The Metro Hotel

This hotel is the best kept secret in San Francisco ! Very clean, modern, affordable! Loved it! The staff is extremely nice and accommodating ! Rooms are small but beautiful! Would not think twice about staying here again!

Very inexpensive rooms that are small and cozy but functional enough to accommodate a crib for my one year old son who stayed in the room with my wife and I. We were able to get a room away from the street which kept out a majority of the noise from the city. The most impressive aspect of the three night stay was the exceptional staff who treated us like we were close relatives visiting from out of town. They even offered to let us store our stroller in their office each time we came back in so we wouldn’t need to carry it up the stairs. There was no elevator but it wasn’t much of an issue for us and the stairs had plenty of room for another guest to walk by going to opposite direction. Small flat screen TV in the room, dimming lights, and a ceiling fan all came into play at some point during our stay. There are several very good restaurants and coffee shops near by as well as SFU just a short walk away. If your visiting this part of San Francisco and want to stay somewhere inviting and inexpensive I highly recommend The Metro Hotel!

Stayed here for honeymoon and it was fantastic walking distant to where we wanted to go so saved gas. Great little room just for the 2 of us :)

Clean linens & room, comfy bed, good location, friendly staff. Downside: no coffee maker or mini fridge. Would stay there again.

Wasn’t sure what to expect staying at this hotel, but I enjoyed staying at this location very much. The staff were extremely friendly & helpful ²⁴⁄₇. The location was great, the room was small but big enough, and the property was well kept. I am glad that I planned a visit to San Francisco. The food left a lot to be desired-​I can understand why there aren’t many over weight people in that part of San Francisco, lol. The hotel was in a great location & it was easy to visit the surrounding neighborhoods & parks. If visiting SF, this would be a quaint hotel to stay.

My fiancée and I had such a pleasant stay here. The staff was polite and the hotel itself was very clean and cute. Love those old school vibes you get in the buildings of San Francisco. It was right around the corner from Escape from New York Pizza which is usually open late, so even after coming back to our hotel from our concert in Concord, we still had time to grab a pie, which we opted to enjoy in our cozy, peaceful hotel room. The bed was so soft and all of the linens and bath towels were clean. The only thing I would change about The Metro Hotel would be parking. There is only street parking, which is usually taken, and also not available on certain days & times for street cleaning. So prepare to possibly drive around the block several times just to find parking. That was quite the downer. But I would not hesitate to stay here again because we just had such a lovely overall experience.

The Metro Hotel is not a luxury five star hotel, and that is why I loved it! It’s very much a place one can call home away from home. When I decided to take a trip with my friend, we were searching for fair prices at good, clean and safe locations. The Metro was our answer thanks to Trip Advisor reviews and Unilocal reviews. Of course, going somewhere new, one always has to make her own impression regardless of reviews. As a result, I am so glad we chose the Metro Hotel during our stay.
I really adored how cozy, clean, quaint, friendly, and somewhat quirky this hotel is too. It’s adorable. The moment you step in, there’s a small area to sit and also shelves filled with fun and interesting books about San Francisco. A place that decorates with books is after my own heart! We stayed in room 202, second level, and faces out the down the streets. I know some others mentioned noise, but we had no problem with it, as the glasses are double paneled and I feel blocked out a lot of the noises for the most part. It was lovely to see the view. Room 202 has two full size beds, and a desk along with a flat screen TV mounted to the wall. There’s also a small dresser between the two beds. The bathroom is a perfect size. We had hand soap, and it’s really cool, the hotel uses Trader Joe’s Citrus Body Wash. We also received small shampoo and conditioner bottles for our hair! There’s also a blow dryer in the room attached to the wall too. The hotel is very clean, and offers daily cleaning and change of bed sheets and towels if you request it.
One of the nicest thing about this hotel is Shana, the receptionist staff member at the front. She was such a pleasure to talk to, and is such a lovely soul. She recommended some great places to eat, places to go, and how to get there for cheap. Per her recommendation, we bought a muni pass– which costs $ 35 for a week, so making that roughly $ 5 a day to get around. Really, you can’t beat that in San Francisco, and with the traffic, and streets, it’s best to use the public transportation anyway. Shana also helped us out with our itinerary and recommended great places to not be missed. Thanks to her, we discovered Sutro Baths and Cliff House, which turned out to be our most favorite spot! It wasn’t even on our list to begin with. Shana is fun, energetic, compassionate, and super patient. She’s such a sweetheart, and I feel the hotel is so welcoming thanks to her.
The hotel is situated between Divisadero and Page Street, and super convenient to all the public metro/​cable busses. There’s one bus that takes you almost anywhere on Haight St. and Oak St., which is right there depending on where you need to go. The hotel is also in an area where it’s easy to walk out for good food.
I would recommend this hotel if you’re looking for clean, safe, affordable, and living like a local while exploring all that there is in San Francisco.

