient and easy. I'm very grateful to now have the flexibility to visit my family in China.

Compared to over a decade ago, the process is a lot smoother. Submit an application online and…read moreonce you get approved, passively wait for the preliminary review at home until it gets approved ( takes about 2.5 weeks if you never had a visa, and approximately 1 week if you had one previously) and once you get the status to submit your passport, that's when you go. I printed my application, but they only needed my passport at the time of visit. Just make sure you have everything you need mentioned in your application. There is two lines from the door. The one on the left is to drop off your passport, among other things and the right is for pickup. Highly suggest dropping off your passport later in the week and picking up earlier in the week if possible because everyone wanted to drop off on Monday and pick up by Thursday. I went at 1030am on Monday and waited for 45 minutes before I reached the door and didn't get submit my passport until 12:30pm. It also takes longer because they went from three open counters to one due to their lunch breaks. There were no line for the pickup. On Friday, there was no line for the drop off, but a longer line for the pickup.

I visited the Miscellaneous Services department at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco (MS CGISF)…read moreyesterday to obtain the necessary attestation for my mother's death certificate and permit to transport ashes to India. Everyone I interacted with was very kind & helpful. Ms. Sneha Sherin & Ms. Nasib processed my documents in a patient & professional way. Ms. Sneha reviewed the no objection letter and found that I had entered my mother's passport number incorrectly. She kindly helped me re-do the application using the printer & scanner at the consulate. I was able to obtain all necessary documents the same day. I want to share my sincere thanks for the kindness & support provided by the team at the MS CGISF During this difficult time, I really felt like they embodied the spirit of India in the way they interacted with me and helped me through the process. When I was at the Consulate, an American lady was also there applying for similar documents. I observed both Ms. Sneha and Mr. Raju Sharma (Consul) interact with her. They were very patient and kind and really brought the concept of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam" to life in their interaction with this lady. I am very happy & proud that such a great team is representing India in San Francisco.

Easy street parking. Organized website that tells you what to bring to the consulate. Friendly…read morestaff who deliver on your request by the end of the day. Wonderful experience. I'd go again if I needed to.

amazing experience! ms. nida was very helpful, respectful and friendly!! the place is also clean…read moreand efficient thank you ms. nida for all your help!

Went there to get my Philippine passport. The staff is friendly but you really have to do your…read morehomework before getting there. Make sure you have all your paperwork. The security guard at the lobby will tell you where you need to go. The office is small and clean and they have a TV while you wait. You can buy a book of stamps on a separate floor (they don't sell one-offs).

No one answered the phone anymore???? I've been calling for days and months and no response of any…read moresort. Beyond frustrating!!!!!

Update to my review 5- years ago re: Visa exemption for Viet kieu (and their family)...I went this…read moreweek and the process was even better! Tips here: 1) Go in-person to visit: Fastest processing & nice people when talking live 2) Check opening hours: Time said 9am open, I showed up at 8:45am and door was already open 3) Download, print, complete application before coming: https://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/visa-exemption 3a) Vietnam's photo size is different vs USA passport photo size! 4) Pay fee in cash ($100) for expedited...waited only 15 minutes! Good luck!

I had this booked mainly for location since I was spending most of my time around South San…read moreFrancisco, Colma, and Millbrae. It's close to the airport and there are a few good spots that are walkable or a short drive. It's not fancy, not quite motel vibes either, just a very standard stay in an area where choices were limited that week. It works if you just need a place to sleep and travel conveniently. Cleanliness in the rooms was not it for me. There's a noticeable smell on the floors, like damp carpet mixed with old stains, and once you catch it, that's it you cant unsmell it. The room felt sad. Stained surfaces, dusty vents, dirty windows and curtains, little maintenance things that made it feel unkept. I don't need luxury, but I do need clean. The laundry room was also limited. One machine was out of order so everything overlapped and turned into awkward waiting. Front desk service was fine when someone was there, but a few times no one was at the desk and you're just standing there unsure if anyone's coming. The fitness room is weak. It looks claustrophobic online but is manageable in person if you really need it. Small, kind of dingy, very limited equipment. I noticed the same piece of trash sitting there for three days straight and there were no sanitizing wipes, just clean towels, which tells you how often it's actually checked. Coffee was actually pretty good and I had multiple cups during my stay. The lobby dining area was fairly spacious and well kept. Hot breakfast stayed stocked and the waffle station was a nice touch. I will say, there was an incident my first night that made things feel a little unsettled for a moment. Staff handled what they needed to handle, and the person who helped me later that night was calm and professional when it counted. Location and coffee really carried this stay. Pet and parking is convenient for a fee if you have a car or your furry baby.

