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4.0
#50 of 239 hotels in San Francisco
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf hotel is located in one of the most iconic areas of San Francisco. Very close to Pier 39, it offers the best services so that you can enjoy an unforgettable and unique stay. Its complete facilities include free WiFi, an outdoor pool with sun loungers where you can enjoy the Californian warm climate, a gym for sports-lovers to practice their favorite activities, and various conference rooms in case your are in town for business. Our hotel has more than 500 rooms, all perfectly equipped to offer the maximum comfort. with satellite TV, mini-fridge, coffee machine and AC. You will also be delighted by our appreciated buffet breakfasts, where you can choose among a wide selection of finely prepared dishes. Or just pick a snack at the Grab & Go bar and prepare for an exciting day in the Bay area. To make your stay in San Francisco truly unforgettable, we suggest you visit the city’s most iconic spots. You can't miss the Golden Gate Bridge, the famous ‘Painted Ladies’ Victorian houses, riding the legendary hills with the Cable Car or visiting the infamous Alcatraz Prison. Book your stay with Riu Hotels & Resorts and discover one of the most attractive and picturesque cities in the United States.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf is often celebrated for its prime location near Pier 39 and convenient transportation options, making it a hit among travelers. Guests have called out the delectable breakfast buffet and the inviting outdoor fire pits that contribute to a cozy atmosphere.
While the hotel's cleanliness and helpful staff receive accolades, some visitors have expressed concerns over outdated rooms and disruptive noise levels. Additionally, the value proposition is dampened by additional fees, which include parking and resort charges, that guests find onerous.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Efficient
Amenities
Abundant
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This hotel is amazing! All staff members we were in contact with were professional, friendly and very helpful. The location is so close to Fisherman's Wharf so many things were within walking distance. The room was very clean with comfortable beds. There is a separate room for the toilet and shower that is small but caused us no issues. The relaxing electric fire pits were nice. One area is for smokers and 3 more for non-smokers with comfortable outdoor furniture surrounding them all. They have a heated pool which many were enjoying but with the temperatures and wind in SF the air was too chilly for us. The best reason to stay at SF Hotel Riu is the breakfast buffet!! They have lots of areas for seating and plenty of staff to clean tables and direct guests to open tables. The wait time was different daily but usually about 5-15 minutes. I loved when a handicapped person was headed for the line, they let him and his group jump to the front of the line. The self-serve food and drinks offered are plentiful! Bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, bagels, pastries, fruit, potatoes, lunch meats, salad, mushrooms, pancakes and maybe more! The staff is continually refilling all food items so they were never out of anything. Coffee, tea, various juices and milk provided many options for drinks. The hotel has a lot of guests so we moved around slowly avoiding collisions as it can be quite crowed around the food and drinks. You won't be dissappointed with this breakfast buffet, it is delicious! Needless to say, I highly recommend staying at Hotel Riu Plaza!