I am pleasantly surprised with this place. The rates are very reasonable and the location is great. It’s less than a 10 minute walk to the Castro. The room is on the small side but quite nice. The hotel’s website warned excessive noise may be an issue with the room we selected, but we didn’t have an issue (maybe because it was Christmas). I would definitely stay here again.

I was attending a conference one mile away and this hotel came up as a nearby place to stay. It definitely has a unique charm and the rates are inexpensive compared to other hotels. My room on the second floor was clean. The downside is that the carpets are very dirty and stained and I could hear every person going up and down the stairs at night, while I was trying to sleep. My room faced the street and I could also hear the cars going by all night. Luckily, I was tired, so I got a little sleep. Also, there was no hot water in the morning when I showered both days. It took a full 15 minutes for the shower to run until any warm then finally hot water came out. That was frustrating. I probably wouldn’t stay at the Metro again. If price is an issue and you want clean and less expensive, then the Metro works. I think next time, I’ll pay a little more and stay at the Marriot.

Nice boutique hotel on the Divis in lower Haight. Interesting neighborhood with plenty of shops and restaurants around. Right next door is an Italian place that opens at 5 with outdoor seating that you can see from a back patio. Across the street is a Thai restaurant with another one up the street. A 76 station that has snacks and Krispy Kremes. No parking unless you can find a spot on the street or use the DMV lot on Fell St. for $ 15/​night. Really nice service and great beds. Rooms can be small but flat screen tv on the wall with cable. Close to UCSF, too.

We stayed at The Metro Hotel the first weekend in September, and the experience was truly extraordinary. Shayna at the front desk was the best — she welcomed us like old friends, gave us directions to all the landmarks, and great personal recommendations. She greeted us every morning and asked us what we had planned for the day, and she would follow up with us if we returned before her shift ended. We were actually quite sad that the day we checked out was her one day off.
The hotel is in an awesome location. It’s right on the Divis, so you’re far enough away from all the tourist activities that the sidewalks aren’t too crowded. Yet, you’re in walking distance of Alamo Square, Haight Ashbury and Golden Gate Park. There’s a ton of great restaurants and coffee shops around (go to Bean Bag café a few doors down for $ 2 happy hour ’till 10 p.m.!!), plus MUNI stops a few blocks down.
Yes, the rooms are small, but the bed was comfortable, and it gave us everything we needed. Who comes to San Francisco to stay in a hotel room all day, anyways? You really can’t beat the price, location and comfort of this place.
When we return to the city next time (because yes, there will be a next time), we will most definitely stay at the Metro! It feels like home!

Needing a spot to stay after the Erykah Badu DJ set a month or so I go, I happened upon the Metro Hotel online. I was elated to find a cheap hotel in SF with honest reviews on their cleanliness, size of room and description of neighboring area. So I booked and stayed in 108.
The room was cozy and clean as specified and close to the back door which led to a shared garden perfect for having lunch. The shower was quite small but was perfect for the one night stay we had. The closet was large and had a peek a boo window, nice edition to the natural light in the room. The room also came equip with a blow dryer, ceiling fan, portable fan, and cable tv. All in all for $ 100 a night this room is a perfect place to stay for a night or so.
Check in and Check out was smooth. Although they do not offer early or late check in or out they don’t mind storing your luggage for those who want to stick around SF after your stay. The staff is also plenty friendly and helpful.
My favorite part of the stay was being in the heart of the Haight.

I called to see if they had an available room.
I got a call back from Shana, to tell me they were booked. She did spend some time advising me where to look, with some ‘insider’ tips. She was helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. She definitely went the ‘extra mile.’

I just got back from my whirlwind weekend in San Francisco, and this hotel was great. The location in the Lower Haight is fun, and so close to everything. The hotel is small, but cute, and yes you can hear city noise, but it’s not a big deal. There’s so much to do within walking distance, and the bus and BART system is pretty good. We were in a small room with a queen bed the first night, and then we got the two bedroom the second night. It was a cool set up.
I just have to rave about the Staff. Shana, who works the morning shift was amazing. It was our (my BFF and I) first time in SF, and Shana was super welcoming and accommodating. She hooked us up with where to go and what to see. She was super fun to talk to, and we felt like we made an instant friend. Also, Matt, who works the swing shift was super informative as well. He’s a fellow vegan, and he had the best suggestions for restaurants, etc. Also, the staff can hold any food or drinks you bring in with you in their fridge, since the rooms don’t come with them. They can check you out a kettle for coffee/​tea as well.
I will absolutely stay there again. Thanks, Metro!

