Life at the Chancellor Hotel in San Francisco

Luques Restaurant is going Hi-Tech

2011-11-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

The Luques Restaurant is our little dining spot inside the hotel where we serve breakfast and lunch including room service 7 days per week from 7am to 2:30pm. Luques is one of the few places that serve breakfast ALL DAY. We also do room service in the evening 4 days per week - Wednesday through Saturday along with our bar snack menu. Our menu is filled with simple California Cuisine that is fresh, local and tasty. Our breakfast specialties are Chilaquiles and Eggs Benedict. For lunch, we are known for our Thai Shrimp and Papaya Salad. We are one of the best values for breakfast and lunch in the Union Square Area and now we are making things even better for our customers through technology.

We now have 3 new Hi-Tech programs that are available to our guests:

Stampt

Google Wallet

LevelUp

Stampt is a mobile app that is a frequent guest reward program. Stampt tracks the number of times one eats with us and after they get a "Stampt" 10 times, they get a free entree. No more membership cards to carry. Let your phone do it all. You can find the app here: http://stampt.com/

All you need to do is download the app on to your mobile device, dine at Luques and show your phone with the app to get credit. Come get Stampt!

Google Wallet and LevelUp are two new more secure ways of paying for purchases using your mobile device instead of a credit card or debit card. You simply maintain an account with Google Wallet or LevelUp and when you want to pay for your purchase at Luques, open the app and we obtain the payment.

Of course, we still take cash just like in the olden days.

Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest

2011-11-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

We just concluded our annual employee pumpkin carving contest and Mao is the winner again!

I think Mao has another career if he decides to give up waiting on tables. He carves a mean pumpkin.

We gave any employee interested in participating a pumpkin to carve and put them out in the lobby for several days leading up to Halloween. We put ballots out and guests and visitors voted for their favorite pumpkin. We gave cash prizes for the top three vote getters.

Thank you for participating!

The front desk ladies got into the spirit and dressed up a front desk kittens

Crooks Tour San Francisco

2011-10-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

We just heard about this walking tour that is available in San Francisco that is all about the City's dark side. Crime, Vice and San Francisco History! It is a 90 minute walking tour that meets at the Ferry Building. The tour is only $30 per person but guests of the Chancellor Hotel can get $10 off. Simply go to their website http://www.crookstour.com/ and use the discount code: THANKYOU

For more information: (415) 601-5346 or email: info@crookstour.com

Fleet Week 2011 San Francisco

2011-10-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Fleet Week starts October 6 with the practice runs over the City and Bay. It is always a special treat to see the planes buzz the City and practice their maneuvers. Fleet Week has been getting better and better each year.

This year, the Canadian Snowbirds will be flying. Also, the Parade of Ships will be lead under the Golden Gate Bridge by the USS Carl Vinson on Saturday.

Here is the website and schedule of events:

