You get the feeling that the Hotel Tomo has been on the end of a extreme makeover. Someone has rushed in there one morning and decided to turn it Japanese by sticking up murals in each room, replacing dated furniture with trendy minimalism and putting Japanese soap in the bathrooms. It is mostly cosmetic, and underneath it is simply a Best Western, but there’s enough quirky coolness to make for an interesting stay.

The rooms are extremely comfy and there are some nice extras like the docking station for an iPod. The sports channels on our TV were faulty and front desk failed to fix it (probably to the relief of my girlfriend) but they were exceptionally friendly so we’ll let them off.

Location wise, it’s close to a number of bus routes so you can get to different areas like Castro or Downtown with ease. And, it should go without saying, but it’s the perfect place to stay if you want to eat lots and lots of great Japanese food. Especially at the bakery across the road.

My husband and I stayed at Hotel Tomo for our anniversary. When I bought our tickets, I used their website and also became a member (for free) of their hotel's membership club. That meant that we received a complimentary bottle of wine in our room upon arrival. I also included in the notes to the hotel that it was our second wedding anniversary. They left a bottle of champagne in our room and a Hotel Tomo t-shirt with a card saying that the second anniversary is the cotton anniversary. It was thoughtful of them.

There were robes in the room for us, and Jimmy, who showed us the room when we arrived was very friendly. We got a call about ten minutes after getting into our room from the front desk asking if everything was satisfactory. Apparently that's what they do at Joie de Vivre hotels, because we stayed at a different one the day before, and they also called after check-in.

The hotel room was adorable, and the bed, which was like a futon, was firm but comfortable. The room had a lot of character, was clean, and new. I would absolutely stay there again. I liked being in Japantown. It was a different way to see San Francisco, outside of the business of downtown.

I just got back from a short stay at Hotel Tomo. This hotel is soooo cool! The decor is amazing. Rooms are very clean and decent size. We had a small balcony with a view of the neighborhood. It is located in Japantown. It is not walking distance to the main attractions, but you can take a cab for about $6-7 into union square. Or you can take a bus. I usually always stay in Union Square when visiting San Francisco, but I really enjoyed staying in a different location. It's very quiet and safe to walk around even late at night.
There are tons of great restaurants around the hotel. The Hotel even has a cool shabu-shabu restaurant. However I did not get a chance to eat there.
The staff is very friendly and helpful. It is a great deal too. Much less than all the other hotels in touristy areas of San Francisco. I will totally stay here again!!

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Tomo after staying one night at the Comfort Inn on Van Ness. After that nastyness of a hotel, we were very pleased when we switched to the Hotel Tomo. Not only was it very close to the University of the Pacific, where my husband was going to be taking his dental licensure exam, but across the street from Japantown and the various transportation to downtown.

This hotel is away from the hustle and bustle from the more toursity areas, so you are able to feel more like the locals - which is what my DH and I love. We love to see where the locals hang out, eat, walk around...that way you get more of the "genuine" city. But if you want to see more touristy areas, the bus stop is literally across the street and will take you there in no time.

The decor is funky, Japanese pop, which is awesome and unique. The only complaint I have is the bed platform is a wooden square and it is easy to bang your leg against it when you're not careful. Otherwise, the bed is comfy, and the rooms are very clean.

Would I recommend this hotel: ABSO-FREAKIN-LUTELY!!! We loved our 1-week stay here. Not to mention, it was pretty inexpensive: around $140/night.