We were concerned when we got there and found the hotel was under renovation, but the upside was that our room was NEWLY redecorated and the decor and amenities were far superior to any hotel in this price range. The room was small, but having traveled in Europe we weren't shocked. The staff originally gave us an interior room for the quiet but we asked to moved to one right on Powell street. While it was noisy, it was a real thrill to be right in the heart of San Francisco. The location of this hotel, the quality of the decor and helpfulness of the staff makes it the bargain of the century in my opinion. We probably won't be able to afford it when it is completely renovated, but I think that it was a good move. You can't beat the locale and the hometown purity of the whole experience. The bed was incredibly comfortable! We will always have great memories of our stay and will highly recommend your hotel! Thank you all!-Dawn and Dean November, 20074 of us came to San Francisco to do Christmas shopping and had no idea whereto stay near Union Square. Searching the internet got us to the Hotel UnionSquare. What a wonderful "slipper" of a hotel. The entrance slips by youon the sidewalk if you are not really looking. The amenities are allupdated but the architecture is so very, perfectly "San Francisco". We hadtwo rooms over Powell street and loved hearing the "sounds of the city"below us. We were so very impressed with the cleanliness and thecomfortable beds and pillows. We were 2 blocks from Union Square and twoblocks from the new Westfields mall. We loved it and will surely returnnext year. - the "Shopping Santas"
October, 2007I just wanted to say "Thank You" When I have friends who arecoming to the city I always tell them to stay at The Hotel Union Square. Theytell me how wonderful it is and such a great location. My best friend and Ialways do our shop till you drop for Xmas and stay with you every year. Again Thanks for such wonderful service and making me look good when I suggest people stay there!!!- Judith
July, 2007This was my second stay at your lovely hotel and I enjoyed myself on both stays. The parking is so easy and I love being in the heart of things. Your staff is always friendly and helpful and I love all the goodies in the room. In short, there is nothing I do NOT like about this hotel and hope to stay many times again. - BarbaraApril, 2007I chose this hotel because of the price. It seemed reasonably priced and the pictures didn't look bad. I read some online reviews and they all said the same thing...great staff, bad neighborhood. I couldn't agree more. The customer service from beginning to end was excellent. Even after I checked out, I returned to the hotel because I forgot something and the front desk was happy to let me back into the room to look for my item. It wasn't in the greatest neighborhood, but I still felt safe, it wasn't far from the "better part's" and it seemed that every time we were being bothered someone on the hotel staff was nearby to "save" us and did so just in time! All we really needed was a place to sleep after a night out on the town. This place did the job and i would stay again. I would recommend to others, but i would warn them of the neighborhood.-Amy April, 2007My stay at the Hotel Union Square was quite enjoyable. Friendly staff, great location, and the price was right. Would definately come back. - Wayne from Boulder, ColoradoApril, 2007My stay was just what I have come to expect from the Hotel Union Square. Comfortable, reasonably priced, hospitable. I had a room away from the street, and it was quiet and restful. Thanks. - ThomasApril, 2007I recently stayed at the Hotel Union Square. I really enjoyed the hotel, with its great ambience and particularly liked the wine tasting and free access to the business centre. We stayed in room 414, and my wife thinks she left a brown shoe behind. Is there any possibility you could check for me to see if it is there? [Hotel Union Square returned the shoe via FEDEX]Appreciate your help. Best regards,GrahamApril, 2007We had a wonderful time in your hotel. Your staff was incredible and had terrific recommendations for food for us.Thank you for making our vacation so much fun! - The Spivek FamilyMarch, 2007For my wife & I on our first trip to San Francisco, we couldn't have picked a better choice than Hotel Union Square! Front desk was extremely accommodating, room was clean with proper stocking of essentials, and location was prime. Thanks for helping us celebrate a great 25th wedding anniversary!!! ChrisMarch, 2007I would like to commend the staff at the Union Square Hotel, they made me feel comfortable and welcome to San Francisco. That was my first time in California and I had a wonderful experience, in which your team played a part. Steve, the Concierge, was very professional and helped me find my way around San Francisco as well as try to get me tickets to Alcatraz. Kader at the front desk was extremely polite and answered all my questions that I had during my stay. Thank you,GeneMarch, 2007The hotel was one of the coolest places I've ever stayed. Everyone was great and the decor made me feel as though I was in some film noir. I will definitely stay at the Hotel Union Square next time I'm in San Francisco.