http://www.fleetweek.us/

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Blue Angels Circle and Arrival Maneuvers practice 1-5pm
Friday, October 7, 2011
Urban Search & Rescue training with SFFD, Sailors and Marines at Treasure Island and civilian emergency response teams - by invitation only
NERT CERT CORE -by invitation only
Fleet Week Air Show Practice 12:30pm to 4pm
PIER 39 -Navy Band Southwest 12 - 2pm, Take 2 from 4 -7pm. Meet & Greet The Blue Angels near Aquarium of the Bay from 7:15pm -7:45pm
Interagency Softball Competition at Moscone Field in San Francisco: SFPD, SFFD, USMC, USN - 8am-2pm
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Parade of Ships 1st ship under the GG Bridge will be USS Carl Vinson at 11am. All ships will berth along the northern San Francisco waterfront
Ship Tour Pier 30-32, USS BONHOMME RICHARD, LHD 8am-4pm
Marine Band performing at the Cable Car Turn Around in Union Square, then will march up to The Marines Memorial Club at 609 Sutter Street
Fleet Week Air Show 12:30pm to 4pm
Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Response Display on Marina Green 9am-5pm
W Foundation's Navy in Space Exhibit on Marina Green
Anthem Health’s Bringing Back Recess exhibit on Marina Green
PIER 39-First Marine Division Band 2-3pm, LoveFool 4-7pm
Marine Band Concert at Huntington Park - 6pm - 7pm
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Fleet Week Air Show 12:30pm to 4pm
140th Annual Italian Heritage Parade – Military Marching Band,Color Guards, Marching Units - San Francisco's North Beach -Powell & Jefferson Streets to Stockton to Washington Square, followed by a Band Concert at Washington Square.
Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Response Display on Marina Green 9am -5pm
W Foundations's Navy In Space Exhibit on Marina
Anthem Health’s Bringing Back Recess exhibit on Marina Green
Ship Tours Pier 27, USSS MILIUS, USS ANTIETAM, USS CHIEF- 8am-4 pm
Ship Tour Pier 35, USCGC BERTHOLF, USCGC ALERT, HMCS OTTAWA - 8:00-4:00pm
Ship Tour Pier 30-32, USS BONHOMME RICHARD - 8:00am - 4:00pm
USS CARL VINSON, CVN at anchor - No public visitations
HMCS BRANDON, HMCS NANAIMO, Pier 80 - No public visitations
PIER 39-Navy Band Southwest 12-2pm, Mustache Harbor 4-7pm
49ers Salute to the Fleet - Candlestick Park, 49ers vs Tampa Bay - The Marine Band will be playing at the entrances while fans enter the stadium, The Coast guard will have a singer for The National Anthem for pre-game with two F-18s flying over. Halftime will consist of 150 future Marines/Sailors bringing out a large American Flag along with the Marine Band playing "Stars and Stripes Forever." Following that, USN CF3 Captain Bryne will be doing a swear in on field for 20 future Marines/Sailors. Immediately after that, Air Force singer A1C Hokay will sing "God Bless the USA."
Monday, October 10, 2011
Ship Tours Pier 27, USSS MILIUS, USS ANTIETAM, USS CHIEF- 8am-4 pm
Ship Tour Pier 35, USCGC BERTHOLF, USCGC ALERT, HMCS OTTAWA - 8:00-4:00pm
Ship Tour Pier 30-32, USS BONHOMME RICHARD - 8:00am - 4:00pm
USS CARL VINSON, CVN at anchor - No public visitations
HMCS BRANDON, HMCS NANAIMO, Pier 80 - No public visitations
2nd Annual Fleet Week Band Challenge GGPark Band Shell - 8am - 1pm
PIER 39 - Navy Band Southwest 12-2pm
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
All SFFWA Ships Depart

Air Show Schedule
Thursday, October 6, 2011
1pm to 3pm - US Navy Blue Angels Circle & Arrival
4pm to 5pm - US Navy Blue Angels Practice

Friday, October 7, 2011
12:30pm - 4pm - Air Show Flying,
1:30 -2pm Canadian Snowbirds
3pm to 4pm - US Navy Blue Angels

Saturday, October 8, 2011
11am - Parade of Navy Ships
12:30pm - 4pm - Air Show Flying
1:30 -2pm Canadian Snowbirds
3pm to 4pm - US Navy Blue Angels

Sunday, October 9, 2011
12:30pm - 4pm - Air Show Flying,
1:30 -2pm Canadian Snowbirds
3pm to 4pm - US Navy Blue Angels

Oracle Openworld is here!

2011-09-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

Oracle Openworld is THE biggest thing in San Francisco. The hotels are full and the economic impact to the City is huge.

We welcome the attendees and thank them for coming to San Francisco.

One thing we do special for Oracleworld, because the event is so big and important is the closing of Howard Street.Howard Street between 3rd and 4th Streets which runs between Moscone North and South is tented. It is a small inconvenience for some drivers, but well worth any trouble considering what this event does for the local economy over the week.Another way many businesses show their appreciation for the folks that come to San Francisco for the Openworld event is the "Show your Badge and Save" offers. Attendees can show their badge and receive discounts at restaurants and more. We are proud that Luques Restaurant and Bar located inside the Chancellor Hotel is participating in that program. You can use the link here to check all of the Union Square offers.

http://www.sftravel.us/groups/directory_eat.asp

The Bold Italic now available to guests at the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square

2011-09-16T13:05:00.001-07:00

We are very honored to have the beta copies of The Bold Italic for our guests at the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square.

