GABLES INN

View of the bay with golden gate & bay bridges. Gorgeous

Sometimes when people use the word "charming" to describe a hotel or inn, they are merely sugar-coating the fact that the place is old and rundown. The Gables Inn gets a solid 5 stars for its location and views, but that's all it has going for it.

Staff is...odd. Not warm, friendly or inviting. The check-in process was goofy. The person who checked us in insisted on taking us up to our room, but she got a weird phone call about someone wanting her private info. Clearly sounded like a spam call or solicitor; not sure why she didn't just hang up or, at the very least, toss us the keycard so we could get settled. We had to wait at the top of the stairs for a bit before she came up let us in.

Upon entering our room, we encountered a horribly stained carpet. Blech. I can't understand why they won't deep clean or replace it; it's a small space and wouldn't cost much. The rest of the room had laminate flooring that seemed clean, but the dirty, stained carpet in the entry is the first thing you see when you walk into the room. It makes a bad impression that sticks with you.

The rest of the room smelled and looked clean, but it could use some updates—especially the bathroom. And the Keurig machine makes sad coffee. Spring for a Nespresso or maybe offer good drip coffee in the lobby, as most inns or hotels do.

Our room had a balcony with a great view of San Francisco and the Oakland Bay Bridge. This was the highlight of our stay at Gables Inn. The inn's location is great—within walking distance of the water and many shops, restaurants and cafes.

If the owners would invest in some updates and train their hospitality staff re: what it means to be hospitable, this place could really shine.

Amazing stay

Information says "wine and cheese" offered, but they do not. The fireplace in the room did not go on. The desk person didn't come and check but simply said, "We'll look into it tomorrow." Room was comfortable, location great, but the hospitality really bad.

Small but charming rooms. The hotel itself is historic and beautiful and feet from Bridgeway, the waterfront street.