Influenced by current European concepts
Gladys Perint Palmer, a renowned fashion illustrator and Executive Director of Fashion at the Academy of Art University, was commissioned to create original canvas drawings exclusively for the Hotel Union Square.Each room offers modern day conveniences such as voicemail, newly released pay-per-view movies and super Nintendo games. Children under 12 years are welcome to stay free of charge in your room. Cribs are available with prior arrangement. Each room has a private bath with personalized toiletries and hair dryers. Our rooftop penthouses feature panoramic views of the City and each offers a private rooftop deck, well lit desk area and spacious sitting room.
Each of the 131 guest rooms has been infused with a bold and contemporary interior. Three distinct color palettes, alternating on each floor, incorporate deep rich colors of claret, eggplant, golden yellows, and ochre greens and are paired with modern cherry wood cabinetry that introduces linear and wavelike lines.Enjoy use of our business center and High Speed Wireless internet access. From our deluxe rooms to our penthouse suites, which encompass a private rooftop deck overlooking the City's skyline, the hotel offers all modern day necessities.Meetings and Special EventsOur main penthouse is available for small groups, receptions, meetings or entertaining. A full range of audio visual equipment is available upon request, and our Sales Department can assist with catering requests and meeting arrangements. Secretarial and fax services, for a nominal fee, are also available for your convenience.
Each of the 131 guest rooms has been infused with a bold and contemporary interior. Three distinct color palettes, alternating on each floor, incorporate deep rich colors of claret, eggplant, golden yellows, and ochre greens and are paired with modern cherry wood cabinetry that introduces linear and wavelike lines.Enjoy use of our business center and High Speed Wireless internet access. From our deluxe rooms to our penthouse suites, which encompass a private rooftop deck overlooking the City's skyline, the hotel offers all modern day necessities.Meetings and Special EventsOur main penthouse is available for small groups, receptions, meetings or entertaining. A full range of audio visual equipment is available upon request, and our Sales Department can assist with catering requests and meeting arrangements. Secretarial and fax services, for a nominal fee, are also available for your convenience.
Influenced by current European concepts
the result is sophisticated and yet casual. The walls, upholstery, and bedding lend a colorful backdrop to original artwork depicting San Francisco's most celebrated scenes.
Hotel Union Square, San Francisco’s original boutique hotel, gets a modern makeover!
Hotel Union Square has completed an extensive modern makeover & emerged as the freshest & most innovative boutique hotel in The City. Remaining faithful to our Art Deco history, guestrooms have been transformed into a new experience fusing contemporary & classic San Francisco - beautiful brick walls, mosaic murals, signature staircases, & opulent moldings are complemented by a warm color palate, sleek custom furnishings by SF based EQ3, & state-of-the-art technology that caters to both leisure & business travelers. Highlights include platform beds with custom-made cream tufted headboards & 600 thread count luxurious bedding, sleek dark wood desks, velvety chaise lounges, flat screens, custom lighting, drop panel ceilings, & expansive mirrors.
Leave your heart in San Francisco
am opening up my “Dear Blog Diary” again to anyone who wants to take a sneak peek. What will my blog bring me? In the hospitality world it really gives a connection to all those who want to learn something new, hip, cool & different about hospitality world, especially in the boutique hotel world & especially in San Francisco. So I write this: Many leave their hearts in SF, I have mine implanted, transplanted & always beating in SF. Where is yours???
Diva, San Francisco, and Prada…Oh my!
