Kimpton Buchanan Hotel

Japan Town, San Francisco

Hotel Lobby
Standard King
City View Queen Queen Room
Hotel Lobby
City View King Room
Hotel Lobby
Standard King
City View Queen Queen Room
Hotel Lobby
City View King Room

The hotel

A self-confessed ‘sultry diva of a hotel', Kimpton Buchanan Hotel sits where three of San Francisco’s most dynamic neighbourhoods meet. In one direction you’ve got Japantown’s ramen shops and spas, in another Pacific Heights’ chic boutiques and gourmet restaurants, and in another The Fillmore’s cool jazz and burgeoning dining scenes. And The Buchanan certainly keeps up with The Joneses, with Zen-inspired touches in sleek modern guestrooms, trendy design features like vintage whiskey bottle chandeliers, indulgent free wine and sake receptions, and Japanese flavours at ‘Mums’, where American breakfasts are followed by all-you-can-eat Shabu Shabu. Before heading out to explore, there’s morning tea and coffee in the lounge and, if the hills of San Francisco aren’t enough, there’s a free 24-hour fitness room when you return.

Amenities

  • Bar
  • Spa
  • Babysitting service
  • Room Service
  • Valet parking
  • Safety Deposit Box
  • Laundry Service
  • Internet Access
  • Close to City Centre
  • Bicycle Rental
  • Restaurant

Where is it

At the crossroads of vibrant yet traditional Japantown, leafy and trendy Pacific Heights, and the cool jazz scene of The Fillmore, Kimpton Buchanan is also close to The Tenderloin district, less than a mile from Alamo Square Park, and between one and two miles from Union Square, Chinatown, and Fisherman’s Wharf. Transfer time from San Francisco airport: 40 minutes.

Hotel information

131 rooms. All with 37” flat-screen TV with HD channels, WiFi*, mini-fridge, Keurig® coffee maker, yoga mat, safe, bathrobes and umbrella. Standard King Rooms have 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Standard Queen Queen Rooms have 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 adults.

City View King Rooms have city views, and 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

City View Queen Queen Rooms have city views, and 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 adults.

Patio King Rooms have a private outdoor patio, and 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Balcony King Rooms have a private balcony with city views, and 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Balcony Queen Queen Rooms have a private balcony with city views, and 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 adults.

Spa King Rooms have a corner room location, a Japanese-style deep spa bathtub and shower, and 1 king-size bed, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Mums Restaurant & Bar (Japanese, including Shabu-Shabu all-you-can-eat service, and American menu, breakfast, lunch and dinner, bar open 5:00pm-10:00pm daily). Hosted evening wine hour and sake reception. Morning coffee and tea service. In-room spa services*. Kimpton-bespoke bicycles (first come, first served). WiFi*. ‘Forgot It? We’ve Got It’ service (for essential travel items from mobile chargers to hair straighteners). Concierge service. Same day laundry/dry-cleaning service*. Self-parking $38 plus tax per day (payable locally, subject to change).

*Denotes local charge

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (542)
  • Very good (377)
  • Average (104)
  • Poor (30)
  • Terrible (16)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating reasonable rates,great location

Mar 9, 2020 charles n Sacramento, California

best part of this hotel is location away from downtown but good enough for good restaurants . also, enjoy self parking my car instead of valet like most other sf luxury hotels. room is simple ,somewhat dated but clean. enjoyed coffee and happy hr drinks.but no keurig in room.
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Nice Location

Mar 7, 2020 sammeline new york

Located across the street from Japan Center and the bus stop. Convenient to travel by bus. Buy the all day pass. It was nice to come back to this area after visiting the touristy spots in downtown area. Loved the morning coffee (Philz) and community environment downstairs. Wine (free) in the afternoon was also a nice touch. All the workers… Read more
Located across the street from Japan Center and the bus stop. Convenient to travel by bus. Buy the all day pass. It was nice to come back to this area after visiting the touristy spots in downtown area. Loved the morning coffee (Philz) and community environment downstairs. Wine (free) in the afternoon was also a nice touch. All the workers were very pleasant and accommodating. Room was comfy and clean. The shower water temp was HOT!! Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Right Across From Japan Center

