Ice Center at San Mateo

I have very mixed reviews of the hotel. On the positive side, the room was a good size, decently decorated and clean. The bed, linens and pillows were very comfortable. The bathroom looked really nice but the freestanding porcelain sinks left no space to put any toiletries so they were either in the sink or on the floor. That was annoying. Now the negatives. Overall we found the staff to be somewhere between indifferent and rude. Wait staff in the restaurant at time felt downright hostile. Front desk staff on check in made us feel entirely unwelcome. The exception was the bellman who was always friendly. The hallways were dingy, in need of updating and poorly lit. The restaurant was nicely appointed however the food was terrible (I got a steak that was one of the worst ones I’ve ever had) and another main dish was absolutely tasteless. The prices are very high for what you get. Location-wise it is quite close to Union Square but sits on the north side which unfortunately isn’t the same level surroundings. I can’t blame the hotel for that, but it’s something to be aware of. Unfortunately this seemed to be the case most places we went in San Francisco so unless you stay on the west side you will be in a very mixed level environment. Overall if you want to stay in a historic Art Deco hotel you will appreciate the architecture but beyond that it falls flat.

A Hidden gem within the heart of the city.