Background and Location
I needed a hotel in San Francisco for one night and was traveling with a friend. The Taj Campton Place San Francisco is located in Union Square, right across from the Grand Hyatt. It was convenient for us and an easy rideshare or walk to all the friends we planned to meet. Rates for our Sunday night stay were under $300 including taxes and fees.
Takeoff Points
Pros: Nice bathroom & quiet, boutique feel.
Cons: Dated and slow restaurant service.
Takeoff Point: Overall, the Taj Campton Place San Francisco provides a quiet, boutique stay in the city, but is tired and can be uplifted to feel more luxurious.
AMEX FHR and Travel Agency Benefits
I booked with AMEX FHR, and it came with the below perks:
- 12 pm check-in, when available
- Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
- Daily breakfast for two: Daily breakfast credit of US 30 per guest for up to two guests
- Guaranteed 4:00 pm late check-out
- US$100 Food and beverage credit
I work with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays. Fora is part of Virtuoso. This partnership gives you special perks when booking with me, similar to AMEX FHR, except Virtuoso doesn’t guarantee a 4 pm late check-out.
If you are interested in staying at Taj Campton Place, feel free to email me at takeofftotravel@fora.travel, and I would be happy to help you plan your trip.
Arrival and Initial Impressions
We arrived around 4 pm and were quickly helped by a friendly associate. We had booked the lead-in King room and had requested a room with two beds, and an upgrade to a Deluxe Two Double was given. She went over the FHR benefits, and then we were on our way to the room.
The initial impressions were mixed, with the smell of the common areas and our room a bit less than fresh, but overall it improved throughout our stay.
Deluxe Double Room
Our room was located on the third floor, and I was pleasantly surprised by the size of our room, which had a small foyer and a long hallway to the room.
First, you’d pass the large bathroom, which featured a large soaking tub and separate shower. I found this to be the highlight of the room. There was a single sink and toilet all in the one room, but it was spacious overall. The towels were the most luxurious aspect of the amenities provided.
Toiletries were provided by Gilcrest and Soames, and basic dental kits, shower caps, and vanity kits were provided.
In walking towards the room, there is a large closet space with a built-in luggage rack, which was nice. Plenty of space to hang clothes and an iron/board was provided.
Then, there was a cabinet that houses an empty mini fridge for personal use, as well as a Nespresso machine. A hot water kettle was provided as well, which was nice.
Here, a welcome amenity was provided of four macarons, which was appreciated and tasty.
The room itself was quite basic, with two double-sized beds with just two pillows on each bed. An outdated nightstand was placed in the center, and an oddly placed surge protector was the extent of power port options near the bed. We had a view of another building, which was fine and kept the outside noise to a minimum.
There was a small TV and desk with a chair next to the window. Despite being dated, cleanliness at least seemed to be decent.
Amenities
There is a 9th-floor outdoor gym with views of the city, which is kind of cool! It’s on the smaller side, and the equipment was a bit limited, but I was able to get a workout in. No Peloton, though.
As part of the destination fee, the lobby floor offers complimentary coffee, tea, and pastries from 7 am to 10:30 am daily. The pastries came out 20 minutes late at 7:20 am, and so there were a few of us waiting for them.
Dining
The Taj Campton Place has two dining establishments and in-room dining. In-room dining is available daily from 7 AM to 9 PM.
Campton Bar + Bistro
There is a small lobby bar serving food and drinks called the Campton Bar & Bistro, which is open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM.
Bombay Brasserie
Then, Bombay Brasserie, the main restaurant, is open for breakfast daily from 7 AM to 10:30 AM (11 AM on the weekends). And dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5 PM to 10 PM.
We used our $100 credit for dinner, and since Bombay Brasserie was closed, we ate at the Campton Bar and Bistro. We ordered a tuna tartare ($27), Kerala Prawn Curry ($34), and Tagliatelle Bolognese ($32). All were decent, but nothing out of this world.
Breakfast is served in Bombay Brasserie, and there is a small continental breakfast buffet available for $30, which takes up the FHR breakfast credit, which is also $30. Or you can order from the à la carte menu. We opted for the à la carte menu, and had to patch a bit due to the high prices of the menu. Most entrees were close to $30, with tea being a whopping $10. The full American breakfast was $48.
We each opted for an omelet ($24) and shared a fruit bowl with berries ($15). The breakfast was sufficient.
The Verdict
Overall, the Taj Campton Palace was an acceptable option for my visit to San Francisco. I enjoyed the quiet boutique vibe, though the hotel is tired and offers more of a four-star experience.
Have you stayed at the Taj Campton Palace San Francisco before? How was your experience? Comment below!
Happy travels,
Ty
Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!