The Bold Italic is a new printed publication that highlights the truly local side of San Francisco. More and more, people that are visiting places want the local aspect of the place they are visiting. They want to act like locals, be with locals and know the local secrets. The Bold Italic serves that up in a fun and irreverent way. I went through the first issue and saw some great things that I can't wait to check out myself even though I am born and raised here. Other parts were making me laugh inside at some of the quirkier sides of San Francisco. There is a lot of great information for "Foodies" (I hate that term). I was thinking to myself, if I was visiting San Francisco and saw this publication, I would be so excited and disappointed at the same time. Excited because I am getting such great information that seems so unique, but disappointed that I would not have near enough time to do half of what I wanted to do.

Check out the website at: http://www.thebolditalic.com/, but definitely pick it up at the hotel when you are visiting. You will really enjoy it.

San Francisco 49er Football Season is Just Around the Corner!

2011-08-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square has the BEST 49er Package!

It is hard to believe that this Saturday is the first pre-season home game and the regular season home opener is on September 11th - less than a month away now. Go Niners! I hope we don't have to go to Santa Clara to see them some day. See them while you can in San Francisco!

The best news is that we have the best 49er football package going. We have great seats for our football package right down by the field almost on the 50 yard line about 15 rows from the field. The seats are Lower Box 16, Row O, Seats 23 & 24. Check it out: http://www.seats3d.com/nfl/san_francisco_49ers/

Packages are still available. If you want to see football the way it was meant to be seen, check out our package:

http://www.chancellorhotel.com/packages2.htm

GO NINERS!

Union Square Park Public Right of Way Improvements Project

2011-08-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

I wanted to pass on this information from the Union Square Business Improvement District with some of my pictures and other bits of information:

Beginning Monday, August 15, 2011 the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will be making improvements to Union Square Park to provide accessible routes on the sidewalks and street crossings to transit stops that serve Union Square Park. Among the improvements planned are:

· Removal of the corner pedestrian islands which are not large enough for safe pedestrian refuge and cannot be enlarged due to traffic lanes

· Construction of sidewalk bulb-outs at each corner to shorten pedestrian crossings

· Removal of right-turn-only lanes; right turns will be allowed from the adjacent lane

· Construction of 2 curb ramps at each corner

· Relocation of the traffic signal poles from the pedestrian islands to the sidewalk bulb-outs

· Widening of the transit islands to 8 feet and construction of proper access ramps

· Realignment of crosswalks for new corner configurations with “Scramble” pedestrian signals; all vehicles stop to allow multi-directional pedestrian crossings

· Installation of appropriate signage and crosswalk painting

It also looks like they will be relocating the Cable Car pick up from the island on Powell at Post Street. I noticed the line was much longer at Powell and Sutter Streets now.

This project will be constructed in several phases as follows:

· Phase 1 will begin at the Post and Powell corner of Union Square Park. It will last 10 weeks. The work hours will be:

- Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and night hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

- During this phase of construction the MUNI bus stop at Post and Powell will be temporarily relocated further eastward to Post near Stockton
- During construction hours, northbound traffic on Powell between Geary and Post will be restricted to one track-lane for all vehicles. The right-turn lane at Powell and Post will be closed entirely. Right turns will be permitted from the left cable-car track lane
- Motorists are urged to use alternative routes to avoid delays

Raveable.com is a joke - Bed Bug Reports are very Inaccurate

2011-08-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

We just had a guest call us about information they read on Raveable.com. Please, please, please, do not believe everything you read on the internet! Especially when you only get half of the information. Any respectable review site, such as TripAdvisor, will have a mechanism for posting a response to reviews. The proper way the system works is that people can post whatever they want and hotels can post a response. That is how one makes an informed decision - getting both sides of the story. Raveable.com, on the other hand, has "spiders" that pull information from other sites and regurgitates it on their own site. They have no original content, qualification method or system to provide both sides.

For example...
When you look at the Chancellor Hotel listing on Raveable.com, a big warning header in bold red type shows up that says:
WARNING: Bed Bugs Reported
1 unconfirmed report in the last 12 months. Before booking, call the hotel and inquire about this incident.