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Review collected in partnership with riu.com
Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Other at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 3 Aug 2023
Dear Cindy S, Thank you so much for your kind words and your top rating on Tripadvisor. We are glad that you visited once again, and were able to assist you and make your stay memorable. It is our hope that we can have the opportunity to serve you again in the future. With appreciation, Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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The location of Riu Plaza is amazing. Rooms are of good size but shower and bathroom too small. You can’t open the bathroom door without squeezing yourself. We reserved bed and breakfast. First night had to change the room midnight due to deafening engine noises. The staff were helpful, acknowledged the problem and gave us a quiet room (make sure you notice this issue before unpacking if you are a light sleeper). Breakfast ended up to be coffee with a bag containing a fruit, danish, and energy bar to eat in your room or outside the hotel. We ended up paying and eating outside in a nearby cafe (we love hot omelettes and hash browns in the morning). Room cleaning is not done automatically, you need to put a request every day (little strange). Good aspects are the great location, you are 3 minutes walk from boardwalk, pier 39, many restaurants, hop on bus and ferry rides. Safeway is across the street. Uber knows the place. We booked a day trip to Napa valley and were picked up from across the street. Overall I recommend the hotel but be ready for the above mentioned issues. Lastly it’s not cheap if you are on a budget
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Other at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 25 Jun 2021
Dear 887salwab, Thank you for sharing your experience. We are saddened to hear that your recent stay did not match your expectations in some aspects. We are sorry to learn that you did not agree with the dimensions of the bathroom and that you felt disturbed by the noise. It is great this was rectified soon and you received a room that was to your liking. We are also happy to hear you enjoyed the hotel´s privileged location and we look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. Have a great day, Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman´s Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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This is not a Sheraton property, but it used to be last year and will still show as a Sheraton with 3rd party booking sites. It is now an RIU which charges a $24 resort fee except they don't have a resort (spa or anything for your extra $$) The rooms were nice and the location is great for a walk around the wharf, cable cars, Alcatraz, etc... Parking is ridiculous at $72 per night so park across the street for $36. The front desk seems understaffed as we waited over 15 minutes to check in with only a couple people on staff.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RiuHotelsandResorts, Online Reputation Manager at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 30 Jan 2020
Dear Destination774872, Thank you for your time, We are happy to learn that overall you had a good time during your stay at our Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf! We appreciate that you highlight our great location and nice rooms! Nevertheless, we are sorry to learn that you did not agree with our resort fee and with the price of our parking. Also, we apologize if you experienced some issues during the check in process and that this took longer than usual. We assure you this normally does not happen. We hope to host you again in one of our worldwide hotels in the future! Greetings, Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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My partner and I stayed here for 10 nights whilst on holiday to San Francisco. We arrived late afternoon to an extremely busy reception area but where quickly seen to at the desk, when we handed over our credit card as guarantee the receptionist advised that an added $29 per day resort fee needed to also be paid, we had booked via British Airways Holidays and this wasn’t explained nor advised. The hotel claim they don’t control what third parties advise but I work in corporate travel so the hotel can describe this in their rate policy, in addition they should just up the rate to cover this as opposed to it being a surprise to guests on arrival, it also doesn’t even warrant what they claim it covers: WiFi access, two welcome bottles of water, unlimited local phone calls, coffee in the room, use of computer at reception, access to gym and luggage storage on day of departure. All of these items are standard inclusions in any other hotel and baked into the price, I expressed my feelings on it at the desk but for not wanting to embarrass myself or my partner paid it. The receptionist did say she appreciated my point and that she had upgraded our room. We had a lovely room on floor 4 with a huge bed, bathroom and a seating area, this was perfect for our 10 days here. Breakfast was included and seemingly is for everyone so it can involve a wait to get seated but we didn’t wait long at all. It’s a standard help yourself affair with plenty of choices, and was well appreciated. Don’t use the coffee from the machines, they provide Starbucks filter which tastes much nicer by the area where cups and glasses are stored. All in all, the hotel is decent and the staff where all pleasant. Location can’t be faulted but my two pieces of feedback for the hotel are this:
**Ditch the resort fee and up the rate so it doesn’t feel like another charge as it gets peoples back up especially if they’ve paid ahead.
**Offer room only rates to reduce the traffic volume at breakfast as not everyone will want it included, this way you’re giving the guest the choice of booking it or not.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Other at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 25 Oct 2022
Dear Mark, Thank you very much for staying with us and sharing your valuable feedback. We really appreciate it. Your review will be forwarded and we would be very pleased to welcome you again soon. Kindest Greetings, Mark! Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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Hotel Riu in San Francisco was a wonderful surprise as our hotel. My partner had booked it from Australia and you can never tell whether the photos and descriptions are accurate. Well they are. Check in was easy and soon we were in our room with a king size bed that was so large that if we lay on one side each we could only just touch arms. Perfect. The bed was soooo comfortable and the linen soft. The pillows just perfect. Ah I do love a 5 star hotel.
