The Donatello Hotel

We stayed here for 2 nights and the staff were friendly and helpful,rooms were very nice with beautiful furnishings.

Breakfast is muffins,bagels,danishes and tea/coffee which is ok but the breakfast room is quite small.

Location is close to the city,shopping and cable cars.You can walk to Pier 39 and Fishermans wharf from hotel although it is a long walk but there is plenty to see on the way.

Hotel area is ok during the day but at night there are alot of homeless people in the back streets but they are all around San Francisco not just here, they seem harmless but it is a bit uncomfortable.

I have stayed here many times, this is a comfortable spot in San Francisco. It's close to most attractions in the downtown area, the rooms are clean, and the service is great. The price seems to be in line with other like hotels.

This hotel made me feel respected: They took time for us at the front desk and were always polite.

Located in San Francisco's bustling theatre district, the Donatello is an elegant hotel exhibiting the spirit of Italian 15th-Century Renaissance art. The interiors combine marble, Venetian stained glass and European inspired antiques. Don't think it's boring or stodgy, the classic scheme is a nice contrast to all the ultra-modern upscale hotels.

The guest rooms are very luxurious - decorated in pastels, and are a soothing contrast to the activity of the streets outside. The rooms are spacious as well, slightly larger than the equivalent rooms at the mark Hopkins or the Mandarin. While lacking the opulence of a lobby consistent with the other exclusive hotels, the Donatello makes up for that with its location.

The Donatello is located in a fantastic area for walking, with Union Square and all the fantastic shops (Macy's Neiman Marcus, Armani, I. Magnin, FAO Schwartz and Tiffany & Co.), as well as the Museum of Modern Art and Chinatown. Be warned, however, walking North to California Street is not only a workout, but it demands walking or athletic shoes.

We did not try the dining room, as there are so many great restaurants close by (Bardelli's, Masa's, Tadich Grill) for either a walk, or preferably a short cab ride at night.

The rooms at this hotel are perfect - they are upscale but not so posh that you feel like you need to stay in to get the full effect. The furniture is very comfortable, the room is large and cheerful. The room amenities include a wet bar with two sets of dinnerware, a small sink, and a small fridge, a good-sized TV; and separate foyer with low dresser, closet and two luggage racks - so we didn't have to shanghai the writing desk into a makeshift luggage rack. Also, the free wireless connection was great! I was able to check my e-mails. We loved the upstairs lounge which had a fireplace and solarium roof. We didn't use the concierge too much but the staff was very friendly. There is a wine & cheese reception for guests every Friday afternoon. We didn't use the workout room, but it was pretty decently appointed with basic weightlifting machines, hand weights and a few different aerobic machines. The Jacuzzi was very nice as were the dressing rooms - I loved the mirrored room. The location was great too - we were just two blocks off Union Square and near the Powell Street street car. It's in a very central location - great for first timers. My only complaint is with the continental breakfast. Most of the food was cheap and sugary - even the bagels looked rubbery and not nutritionally valuable. My boyfriend (who is on the Atkins diet) and I confined ourselves to orange juice and tea. I would love for them to add plain crusty French or (even better) sourdough rolls to the breakfast for those of us with easily-spiked blood sugar! However, the Pinecrest (I think that's what it's called) diner on the next corner has great food and is 24 hours.

The guest rooms are very large, and have in-room safes and microwaves. This is a great value for the money. It is very elegant, with a great location within walking distance of restaurants and shopping.