What SF boutique hotel would have something in common with Praaaaada? Well of course no other than Hotel DIVA. Yes, only a Diva shops Praaaada. I went to the grand opening event last week & nibbled on the spoons of caviar & sipped the bubbly while admiring the latest in fashion & décor. Oh my! What a store. San Francisco is so blessed. That is why Hotel Diva is such a match to come to & be prep’d for a day of shopping at Prada with a sound sleep on our most comfortable beds & surrounded by Diva beauty on our Salon Floor. Ah yes, Diva & Prada go hand & hand or should I say head to toe
Summer in San Francisco!! & Movie in the Park
Well, this week definitely defies the famous quote “The coldest winter ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”!! It has been 80+ degrees in The City every day this week and I am loving it! Personality Hotels is also sponsoring ‘Film Night in the Park’ which this Saturday is ‘Il Postino’ playing in Washington Square. I cannot think of anything better than to roam around North Beach, grab a bite to eat, and head over to Washington Square to catch a film in this uncharacteristically good weather!! We have a table at the event, so stop by and see me!
Weddings
When you want the very best for your special day, Heritage Hotels can deliver the wedding of your dreams. With stunning locations, expert staff to assist you with your plans every step of the way and all the extras you would expect to add a true touch of class, we can accommodate your ceremony, reception and honeymoon requirements today.
Call us to enquire about the perfect wedding package for you, and our special wedding accommodation packages for you and your guests to enjoy.
For more information contact a Wedding Specialist at any one of these hotels
Call us to enquire about the perfect wedding package for you, and our special wedding accommodation packages for you and your guests to enjoy.
For more information contact a Wedding Specialist at any one of these hotels
Happy 2008 from Heritage and CityLife Hotels! Hopefully you’ve had a lovely, relaxing summer break and recharged your batteries for another year. Alth
New Zealand is one of the world's greatest natural attractions, with crystal-clear waters, breathtaking coastlines and pristine beaches, gorgeous rivers, spectacular mountains and sparkling lakes - and no crowds to get in the way.
And even though roaming its wild and unspoiled landscapes is like stepping back in time to a mystical, primordial era, New Zealand society is sophisticated and multicultural, with a disarmingly honest and friendly people who have a global reputation for making visitors feel welcome
And even though roaming its wild and unspoiled landscapes is like stepping back in time to a mystical, primordial era, New Zealand society is sophisticated and multicultural, with a disarmingly honest and friendly people who have a global reputation for making visitors feel welcome
Top Travel Websites
Happy 2008 from Heritage and CityLife Hotels! Hopefully you’ve had a lovely, relaxing summer break and recharged your batteries for another year. Although with February having almost passed by already I have a suspicion this year will fly by as quickly as 2007 did.
Not that being back at the desk with the prospect of another year of hard work need deter us from idly daydreaming of our next holiday. Anecdotally it seems that most of us conclude one holiday with the initial thoughts and plans for the next, so chances are you’re already contemplating that country retreat, family city getaway or skiing break (break as in holiday, rather than limb!).
To help us all plan our holidays, the internet offers a broad, not to say bewildering, array of websites providing all the advice, information and support you could need. But where to start?
The UK’s Times Online have scoured the web and compiled a list of the best global travel websites of 2007. They’re an eclectic collection of planning, networking and multimedia sites, including the hotel review site TripAdvisor; the pedant’s favourite travel planning site Tripit, with it’s customisable travel itinerary facility; the travel world’s answer to YouTube, Travelistic, which hosts a wide range of travel videos to aid your trip planning; and to assuage the shopaholics, the shopping guide site of Itravelishop. You can read the full list of sites here.
But which are your favourite travel sites – the ones that you think you’ll just pop onto for a couple of minutes and eventually manage to tear yourself away from an hour later? Do any of the sites in the list above feature in your favourites? Let us know which are your must-visit’s for planning or just plain inspiration.
Not that being back at the desk with the prospect of another year of hard work need deter us from idly daydreaming of our next holiday. Anecdotally it seems that most of us conclude one holiday with the initial thoughts and plans for the next, so chances are you’re already contemplating that country retreat, family city getaway or skiing break (break as in holiday, rather than limb!).