AC cover fell off and hit wife when closing blinds.i called the front desk and and told the AC was…read morenot working and the cover fell and hit my wife's arm them said they would sent someone up but didn't ask about wife's arm. Took forever but someone come , they didn't have a clue took 4 trys and the cover still not on right and he was laughing the whole time. I told him the drain pan was fell and safely switch tuning the AC off he looked at me and said ok I'm al done.so we had a no all all night. After complaining on chat , someone called and Said we could change room , we were in bed at this time, if preventive maintenance and dirty coils in 305 I'm sure all are the same, hotel may look good but you never know the dirty air in your room until the cover falls off, this is not what you would expect from Hamilton,Brian. brianwine@verizon.net

We came here to get some questions answered about our citizenship status answered. Upon arriving,…read morewe had to open our bags and search through and go through the metal detector and given a numbered ticket. The staff was ever so friendly and helpful in answering all our questions and gave us the information required about my status and other information. Although I'm quite fluent in my Japanese, I chose to speak in English while my mom spoke in Japanese. Our assistant was fluent in both which made the process super expedient and beneficial. Located on the 21st floor. Easy parking at the basement @$6 per half hour. It took us less than that to get our questions answered.

Trying to register my son's birth (he is half Japanese) for his citizenship and its the third time…read morewe have to redo his application because they're horrible at communicating (even though my Japanese wife talks to them in Japanese). They've sent it back because of tiny things like commas, and then they told us after sending it that he has to have the same last name as my wife (they didn't tell us the first time they saw his application). For a Japanese organization, they are surprisingly inefficient and and not very good at communicating even in Japanese we've wasted so much time and money paying for postage.

We were only staying in San Francisco for a night, so we used this spot as simply a bed to sleep…read morein! Staff was friendly during our stay, storing our bags when we arrived before check in. The rooms are spacious and clean, yet a bit dated. The breakfast was a step above the normal continental breakfast you usually get, as they served up fresh breakfast tacos. Not as nice as some of the hotels in the city, but a great option if you're looking to save a few bucks or stay close to the airport. Downtown San Fran was about a 30 monuute drive.

I must say this is not a bad location just minutes outside of the city in the Bio Bay Area…read more We ended up booking this hotel due to the astronomical cost of the hotels in the city for a conference. Granted this hotel is a little dated, but the room was very spacious and very clean and it had everything that I personally would need. They do offer a free breakfast in the morning, which is fine and it's nothing special, but it will save you money from having to buy breakfast when you're in the city. The staff is very friendly and welcoming for the most part and there is one gentleman that really stands out as being an outstanding staff member in his name is Howard, who works at the front desk overnight. I had several questions and he gave me very good answers and made me feel welcomed. Across the street from this hotel is an amazing walking path that will take you around all of the biotech buildings and the view is incredible and it's very relaxing. Note that there is no fast food restaurants or any restaurants in the immediate walking area. You would need to catch an Uber to go to a mall or a restaurant.. after the conference concluded for the day, I quickly grabbed something downtown and took back to the hotel to watch TV and relax and eat. This restaurant does have a pool which is inside which looks very clean and well presented and they have two seating areas outside and one area has a gas grill and those were well maintained as well. Every morning I needed to catch either an Uber or Lyft to the city. Any average cost is anywhere from $23-$49 depending on the time.. So the bottom line would be if I'm back in San Francisco and attending an event in the city. I would definitely consider this hotel again for my future stays.