When you click through, it indicates two reports, but they are from the same guest review copied off of TripAdvisor.

Regardless, the whole thing is not true! It was one posting by a guest that was trying to extort us for a free stay. They demanded a free stay or else they would post bed bug reports about us on the internet. As you will read in their execution of their threat, we tore the room apart in front of them and NOTHING WAS FOUND. Here is what they posted:

“BED BUGS.....VERY COMMON AT THIS HOTEL”
Reviewed February 17, 2011
So we gave this hotel every chance to redeem themselves. When we approached the front desk about bed bug bites that appeared after a single night's stay it was clear that it was not the first time they had dealt with this problem. They turned the room upside down, and gave us another room for the evening....we had no choice but to stay there. When we looked at the bed bug website - the financial district in San Fran basically had one big red blotch over it and seemingly every hotel had dealt with it. As for this place the higher level front desk person had close to zero customer service skills, and the manager never came to speak with us. I would absolutely tell anyone looking for a hotel in San Francisco to carefully research the area and the specific hotel. We had to dry clean or wash everything in hot water when we got home - vacuum all bags and put as much as possible in a hot dryer...it was a nightmare. Plus bites took a couple of weeks to heal. We choose this hotel for the location and price...but got what we paid for....especially bad service.

Here is my response that is posted with it:
This is an example of one of the real flaws with review sites. However, I trust that a vast majority of people that use TripAdvisor see right through this.This is absolutely untrue.These folks reported "bed bugs" the evening of their second day after coming back and being out all day. Not when they were sleeping. We immediately went to the room to check things. As they to mention, we stripped the room in front of them and FOUND NOTHING. If there was something, we would have found it. The lady has some red bumps on her. We don't know where they came from, but it wasn't from bed bugs at the Chancellor Hotel. They indicated they would be more comfortable if we moved them to another room for the night. We did. The next day we re-checked the room and found nothing. Just in the interest of goodwill, we offered one night refund. I didn't think that was fair to us, but if it would make them happy, I was willing to do it. However, when they tried to bully and threaten us demanding a full refund or they would post bad reviews all over the Internet, we said no. We will always do what is right and fair, but we will not be bullied and extorted. We have found bed bugs at the hotel. We have an extensive bed bug program and were recognized in the New York Times as a best practice business. You can Google it. If there had been bed bugs, this would not have been posted because we would have done everything possible to make the guest happy and rectify any issues. A hotel can not stop bed bugs from being introduced to their property, but they can do everything possible to deal with them and we do.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a link to the New York Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/business/08bedbug.html

Other issues that make me question the content of Raveable.com...If you are looking at a hotel listing, they attach a list below that says "better quality hotel..." If the hotels have the same star rating, how do they label it as "better" than another hotel?

They have a box on the site that says:
+77.8%
Increased Risk of Bed Bugs in San Francisco Hotels

What? Where did they come up with that?
They have no real evidence to make a claim like that. That is outrageous!

After looking through several listings and pages of information, I find Raveable.com is a waste of time and very unreliable. Good luck...its a jungle out there.

Chancellor Hotel Receives the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2011

2011-08-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

We are very proud to have received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2011.

As an independent, family owned and operated hotel, our representation on TripAdvisor is very important to us. We don't have brand advertising or a corporate office to help us. We compete with some big companies and large groups of hotels with a lot of resources that we don't have. Our ranking of #9 in San Francisco is quite an accomplishment.

TripAdvisor is an information resource that a huge amount of the travelling public uses to make their decisions on where to stay when visiting a particular city.

Unfortunately, there are still too many people that book first and look at TripAdvisor later. Some do it because of blind bidding sites like Priceline and others do it because they made a bad decision.
They learn about or want to just use TripAdvisor after the fact so they can exact revenge by slamming the hotel with a bad review.

There are good and bad aspects to the new world of online reviews. One of the bad things is that anyone can write whatever they want - regardless of the accuracy or truth. Most people can see right through that, but it still hurts the rating and that is unfair.

