Bedbugs! Sorry, it's true!
The night staff was friendly. The room was clean. Some furniture was worn or scuffed, but other than a broken hinge on a cabinet it was functional. The bathroom was spartan, with no countertop space to put a toiletry bag. The electrical outlets were arranged oddly.
It's a shame that one flaw can sour an otherwise satisfactory hotel experience, but bedbugs will do that. I noticed in other reviews (unfortunately after I booked) that previous patrons had encountered bedbugs. So the first night, before I used the bed, I went very carefully over all my bedding with a flashlight. Just as I was almost finished, I checked inside the pillowcase and, sure enough, found one. I caught it in a plastic cup (see photos) and took it down to the front desk.
The man I spoke with was apologetic. He offered to transfer me to another room, or another hotel. I accepted his offer, and he put me up at another branch of the same hotel across town: America's Best Value Inn Extended Stay Union Square. There was no additional cost, and the cab ride was free. I'd planned to walk from my hotel to the conference for which I was in town. Luckily, the Moscone Center was still within walking distance of the second hotel.
To make a long story short, the second hotel ALSO had bedbugs, and this time I didn't catch them until it was too late. As I was lying in bed before going to sleep, I spied one crawling away from me, red with my blood.
But this is a review for the SOMA branch, so what's the verdict? I wanted to like this hotel. I wanted to believe I got a good deal for my money, but the bedbugs ruined it for me. The staff was polite and responded appropriately, and I have no complaints beyond them not keeping the room free of vermin. But at the end of the day, I can't recommend the hotel - the real risk of picking up bedbugs is just not worth your time. You're better off avoiding the possibility and staying somewhere else. I would not stay there again.
If you've never seen one, bedbugs are tiny, tiny things, which is why it's hard to see in the photo. But I figure travelers will appreciate seeing the evidence.