Mar 7, 2020 Leah L

We wanted to spend a lot of time at Japan Center but did not want to have to do a lot of driving and parking. We looked for hotels in this neighborhood and found this and several others. We decided on this one based on reviews and the fact that it was reasonably priced and stated it was real close to the Japan Center. The room is very nice and… Read more
We wanted to spend a lot of time at Japan Center but did not want to have to do a lot of driving and parking. We looked for hotels in this neighborhood and found this and several others. We decided on this one based on reviews and the fact that it was reasonably priced and stated it was real close to the Japan Center. The room is very nice and even has a window seat. It is recently remodeled and so everything is very clean and modern. In terms of the artwork for me I am more of a realist and the artwork is a mix of Modern impressionist with some realist work. I like some of the artwork in the room but don’t care for others. But regardless the fact that it is decorated and has interesting things to look at It’s still a plus.The bed is very comfortable and there are lots of pillows. We asked for a coffee pot and we’re pleasantly surprised with all the coffees creamers and such we got with it. We asked for four additional pillows and sheets and a blanket as one of us wanted to sleep on the window seat to enjoy the beautiful view at night. The whole staff has been absolutely amazing and the amenities are really good. It is super close to Japan Center really just right across the street which is ideal for us since we are traveling with somebody who is disabled and needs to be able to rest. For the same reason It would be a good choice with small children. We have been taking Uber and we can get a ride just out the front door and it is fairly close to everything in San Francisco. They have a wine hour with nice wines that are complementary and lots of cozy seating areas to sit and enjoy a cup of wine or sake if you choose. The shampoos in the bathroom are full-size and of the spa variety which is also super nice. Internet is free for IHG rewards members and it has been very reliable and stable. There is a good selection of cable channels to watch. The proximity to Japan Center really cannot be beat if you’re here to enjoy that amazing place. I don’t know why we chose to stay in less expensive hotels because once you add in parking, tolls and all the other miscellaneous expenses you encounter further out it really doesn’t pencil out. The one thing I was a little bit disappointed about was having no microwave. There is a refrigerator but it doesn’t do much good to be able to bring leftovers from the delicious restaurants in the area if you’re unable to reheat them. I highly recommend this hotel. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Worst ever (and gross)

Mar 4, 2020 161lingc

Almost no furniture. Nothing like what you have seen in their picture. Extremely old and dirty. My room had many ants and then i discovered a big ant's hole near my bed. I killed 10 ants in 2 minutes, but there are 20 more coming along the wall. Front desk was very rude (and also incapable of dealing with multiple customers). Carpet has not been… Read more
Almost no furniture. Nothing like what you have seen in their picture. Extremely old and dirty. My room had many ants and then i discovered a big ant's hole near my bed. I killed 10 ants in 2 minutes, but there are 20 more coming along the wall. Front desk was very rude (and also incapable of dealing with multiple customers). Carpet has not been cleaned for like 100 years. I thought about taking a photo of those gross ants but i was afraid they crawl on my cell phone. They did get onto my computer. If you are a higher level manager who wants to know details, do contact me. For customers, just stay away from this location. Not sure where all these positive reviews came from. Just ridiculous to me. This hotel certainly won the worst hotel award. And also the most expensive given what you get. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Great condition, nice touches, and perfect location

Mar 2, 2020 Kaveh D Cambridge, Massachusetts

This hotel is very well maintained and sparkling clean. Beautiful interior design makes the look more like a home rather than a typical hotel. The location is perfect. It's quiet and calm street, yet walking distance to many nice neighborhoods (Japan town, Filmore, and much more). Our room had a bay window bench, which made a very cute relaxing… Read more
This hotel is very well maintained and sparkling clean. Beautiful interior design makes the look more like a home rather than a typical hotel. The location is perfect. It's quiet and calm street, yet walking distance to many nice neighborhoods (Japan town, Filmore, and much more). Our room had a bay window bench, which made a very cute relaxing spot. Read less