I think when people make a bad decision for their hotel stay, that is their fault, not the hotel's fault. People need to take responsibility for their decisions. As an example that hits close to home...When someone books a hotel without air conditioning or that has small rooms and then they knock the hotel for it in a review, that is unfair. That is the way the hotel is, it was that way when they booked and it was that way when they stayed. Unless there is some misrepresentation, I think it is unfair to knock the hotel for what it is. Now, if the service was bad or things are not working, that is wrong and the hotel should be held accountable.

What I just don't understand is that nearly every review of the Chancellor mentions small rooms, yet people still stay and complain about it. If someone does the slightest amount of looking online about us, they will learn about the rooms and shortcomings. If someone books on a blind bidding site, and everything works and the service is good, they have no right to score it low. They may have not liked it, but they didn't choose it - a computer did. They got the price they wanted and the best hotel that was available on that system - they should be happy or should not complain.

One of the good things about TripAdvisor is that we can post a response. Although that gets me in trouble sometimes, I think there are two sides to every story, and when people are using TripAdvisor to make their decisions on which hotel to choose, I want to make sure they have all the information. My responses are honest, direct and real. Not the typical corporate speak you will find from most of the other hotels. Part of my strategy in my responses is to add a little humor and filter out the people that are offended. If you are offended by my response, you are probably not the type of guest that will appreciate and enjoy the Chancellor Hotel. Some past guest reviews have said that people need to be easy going and not uptight to enjoy the hotel. I agree. A vast majority of people that I hear from tell me that they appreciate my responses and enjoy reading them. The people that tell me I offend them, etc., we don't really want them as guests anyways - not because they are bad people or anything, they most likely wouldn't enjoy the hotel. That is okay and completely understandable. It takes a certain type of person to appreciate and enjoy staying at a historic, boutique hotel and we are all better off when we make the right match. Hopefully, my responses help people make the right decision, so I can take the heat.

Do you leave tips for the housekeepers?

2011-07-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

If you do, thank you. That is very generous and the staff really appreciates it.

The housekeepers work very hard and have a dirty job. Leaving tips for housekeepers has not been fully recognized as a standard like tipping a bellman, but it is fairly common. People will leave a request on a note with a tip, a thank you tip at the end of a stay or a few dollars each day for the service.

However, if you are going to leave a tip for a housekeeper, please don't make it a counterfeit bill!

Yes...Maria was left a nice tip of $10.00. Well, actually, it was a nice picture of $10.00. It was a $10.00 counterfeit bill!

It is actually a pretty good one compared to the ones I have seen in the past. It is missing some of the basic security features, but the way people handle money quickly, and as a small note, I can see how the guest left it (mistakenly, I hope).

Poor Maria was very surprised when she went to Starbucks to buy a coffee and the very alert barista caught it. It goes without saying how embarrassed and surprised Maria was. That was when she told all of us at the hotel what had happened. We're just glad we weren't bailing her out of Federal Prison.

It used to be the notes that were counterfeits were only $100 bills and the like. Now, the high quality home printing and computers make it much easier and cheaper to counterfeit and they are even doing small denominations.

Be on the lookout!

The Powell Street Promenade is NOW Open!

2011-07-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

The Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee, Board of Supervisor's President, David Chiu, Executive Director of the Union Square Business Improvement District, Linda Mjellem, Designer, Walter Hood, an Audi Executive and others gathered for the Grand Opening of the Powell Street Promenade today just off Union Square.After the ribbon cutting ceremony, designer Water Hood took us around one block of the Promenade to explain the features and design elements that people will enjoy. Above, he is demonstrating the new FREE WiFi that will be available on the two blocks of the Promenade.

The Promenade features stand up tables as well as some bench seating. It is made of a galvanized metal with some wood inlays.

Powell Street has over 100,000 pedestrians each day walk up and down the corridor connecting BART and Market Street with Union Square.

The plants mixed in through out the Promenade are a great touch.

Our Lobby Renovation is Compete!

2011-07-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

As planned, we completed our lobby renovation on July 6th with the installation of the new rug and furnishings. It really looks nice and we are very pleased. We hope our guests like it.

Powell Street Promenade is Coming Soon!