There is a bar fridge, safe, tv, bedside clock, ironing board, iron, hair dryer, basic toiletries, towels etc.
The thick drapes meant you could make the room very dark which aids in my sleeping. Noise wise, it would be my only criticism. I could hear the footsteps upstairs and in the mornings, the cleaning crew would chat amongst themselves as they walked up and down the corridor with their trolleys. But that would be the only bad thing I could say.
Breakfast: starting at 6am through to 10am, this is a buffet style breakfast that you need to be prepared to queue for. But don’t worry, it’s an enormous space and it doesn’t take long to get a seat.
There are all the usual foods: fruit, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, cured meat, bagels, muffins, breads, tea, coffee machines and so much more. Interestingly, it is all American or should I say Western food. I’ve often travelled to countries that have a variety of international food to cater for their international guests.
They do however have gluten free bread and other options for those with dietary requirements. Signage is up on the wall to speak to a waiter if you have any queries.
The pool, the gym, the meeting area were excellent. Outside there are some lovely seats with a fire in front which makes a nice spot to sit when it’s chilly. This is the spot to wait for your Uber or Taxi as well.
Located only 5 minutes from the bay, the location is perfect and saves a lot of time catching transport to get down to Pier 39, the markets, the ferry terminal and so on.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Breakfast times get busy. Go either early or late
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RIU Hotels and Resorts, Other at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 18 Aug 2022
Dear Urban drifter, Thank you very much for sharing your valuable and detailed feedback. Your positive remarks are very welcome, since our staff do their best to make our guests’ stay as pleasant as possible. We will be waiting to have you back very soon. Kindest greetings! Hotel Riu Fisherman’s Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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Great visit, hotel was very clean and accommodating. The cleaning staff was very thorough in sanitizing everything. Disposable coffee cups and single use water/beverage cups were provided in the bathroom and bedroom area. In room coffee service was maintained. Refrigerator was stocked with bottled water upon arrival. Night manager on duty was a kind, professional and extremely competent woman for check-in and check-out. She was warm and friendly when greeting comings and going. The location is positioned well fisherman’s wharf exploration by foot.
The hot water shower was welcomed after my trip. The bedding and mattresses were so comfortable, that I slept very well despite traveling from eastern to pacific time.
Lighting and outlets for charging were abundant. A nice touch was night lights provided bedside. Translucent and darkened shades allowed me to enjoy window views and shield from sun. I enjoyed my state and Highly recommend this hotel. I plan to return at the first opportunity.
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Parking is available and ride sharing is easy to access.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is a great hotel, all staff were clean & tidy in appearance, polite & courteous, attentive and very accommodating. The hotel is in a great location, 1 minute walk to nearest streetcar/bus stop, 2 minute walk to the promenade & 10 minute walk from Pier 39. The hotel was clean and tidy, I felt safe & secure onsite. The on-site facilities were OK for our needs & taking in to consideration there were still COVID restrictions still in place. we has a king superior room, it was massive, loads of room, it had all the things you need such as comfy bed, safe, coffee maker, good Wi-Fi large TV, digital radio. The bathroom is small but had bath with shower combo with complimentary toiletries. We opted for the on-site breakfast in the restaurant which was fantastic exceeding our expectations, it was self serve everything you would want was available taking COVID into consideration. If the bathroom was bigger, had more drawer storage for clothing and restore room service I would happily give 5 star review. Don’t rush to the Seven Eleven as it’s well overpriced, there is a hidden Safeway just 90 second walk if you cut through the car park opposite which is cheaper with a Safeway members card.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Reliable, clean & cheap public transport all around the city with your nearest stop just a 60...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Went just before pandemic broke down and the city shut down!
The hotel was nothing special but the location was excellent! Don't know why hotels are charging resort fees when they offer nothing more, claiming it is the free wifi, use of amenities, etc. I would think that was included in the room fee.