To help us all plan our holidays, the internet offers a broad, not to say bewildering, array of websites providing all the advice, information and support you could need. But where to start?
The UK’s Times Online have scoured the web and compiled a list of the best global travel websites of 2007. They’re an eclectic collection of planning, networking and multimedia sites, including the hotel review site TripAdvisor; the pedant’s favourite travel planning site Tripit, with it’s customisable travel itinerary facility; the travel world’s answer to YouTube, Travelistic, which hosts a wide range of travel videos to aid your trip planning; and to assuage the shopaholics, the shopping guide site of Itravelishop. You can read the full list of sites here.
But which are your favourite travel sites – the ones that you think you’ll just pop onto for a couple of minutes and eventually manage to tear yourself away from an hour later? Do any of the sites in the list above feature in your favourites? Let us know which are your must-visit’s for planning or just plain inspiration.
Travel Trends
Compliments of the festive season to you all! With the end of the year almost upon us everyone’s eyes are gradually turning towards a nice long holiday to reward ourselves for making it through the toil of another year.
It’s likely these holiday plans will also include some travel, either around this beautiful country or abroad to sip fruity cocktails beside a pool somewhere. Some hardy souls even clearly enjoyed the winter so much they’re heading off to another winter in the northern hemisphere! But what is everyone expecting from their travels next year? Have our expectations as travellers changed?
A new survey of 2500 travellers from around the world apparently has the answers. We’re going to take an average of 3 holidays each next year, and keeping germs at bay is a top concern for many. Not only do 55% of travellers say they wash their hands more often when travelling, but more than a quarter take their own cleaning supplies with them for extra cleanliness.
Even with the minimum holiday allowance in this country being raised to 4 weeks from next year, it seems that just isn’t enough. Almost half of travellers thought they needed 6 weeks or more (no surprises there perhaps!). Despite this it seems some of us aren’t actually using our annual allowance anyway; a third of Americans didn’t use all their holidays in the past year.
It also seems we like to let our hair down even more, with almost a quarter of travellers agreeing that they dressed more provocatively on holiday. Whether these travellers are comprised mainly of those going to Ibiza wasn’t mentioned in the survey however!
So what do you think about these trends – do you agree? What big changes do you think we’ll see (or you’d like to see) in travel next year? We’d really like to know what you think. Feel free to add your thoughts using the feedback boxes below.
And because it’s the festive season, how about a bad Christmas joke to finish on?
A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why," they asked, as they moved off. "Because", he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."
Until next time, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and safe holiday
It’s likely these holiday plans will also include some travel, either around this beautiful country or abroad to sip fruity cocktails beside a pool somewhere. Some hardy souls even clearly enjoyed the winter so much they’re heading off to another winter in the northern hemisphere! But what is everyone expecting from their travels next year? Have our expectations as travellers changed?
A new survey of 2500 travellers from around the world apparently has the answers. We’re going to take an average of 3 holidays each next year, and keeping germs at bay is a top concern for many. Not only do 55% of travellers say they wash their hands more often when travelling, but more than a quarter take their own cleaning supplies with them for extra cleanliness.
Even with the minimum holiday allowance in this country being raised to 4 weeks from next year, it seems that just isn’t enough. Almost half of travellers thought they needed 6 weeks or more (no surprises there perhaps!). Despite this it seems some of us aren’t actually using our annual allowance anyway; a third of Americans didn’t use all their holidays in the past year.
It also seems we like to let our hair down even more, with almost a quarter of travellers agreeing that they dressed more provocatively on holiday. Whether these travellers are comprised mainly of those going to Ibiza wasn’t mentioned in the survey however!
So what do you think about these trends – do you agree? What big changes do you think we’ll see (or you’d like to see) in travel next year? We’d really like to know what you think. Feel free to add your thoughts using the feedback boxes below.