2011-06-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

The Powell Street Promenade is now being installed on the blocks of Powell Street between Geary and Ellis.The Promenade will be an extension of the sidewalks into the parking lane creating more seating and pedestrian enjoyment in a more open and inviting space. Vehicles and Cable Cars will still have a lane of traffic in both directions, and white zones in front of the hotels will remain open. The Promenade will be occupying the parking meter spots and yellow zone spaces.

The Promenade is a public-private partnership with the Union Square Business Improvement District, Audi and the City of San Francisco. It should be finished in early July and will be in place for years. I am really looking forward to it. I think it will be a great addition to the area and make the pedestrian experience much more enjoyable.

Cable Car Shut Down June 1-5

2011-06-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the story on the shut down:

CABLE CAR SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
CONSTRUCTION AND MUNI SERVICE UPDATE FOR MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS
Effective Wednesday, June 1 to Sunday, June 5
Complete Shutdown of the SFMTA Cable Car System
Muni Bus Shuttles to Substitute for All Cable Car Lines

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) reminds customers, merchants and neighbors that work continues on the two Powell cable car lines and California line. Upon completion of the third and final shutdown as part of the Cable Car System Improvement Project the City’s beloved cable car system will feature new technology and improved quality, reliability, maintenance and safety.
This third shutdown, a shutdown of the entire Cable Car system, will take place Wednesday, June 1 through Sunday, June 5.
Muni bus shuttles will operate in lieu of cable cars for the entire length of the Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason and California Cable Car Lines. Customers can get on and off the bus shuttle at all regular stops except those in or around the construction areas as posted.
What to expect:
No cable cars will run during the shutdown
Temporary removal of a limited number of parking spaces along the shuttle bus routes
Shuttle buses between Ellis & Powell, Francisco & Taylor and Beach & Hyde streets during all hours of service
The Regular Muni Fare of $2 ($0.75 Youth/Seniors/Disabled) will apply. Transfers will be provided
A Safer and more reliable cable car system

For more information about the Cable Car System Improvement Project and transportation alternatives, please visit www.sfmta.com/cablecarimprovement or call 311.
We appreciate your understanding and patience as we improve your Muni system.

2011-05-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought it was going too smoothly to be true...Houston, we have a problem.

A few items are now delayed and rather than do a partial conversion from old to new, we are going to wait until everything is ready at the same time for the installation. Thus, we are now looking at July 6th for the change-over. In the mean time, we have a fleshly painted lobby and shiny floors with our old furniture. It actually looks pretty nice, but on July 6th, we'll put the icing on the cake and it will be beautiful.

Lobby Renovation Update #2

2011-05-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

The lobby floors were done over the weekend and they now have a shine I have never seen before.

The floors and counter tops look great!

Now we need to keep them that way. It was easy getting the shine back (not cheap, but easy) - the hard part will be keeping the shine.

As of now, we are just waiting for the furniture to finish the project. We are expecting the bulk of it to arrive on June 2nd. There will be no negative guest impact because it is simply a matter of taking out the old and putting in the new. Can't wait.

Lobby Renovation Update

2011-05-18T14:41:00.001-07:00

This angle shows the new chandelier and color scheme. I really like the shadows that the new light fixture casts on the ceilling.What do you think?

New bar areaOld bar area

So far we have finished painting the lobby, installed our new chairs and stools in the bar, and recovered the banquette seating in the bar area.

Now, we are working on re-surfacing the lobby marble which really looks nice after it is done.

We are waiting for the rest of the new furniture to be delivered and it should all be in place in June.

Lobby renovation is underway

2011-05-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to begin our lobby renovation. It will be so nice when it is done.

We are currently painting the entire lobby and bar area. The basic style will remain the same, but the colors will be changing slightly. We are also getting new lobby furniture, chandeliers, bar chairs and stools as part of the project.

We are also re-surfacing the marble floor, counter tops and bar tables to get the shine back. It will all really look nice when it is done.

We expect the project to be done by the first week of June. We can't wait!