I’m editing this review with many apologies to the Metro Hotel! I had previously said that I was bitten by bed bugs here but I have now learned that those «bites» are, in fact, shingles! In my defense, I stayed in a «no frills» budget hotel and the next day found a line of painful itchy red bumps on my back. And google seemed to confirm the assumption I leapt to.
Anyway, no bugs. Sorry! But much of my previous review still stands. You should only consider staying in this hotel if budget is your primary concern and you don’t care about atmosphere, aesthetics or the comforts found in most American hotels.
Here’s what I wrote before, minus the bug stuff…
The positive reviews for this hotel are kind of mystifying to me. I guess it’s a good bargain, about $ 100 cheaper than a well-​maintained, clean, modern San Francisco hotel would be. But if you can afford to spend the extra money for a nicer place I think you should. My room felt like a college dorm lounge toward the end of the spring semester. Drab grey carpet, what looks like the cheapest couch available at Ikea 10 years ago, everything looked like it had taken a beating. A bummer.
I will say the people who work here are lovely and the location is good. But really, treat yourself to a nicer place if you can.

PROS: Price, location, value
For close to nothing (well, $ 80+/night), you can have everything you need accommodations-​wise for a trip to San Francisco. It’s located very conveniently to things of interest without being in the thick of all things touristy. The rooms provide a safe and private place to put your luggage and sleep in a compact setting. At the same time, it manages to be clean and very well kept. It’s modestly stocked with stuff so you’ll want to bring your own toiletries but, seriously, for the savings you get staying here, you’ll have money to buy your own shampoo.
CONS (kind of): Size, noise, accessibility
You do have to know this about this place: The rooms are small. Very small.
If I stretched out my arms outside of my full-​sized bed, I could literally touch the walls on each side. I had to close the door to the hallway to be able to open the bathroom door. The bathroom consisted of a toilet and a standing shower. The sink was outside the bathroom and doubled as a vanity and sink situation by the bed. If this bothers you, for at least $ 120 more a day, you can find a hotel where you can do back flips before you head out and spend most of your day wandering around the city.
You can also definitely hear a regular amount of city noise. There were some people enjoying the garden terrace outside who I could hear from 3 floors up. I’m not typically bothered by this but for sensitive sleepers, it might be a problem.
Lastly, they don’t have elevators. It’s not a problem for me because this girl is from Seattle and stairs/​hill ain’t no thang. But for those with limited mobility, it’s a no go.
ULTIMATELY
I love this place. I almost didn’t wanna tell you about this place because I wanted to keep it to myself. I seriously live in constant fear that they’ll figure out that they can raise the prices.

Mucho bien. Avant de partir, on s’est longuement interrogés. Au pays du airbnb, l’option hôtel est-​elle à considérer? La réponse est oui, mes amis, car avec des petites pépites comme le Metro Hotel on s’en sort à meilleur compte qu’en partageant son logis avec une famille de Hollandais en tongs-​chaussettes venus découvrir le pays de l’Oncle Sam.
Une chambre propre, agréable, avec le strict nécessaire (WiFi compris), service et quartier sympas en prime. Pour deux nuits en chambre double, nous nous en sommes sortis pour 200 $.

PROS
Loved this little hotel (but it was not perfect)! It is utilitarian and practical. The lobby is cute and the staff are amazingly helpful with directions and advice. The rooms are small and very basic but just what you need to have a nice stay in SF, especially if you are out and about all of the time. The room was clean. I would say that this «hotel» is more of a «hostel» or «Inn» rather than a hotel in designation. The outside patio is very cute and a nice place to hang out. Free Wi-​Fi is a big plus!
CONS
There were only a couple of drawbacks. The noise was a bit much. First, there is a restaurant next door and I was able to hear conversation, dishes clanking and things dropping late into the night. The hotel in general is also loud (a guest door opens and you can hear it… someone is talking in the hallway and you can hear it, someone is taking a shower and you hear it). This was a bit disappointing. My particular room was very bright at night which was bothersome (there were blinds on the window but no curtain so the room was not completely dark (or even kinda dark) at night.
OVERALL
Overall however, I would highly recommend it for the price (you can’t beat it!). If you can deal with some noise, I think it will be great for you! You can save your money to have a great time in SF instead of paying for a room that you are never in.

