Visited this hotel for the second time in January 2012. Since my first visit in summer 2009 nothing really changed. Little Italy and Chinatown are still so close, the hotel is still perfectly clean, the staff still very friendly and my rate included breakfast which it did not the previous time.

The only thing to slightly complain about is the missing in-room safe deposit box, the receptionist is however happy to take passports and other documents to be stored in hotel's safe, will not take cash though.

Otherwise the hotel is still an very good choice for leisure traveller, primarily because of its perfect location, cleanliness and friedly staff. So next time in SFO, I will always check the availability of the SW hotel first.

Standard room 150$ incl. breakfast
Chinese-run hotel with small but clean and nicely furnished rooms. Very good bed. Very helpful and polite service at the desk. The huge breakfast includes bread, muffins, fruit, eggs, muesli, coffee and tea, but why a hotel of this class should use paper dishes and plastic forks eludes me totally.

Stayed here one night a month ago, after a weeklong conference. To go from a Marriott to this was a bit of a downer, but at the same time I didn't want to spend a ton on a room just for one Friday night in SF. This place was perfect for that. The location is smack in the middle of Chinatown, about a 15 min. walk to the Financial area. There are buses close by that you can hop on for $2 (exact bills only) if you don't want to handle the hills. It's also very walkable to Fisherman's Wharf (probably about 20 minutes) as well as other touristy sites. The room I stayed in was small but fine for what it was. It was well kept and clean, although the shower seemed a bit tight. However for the price you pay it's pretty good and the staff is very friendly. They also have a shuttle bus deal to the airport for $15 that they will help you arrange. Overall would recommend it for those who don't plan on spending a lot of time in their hotel room, want to be in a central spot, and don't have a lot of money to spend (room rate was about $110).

The SW Hotel is by far the best-located, best value-for-money, and cleanest hotel that I have encountered so far in San Francisco. I highly recommend it.

The staff are very friendly, helpful, and efficient. There are plenty of restaurants very nearby, and not just Asian ones (the SW Hotel is located in Chinatown). I just ate an excellent French breakfast at a nearby cafe. I slept like a baby; there was no noise. The room is spacious. Those who have allergies/asthma may want to know that there is not even a hint of mold in the bathroom or cigarette-smoke smell. The internet and hair dryer work perfectly and there are plenty of power outlets.

I travel to San Francisco regularly for work/fun. In general I find that only the most expensive hotels offer facilities that work reliably (e.g., internet service, hair dryer), a great location, and high standards of cleanliness. The SW Hotel really stands out.

It is a bit of a walk to Union Square; on the way back to the hotel, there would be a bit of a hill to climb. But there are buses that seem to run quite frequently. The nearest BART (subway) stop is a few blocks away.

The hotel is located in Chinatown and the rooms have a Chinese-type theme. Although the decor is not new, there is beautiful wooden furniture and my room even has silk-type fabric wall coverings. My room faces a brick wall, but this is no problem for me because it is very quiet.