Travelers choose hotels for a variety of reasons. Amenities, service and reputation can all sway folks one way or another. But sometimes the hotel you book boils down to a simple thing – location. If you’re lucky the property is on a beautiful beach, or offers a spectacular view. But sometimes necessity, like a date at the airport long before the crack of dawn, is the deciding factor. Travelers can catch some shuteye and their flight with ease from the Holiday Inn San Francisco International Airport.
The lobby was busy when I arrived around 8pm, but checking in was fast and easy. I especially appreciated being able to book a 3:30am wake-up call at when I picked up my key. Times for the complimentary airport shuttle were clearly posted at the front desk and easy to read. I didn’t have much wiggle room between the first shuttle of the day and my flight’s departure, so seeing the times in print made me feel better about the tight turn around.
The Holiday Inn San Francisco International Airport has 224 guest rooms. All rooms have either one king size bed or two queen beds. My room was plenty big enough for myself and my teenage daughter. The room was modern and clean, and the oversize chaise by the window gave my daughter room to stretch out without taking over the entire bed. There wasn’t any view to speak of, unless you’re the type that enjoys watching airplanes come and go. That said, I didn’t spend the night listening to airplanes or other hotel guests come and go – noise insulation was better than expected.
All rooms have the expected coffeemakers, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, but the panel next to the television earns kudos for offering an easy HDMI connection point. The complimentary Forgot Something Program provides amenities like toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors and combs.
Travelers who haven’t been home for a while will appreciate the 24 hour guest laundry room. Be sure to get quarters before you haul your dirty clothes to the second floor of the South Tower.
Houlihan’s Restaurant & Bar is located in the main lobby, near the front desk. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel sports a small fitness center and a business center in lobby to print boarding passes.
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The complimentary internet most likely won’t impress you with its lightning speed, but if you’re just staying up to date on your inbox, it will suffice. The point is to get some sleep, right?
The hotel runs a complimentary shuttle to San Francisco International Airport. I was on the first shuttle of the morning. A joint venture between a few properties in the area, it arrived, to my relief, right on-time. It was standing room only, but the driver and everyone else on board were especially pleasant considering it was just after 4am.
Rates at the Holiday Inn San Francisco International Airport start at $153.00. You can compare rates on all the standard booking sites such as Expedia or Hotels.com.
Hotel review and photos by Dana Rebmann.