And because it’s the festive season, how about a bad Christmas joke to finish on?
A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why," they asked, as they moved off. "Because", he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."
Until next time, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and safe holiday
Wake Up and Smell the Roses
Next time you’re staying in a hotel abroad, if you’re particularly observant, you may just notice the subtle new weapon in the hotelier’s arsenal. The power of the senses has always been crucial in how we judge everything in life; the feel of material, the flavour in meal ingredients, the collective arrangement of furniture. Chefs the world over know with any dish they prepare that for consumers judging it the first bite is always with the eye.
But one of the senses has often been neglected and has only recently being identified by canny marketers. The sense of smell is apparently a very powerful one. How often do we hear people refer to a vehicle having “new car smell”? Or how often do we walk past a bakery or café and feel the smell of freshly-baked bread or freshly-brewed coffee drawing us in?
Studies into consumer behaviour have indicated that shoppers stay longer and spend more in shops where there is a scented environment. Some marketers are themselves paying through the nose, if you will, to entice consumers through scents. In the US alone, $50 million was spent on in-store scents in 2006. This is expected to grow to $100 million by 2013.
Many hotels are considering adopting the power of smell and have developed their own hotel branded scents. Variations on ginger, pine and ‘white tea’ are just a few of fragrances currently trademarked and used by major hotel chains. As to whether this sensory initiative will spread to our fair shores, who nose?
But would it make you choose to stay in a particular hotel over another? If you stayed in a hotel and loved their fragrance would it make you more likely to stay there again? We’d really like to know what you think.
Are your olfactory senses powerful enough to affect the hotel you choose to stay in? What scent do you think would be perfect for Heritage Hotels? Feel free to add your thoughts using the feedback boxes below and we look forward to hearing from you.
But one of the senses has often been neglected and has only recently being identified by canny marketers. The sense of smell is apparently a very powerful one. How often do we hear people refer to a vehicle having “new car smell”? Or how often do we walk past a bakery or café and feel the smell of freshly-baked bread or freshly-brewed coffee drawing us in?
Studies into consumer behaviour have indicated that shoppers stay longer and spend more in shops where there is a scented environment. Some marketers are themselves paying through the nose, if you will, to entice consumers through scents. In the US alone, $50 million was spent on in-store scents in 2006. This is expected to grow to $100 million by 2013.
Many hotels are considering adopting the power of smell and have developed their own hotel branded scents. Variations on ginger, pine and ‘white tea’ are just a few of fragrances currently trademarked and used by major hotel chains. As to whether this sensory initiative will spread to our fair shores, who nose?
But would it make you choose to stay in a particular hotel over another? If you stayed in a hotel and loved their fragrance would it make you more likely to stay there again? We’d really like to know what you think.
Are your olfactory senses powerful enough to affect the hotel you choose to stay in? What scent do you think would be perfect for Heritage Hotels? Feel free to add your thoughts using the feedback boxes below and we look forward to hearing from you.
Going Green
Hi and welcome back to the Heritage and CityLife Hotels blog!
Regular visitors to the site will probably have noticed the environmental focus for many of our hotels this year. If you haven’t heard of Green Globe yet I’m sure you’ll soon be very familiar with it. In essence this is an organisation that recognises those companies in the travel and tourism industry that meet high standards in the use of resources, energy consumption and reduction of waste. In other words, doing their bit for the planet.
We’ve been associated with Green Globe since 2002 when Heritage Auckland achieved benchmarked status. We’ve followed this up with the double Tourism Industry Award-winning Heritage Queenstown, Heritage Christchurch and Heritage Hanmer Springs this year, with more to come. We’ve proud to say that we’ve already reached our goal of having half of our hotels benchmarked by the end of the year.
But what does this mean to you? With more media space than housing crises or Presidential slip-ups, climate change is a hot topic this year. The threats to the environment have been well-publicised, but how concerned are you that the hotel you choose to stay in also believe they should make a difference? Would having the option of staying in an environmentally-friendly hotel appeal to you more than one that isn’t? What other initiatives would you like to see us introduce?
