A New Favorite in San Francisco
The Hilton Financial District exceeded my expectations. When traveling to San Francisco, I tend to stay at one of the many boutique hotels or the Hilton near Union Square. Even though I am a Diamond preferred Hilton guest, I have avoided this Hilton because it seemed too generic and tired. But the price of this Hilton was substantially cheaper, so I booked it. What a surprise! The customer service from the moment I dropped off some luggage on the way to a meeting to check-in many hours later to the friendliness of housekeeping staff - all first rate. My room was very large, an upgrade granted without even a request, with a very comfortable bed, expansive bathroom, and access to their nicely managed concierge level club. The free breakfast was generous and good. 
But, the big revelation for me was that this location rocks! It's on the edge of Chinatown and within a couple of blocks on the Financial District and North Beach, home to some great Italian restaurants, and a couple of blocks from the cable cars. And, if you have a car, it's easy to get across the City (via Broadway). This Hilton will become my first choice when researching hotel options in San Francisco because of it's central location, proximity to great neighborhoods and food, and the friendly service. Don't let the initial exterior impression of a generic hotel fool you.