I didn’t realize how superfluous most hotels are until I stayed here. No frills, nothing fancy. There’s just a clean room and great, personal service. It’s a small boutique hotel, almost hostel-​like, but clean, cozy, and with your own private bathroom. For the location — walking distance to Haight/​Castro/​Golden Gate Park — this can’t be beat. Plus, the fire escape doubles as an awesome balcony from where I can do my people-​watching!
Some pointers: wi-​fi is included, there’s no parking lot (but plenty of residential street parking if you’re lucky and mindful of the signs), no complimentary toiletries. The staff is pleasant and helpful. There’s an adorable chalkboard downstairs that has weather stats and local events.
To my friend who suggested this place and booked the room — thank you! The city needs more hotels like this.

This will be the only place I stay in San Francisco from now on.
It’s in the perfect location.
My interior room was just the right the size — also beautiful, clean, and affordable.
I adore the staff!
Thank you Metro Hotel!

Loved it! San Francisco is not a city to enjoy from your hotel so if what you need is a charming, safe & cozy place to sleep this is the right hotel.
PLUS if you happen to drive there, there’s free parking on the street!
We have stayed there twice with my husband and found the service to be excellent, both times surpassing our expectations.
Looking to book for this labor day but might have waited too long, this little gem books fast!

Stayed here over the weekend. Had a small but nice room with a bathroom. Was super clean and the staff was great. For the money this is hands down the best value in SF.
The neighborhood is great, and away from the throng of tourists in Union Square. It’s obvious many guests stay there a lot.
You have to book the place early but it’s worth it. This is my new SF home!

If I could give 10 stars — I would.
This is the cutest little hotel, it is super clean and modern, its basic and the location is close to the bus and muni lines. There is lots of little cafes and restaurants near by.
The staff was super nice and helpfull with directions.
The prices are fair and totally acceptable considered the location and that it is in San Fran.
I would stay here again in a heartbeat and recommend it to everyone.

For our first trip to SF, b. found this affordable and conveniently located hotel where we booked a room (one full bed with a private bathroom) for $ 88/​night. Score!
As other Unilocalers have noted, be realistic about your expectations. This is a no frills budget hotel suited for travelers who are planning to spend most of their time exploring outside and not lounging around inside. Now moving on to a description of Room 112…
Website description: «Room 112 is a full room on the 2^nd floor. It is one of our interior rooms with a window opening to a light well. The bathroom is generous in size and the room also has a desk & chair so, it is slightly more spacious than other interior rooms.» (Me to self: What is that comma doing there?)
We weren’t quite sure what to expect by «light well» but our large window faced an outside entryway to the back garden/​patio area. A door on the left looked like it may have led into Ragazza? I had raised the blinds and was startled by a girl wearing an apron exiting from that doorway. I then turned frantic when I couldn’t lower the blinds and was waiting for the girl to return and see my deer-​in-​the-​headlights look on my face until b. took away the cord and calmly lowered the blinds again. A sucky thing was that the window did not have a screen! So we couldn’t open it to air out the musty smell in the room. Boo. As for the desk and chair, there were none unless you counted the wall-​mounted night stands on each side of the bed and a tiny ottoman stool thingy that had enough space to accommodate one butt cheek. As for spaciousness, there was maybe about 2 – 3 feet of space on each side of the bed with one foot of space at the end of the bed. The bathroom was brightly lit with plenty of space although the shower stall itself was somewhat cramped. The room also had a large wall length mirror and a small closet area (no door) with hangers, a luggage stand, a space heater, and an extra blanket.
Other things to note:
— Bring your own toiletries. There is only liquid soap in a bottle by the sink and in a dispenser that is inside the shower stall.
— There is a small flat screen TV mounted on the wall with basic cable.
— Free wireless. Front desk staff will provide you with the code upon check-​in.
— You can borrow a hair dryer from the front desk and keep it for the duration of your stay.
— There is a large ceiling fan above the bed that can be turned to different settings. The fan’s light is the room’s main source of lighting and can be dimmed to various settings. Our lighting was generally pretty poor and one of the two recessed lights was burnt out.
— Room has high ceilings, which helps with cramped quarters.
— Daily cleaning service that will provide you with fresh towels.
— There was some construction noise that we couldn’t quite tell where it was coming from and that started around 6:30−7 AM. Seriously.
— There is an alarm clock and a thin guidebook to San Francisco. Lobby also has plenty of books and maps to check out.
— There is an airport shuttle that the front desk can help you arrange the day before your departure flight. The shuttle will take you from the hotel to SFO for $ 10/​person, not including tip. No deal for SFO to hotel. Note about the shuttle: It’s a 12-​seater van that appears quite worn out on the inside. Smelled like stale cigarettes. Note about potential passengers: One of ours had camped out on the whole backseat with her blanket and was rolling a joint when we climbed into the van. Then laid down and started «secretly» smoking. Then kept complaining to the driver about how hot it was and then climbed to the front of the van and proceeded to fiddle with the controls herself. (Me: Girl! Oh no you didn’t!) Then kept admonishing the driver to slow down when we were barely going 60 mph. Yup. Note about the driver: Older man, softspoken, and friendly. Incredibly patient with the passenger noted earlier. But dude, seriously?! Girlfriend was all over yo’ dashboard! Oh, and he put on some Chinese opera music halfway through the ride. Awkward and weird. Thankfully, he switched it to a less painful radio station soon afterwards.
In summary, an old building with cramped rooms but clean and affordable with friendly and helpful staff, and is conveniently located in a neighborhood with character. And ride the shuttle at your own risk.
Whooeee, this must be the longest review ehVAH.

