Worth It
Our family of 4 stayed at the Fairmont for the lst 4 days of a 2 week driving vacation. The hotel is expensive, but we thought it would be worth the money to stay in a large apartment type setting for the end of the trip. We were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to a 2 bedroom loft suite which gave us even more space and a washer dryer! Several people have commented about being upgraded and I think the Fairmont policy of always giving guests the best room possible is a testament to the quality of service. So many hotels try to give you the worst room they have and only move you to a better location if you complain. Not so with the Fairmont.
We used the house car 4 times and always found the wait short and the drivers helpful. The view of Alcatraz is amazing. During our visit the terrace also provided a stunning view of the America's Cup races going on. I would highly recommend the hotel if you are travelling to San Francisco for future races. 
We all found the breakfast buffet to be more than satisfactory and did not really miss room service although I wish there were a nicer food market nearby. 
My only complaint would be the constant music in Ghiradelli Square. Live musician's play on weekends and evenings and they pipe in smooth jazz the rest of the day. None of the music is offensive or too loud, but it can get monotonous and slightly annoying.