The only reason why I give this a 4* is purely because of the location. With a parking fee of $60 (they told as at check in they did reduce it to about $42 or so) a day we decided not to rent a car. We took uber from airport which cost about $36. Fisherman's wharf is just minutes away and not sure if it was not too busy because we were on the cusp of the Covid19. So we were able to walk to restaurants and pick up ferry to Alcatraz tour and city tour. We probably could have easily taken public transit too if we wanted.
The Dollar car rental right next door at Sheraton was extremely a good find. We rented a car for the day whenever we needed for about $25. We returned the car after hours so did not have to pay for parking.
Safeway is also next door for grocery shopping. There is also a Ross which I was going to go find some warmer clothes as we didn't seem to bring enough but ended up not going.
So on location alone it gets my 4* rating. Room was clean, staff were pleasant. Don't forget to stop in at the conierge desk because she has a drawer full of discount coupons for nearby restaurants as well as $10 arcade play passes for kids.
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Review collected in partnership with riu.com
Date of stay: March 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RiuHotelsandResorts, Online Reputation Manager at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 25 Mar 2020
Dear PhuMy G, Thank you for sharing your impressions with us. We are glad that you liked our convenient location, our clean rooms and the service provided by our pleasant staff. However, we are saddened to hear that your stay with us did not fulfil your expectations in some regards and we will pass on your comments to our Management Team for further consideration. We hope that the world returns to normal soon and that you can enjoy travel and vacations. With our best wishes we remain, Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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We stayed here on New Year’s Eve with another family. The hotel is going through a transition from Sheraton to Riu so staff is getting used to new systems. Check was a bit long but luckily we arrived around 3pm and line wasn’t too bad. The hotel is just a block from Fisherman’s Wharf and a 9 min walk to Pier 39. It was such a great deal. We paid $209 on Nee Years Eve and it included a full hot breakfast buffet. Don’t know where you can find a better deal than that. The staff is all very helpful especially Bash at check-in and the Hotel Manager who was working hard thanking people for their patience and handing out waters to those in line. We will definitely come back for another stay.
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Review collected in partnership with riu.com
Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from RiuHotelsandResorts, Online Reputation Manager at Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
Responded 8 Jan 2020
Dear Lisa, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave us your evaluation with the highest score. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay so much and certainly your compliments on our staff will be shared with them, thank you again! It would be our pleasure to be able to serve you again soon to your satisfaction. Kind regards Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf Online Reputation Manager
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We stayed 2 nights. Our room was in the 1600’s and faced out into a courtyard. The courtyard is narrow and on about the same level as our 1st floor room. When you open a window or raise your shades, you might find yourself uncomfortably close to some strangers using the courtyard. Completely destroyed the pleasure of having a courtyard facing room. Maybe higher floor would be better. No doorman on duty when we arrived at around 3:30. Check-in was long and tedious. I had booked two rooms for my family and the clerk seemed totally confused by that. When I asked if keys of both rooms could be set up to access the parking garage, she became frustrated and sought help from another employee. Rather than keep your credit card on file for incidentals, Riu adds a $150 hold per room to your card. I’m not really comfortable with that procedure, but had no choice. Still waiting to see if the whole $150 is removed from card. When I asked the desk clerk to break a $20 bill so I could tip the housekeeping staff, the clerk looked at the bill in my hand and said without looking up at me, “No. We don’t keep small bills here.” So housekeeping, the desk really has your back. No tip left. The rooms were small and clean and the courtyards and outdoor seating are comfortable. Good location. Parking was $110 for two nights with free in and out. Outrageous parking price, but they know they have you. Parking in that area is at a premium. I will never stay here again and will never recommend it to anyone. It takes more than a good housekeeping staff and clean room to demand the rates they charge.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the San Francisco area.
PRICE RANGE
₹17,800 - ₹23,594 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
sheraton san francisco, san francisco sheraton, sheraton fishermans wharf
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf Hotel
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan FranciscoFisherman’s Wharf
NUMBER OF ROOMS
531
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