Truly a hidden gem of a hotel in San Francisco. The Metro Hotel is a great value for clean, comfortable no-​frills accommodation.
The ROOMS: They’re small, but sufficient. Very clean. Quite comfortable queen-​sized beds. Ceiling fan and good lighting. We had an «interior room», which basically meant that the window faced out onto an interior courtyard. Nothing to write home about for views, but light during the day, good ventilation, and a lot quieter than being on Divs. Free Wi-​Fi was not quite as good as I would have liked, but adequate.
The STAFF: Shana at the front desk was our favorite. She was so cheerful, friendly, and thrilled to make recommendations. I wish I could remember the other staff person’s name, but I needed to print something. I e-​mailed it to her, and before I could make it downstairs, she had already sprinted up two flights of stairs to deliver it. Awesome!
The LOCATION: It’s almost at the intersection of the Haight and Divisadero. The Lower Haight neighbourhood has a good selection of restaurants and bars with plenty more in walking distance. Both Divis. and Haight have quite good bus lines along them… don’t be scared to take public transit. Short walk to Toronado, which has one of the best beer selections in the country. Easy walking to the Castro, Painted Ladies, Hayes Valley, etc.
OVERALL, at $ 100/​night for a smallish, clean comfortable room, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this. In a place like SF, you’re really not going to be in your hotel room very long… mostly to sleep, shower, and send e-​mails. If that’s the case this place is ideal. If for some reason you plan to spend your vacation in your hotel room, you might find this a little less satisfactory due to the room size.

When in doubt, trust in Unilocal.I booked the Metro because it was ridiculously cheap — half the price of any other hotel (and those only offered shared bathrooms). I wasn’t sure what to expect with the mixed reviews, but I noticed that the really bad reviews tended to be old. I couldn’t believe my luck because it was an excellent value. I had room 206, which I think was described as the smallest room in the hotel with no window. It was $ 88 ($ 101 after taxes). I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did have a window! The room was definitely tiny but clean and adequate. There was a full sized bed and maybe 2 feet of perimeter space around the bed, and that’s it. I am a small person and I found myself bumping into the wall all the time.
Pros:
— So, so cheap
— Location; The neighborhood is charming and safe, with lots of markets and cafes nearby. It’s also close to GG Park, Haight St, Castro.
— Friendly staff. I had to borrow a hair dryer from the front desk and they delivered it to me
— Outdoor patio
— Free wifi
— Private bathroom
— If you are here for work, the 6 and 71 bus goes directly from Haight St into Union Square
Cons
— No elevator
— Small. If you are here for business, you might wanna spring for a larger room or go somewhere else. There were only 2 drawers (in a nightstand) plus a tiny cubby closet, which my husband filled with the shirts/​suits he needed for our 5 day stay. If we needed to use an iron, I have no idea how an ironing board would fit in the room. On the other hand, there are 2 cleaners nearby where you could your clothes pressed. If you are tall or large, you should not get room 206, the smallest room in the hotel.
Book early because a lot of people are in on this secret! I booked at least 3 months ahead and I got the last room available.