Warning:
Touchstone Hotel
480 Geary Street (between Mason St. & Tayl
94102 San Francisco (USA)



We had booked a room at the Touchstone Hotel, 480 Geary Street , 94102 San Francisco in advance through www.hotel.de for the 19th of march 2004. The hotel advertised Free shuttle from SFO-Airport, which was also confirmed in our booking confirmation. One should take „Lorries´shuttle“ at SFO-Airport, the hotel would then hand out a voucher to the driver upon arrival. We did so as described. We came to the hotel late at evening, the manager of the hotel (Mr.Johanson or similar) appeared to be very rude, not only unfriendly but rather aggressive right from the beginning, to us without any obvious reason. He denied the fact of the „Free shuttle“. As we wanted to point out that this is what they advertise on the internet and what is said in our booking confirmation, he said that he is not interested in what we say or what our copy of the confirmation says, „You pay the driver“. A real conversation was not possible. With the words „Go back to Your country, I don´t want You to stay here“ the manager led us our way out, so eventually we had to leave the place to stay somewhere else. In fact, looking back we both actually felt discriminated, maybe because of our german origin or whatever. Later the Taxi-driver told us, and it is easy to find several reviews on the hotel in the internet that show the same, that our experience seems to be pretty much the norm at the Touchstone Hotel. Furthermore we then found out, that the Hotel has already charged our credit-card with the full costs a week before it was booked for. Refering to the booking and cancellation policy in the booking confirmation, it would have been possible to cancel the booking until one day prior to arrival with no charge developing.
Eventually we stayed at Astoria Hotel (65 $ + Tax, incl. Breakfast) right next to the Chinatown Gate. It is a chinese run place. Very friendly service, rooms are not spacious but clean; the bathroom was fairly newly renovated. We recommend this place.
We also recommend Lorries`shuttle, the drivers were very friendly. In fact the driver we had the night when we had to look for a new hotel, was very dedicated in finding an appropriate place for us. („If I don´t find a place for 70 $ or less, I´ll take You home“). Fare $28 from SFO-Airport to San Francisco, $ 20 from San Francisco to SFO-Airport for the two of us.