We’d really like to know what you think. Would you choose to ‘go green’ for your accommodation or is it not important to you? Feel free to add your thoughts using the feedback boxes below and we look forward to hearing from you.
Barring a case of what I think is known in the Web2.0 world as “writer’s blog”, look out for another blog in a couple of weeks.
Until next time, thanks for reading and choosing to stay at Heritage and CityLife Hotels.
Regular visitors to the site will probably have noticed the environmental focus for many of our hotels this year. If you haven’t heard of Green Globe yet I’m sure you’ll soon be very familiar with it. In essence this is an organisation that recognises those companies in the travel and tourism industry that meet high standards in the use of resources, energy consumption and reduction of waste. In other words, doing their bit for the planet.
We’ve been associated with Green Globe since 2002 when Heritage Auckland achieved benchmarked status. We’ve followed this up with the double Tourism Industry Award-winning Heritage Queenstown, Heritage Christchurch and Heritage Hanmer Springs this year, with more to come. We’ve proud to say that we’ve already reached our goal of having half of our hotels benchmarked by the end of the year.
But what does this mean to you? With more media space than housing crises or Presidential slip-ups, climate change is a hot topic this year. The threats to the environment have been well-publicised, but how concerned are you that the hotel you choose to stay in also believe they should make a difference? Would having the option of staying in an environmentally-friendly hotel appeal to you more than one that isn’t? What other initiatives would you like to see us introduce?
We’d really like to know what you think. Would you choose to ‘go green’ for your accommodation or is it not important to you? Feel free to add your thoughts using the feedback boxes below and we look forward to hearing from you.
Barring a case of what I think is known in the Web2.0 world as “writer’s blog”, look out for another blog in a couple of weeks.
Until next time, thanks for reading and choosing to stay at Heritage and CityLife Hotels.
Heritage Hotel Blogs
With the comedy festival currently spreading it’s diverse range of performers around the country, I thought a comedy-themed blog would be quite topical. Naturally this would also need to have a hotel theme, so I’m pleased to present the best (or is that least worst?) of the hotel joke...
Happy 2008 from Heritage and CityLife Hotels! Hopefully you’ve had a lovely, relaxing summer break and recharged your batteries for another year. Although with February having almost passed by already I have a suspicion this year will fly by as quickly as 2007 did.
Compliments of the festive season to you all! With the end of the year almost upon us everyone’s eyes are gradually turning towards a nice long holiday to reward ourselves for making it through the toil of another year.
It’s likely these holiday plans will also include some trav
Next time you’re staying in a hotel abroad, if you’re particularly observant, you may just notice the subtle new weapon in the hotelier’s arsenal. The power of the senses has always been crucial in how we judge everything in life; the feel of material, the flavour in meal ingred
Hi and welcome back to the Heritage and CityLife Hotels blog!
Regular visitors to the site will probably have noticed the environmental focus for many of our hotels this year. If you haven’t heard of Green Globe yet I’m sure you’ll soon be very familiar with it. In essence...
Happy 2008 from Heritage and CityLife Hotels! Hopefully you’ve had a lovely, relaxing summer break and recharged your batteries for another year. Although with February having almost passed by already I have a suspicion this year will fly by as quickly as 2007 did.
Compliments of the festive season to you all! With the end of the year almost upon us everyone’s eyes are gradually turning towards a nice long holiday to reward ourselves for making it through the toil of another year.
It’s likely these holiday plans will also include some trav
Next time you’re staying in a hotel abroad, if you’re particularly observant, you may just notice the subtle new weapon in the hotelier’s arsenal. The power of the senses has always been crucial in how we judge everything in life; the feel of material, the flavour in meal ingred
Hi and welcome back to the Heritage and CityLife Hotels blog!
Regular visitors to the site will probably have noticed the environmental focus for many of our hotels this year. If you haven’t heard of Green Globe yet I’m sure you’ll soon be very familiar with it. In essence...
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