Queen's Day on Union Square

2011-04-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this on the Union Square Schedule and thought I would pass it along. Sounds like fun!
Union Square Turns Orange for Queen’s Day April 30, 2011

The Dutch Consulate, together with the local Dutch community, will bring you a Dutch themed fair on Union Square to celebrate Queen’s Day 2011.
There will be tulips, Dutch cheeses and delicacies, a 'vrijmarkt', traditional Dutch games for children and families, a classical music concert by the winners of the Princess Christina Concours, a beer garden, and much more [Facebook Event]

There is more: Bike Tours, NLBorrels Party, supperclub Dinner & Party. Register/buy tickets for these events today!

Schedule On the Square
12.00 – 18.00 Dutch fair, flea market & beer garden

12:30 – 13:00 kids soccer demo

13.00 – 14.00 kids activities & games

14.00 – 14:30 opening ceremony
On the Stage
14.30 – 15.30 classical music concert (Princess Christina Concourse winners)

16.00 – 17.00 classic Dutch popular songs by live band ‘Once Again’
Dutch Fair
The Dutch themed fair will include: fresh baked stroopwafels from Golden Stroopwafel Dutch bakery (Clovis, Ca) - Dutch favorites like chicken sate with peanut sauce from the Indonesian Restaurant Borobudur - North Sea herring - Dutch spiced cookies by Lotus Bakery - imported quality handmade Dutch city bikes from MyDutchBike - Dutch designed baby blankets in bold colors and fun paterns by Newly Birds - children's blankets that wrap up as a backpacks by BearHugs - collection of modern Dutch design -Dutch Caribbean booth - Indonesian Consulate - Dutch pastries from Hollands Best in San Jose - Waterboxx, a breakthrough Dutch invention - Delft Blue china nick nacks - Dutch Consulate together with the Dutch Organizations and Networks who helped organize this event - supperclub promotion team in preparation of the after party.
Kids Activities
Children can participate in several old fashioned games, traditionally played on Queen's Day in The Netherlands, like: Kloslopen (bucket stilts), sack-race, pin the tail on the donkey, spijkerpoepen (aim the nail in the bottle), name the person, puzzles, beanbag toss.

Luques Restaurant & Bar Makes Some Menu Changes

2011-03-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

We are very excited about a few changes to our menus for Breakfast, Lunch and in the Bar. The lunch menu changed the most. We added a delicious Fish Taco Salad (pictured here)

The other new items on the lunch menu are a Greek Salad, Wedge Salad, Tuna Melt Panini and Rueben Sandwich with corned beef. We are getting a great response to the new items.

We also increased the number of daily specials we offer each day adding more pastas with seasonal ingredients.

In the evening, the bar menu now features some great personal pizzas.

Chancellor Hotel is making news

2011-03-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Never pay full price again...

CNet and CBS is running a story on using Facebook to reach customers and for people to get deals. They noticed our two Facebook specials:

Hotel guests that check into the hotel and then check in on Facebook will receive a $5.00 gift card for our Luques Restaurant & Bar

Locals that check in on Facebook so their friends know they are at Luques Restaurant & Bar will receive 20% off

Here they are interviewing our very own Monica Dardon, Marketing Manager at the hotel.

Check out the story here: http://cnettv.cnet.com/what-facebook-deals-means-groupon-friends/9742-1_53-50102198.html

Do you want to be social?

2011-03-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

We are trying to be social. We want to connect with our guests and help them take advantage of everything we offer and do. Here are a few options:

Facebook:
Become a fan of the Chancellor Hotel. Join our community for hotel package announcements such as giants packages, 49er packages, enter in raffles to win prizes, get restaurant specials, learn about SF events and events within the hotel.

Maniac Mondays:
Every Monday we offer a special through our Facebook page. Offers include room discounts, welcome gifts upon arrival, champagne, Food & Beverage gift cards with booking reservations, etc. Special is only available to book on that particular Monday.

Facebook Check in: Check into the Chancellor Hotel via Facebook and receive a coupon for 20% OFF lunch or breakfast at Luques Restaurant and Bar

Twitter:
Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ChancellorSF

Twitter Thursday: Every Thursday a special is offered. Offers include room discounts, welcome gifts upon arrival, champagne, Food & Beverage cards with booking reservations, etc. Special may only be booked on that particular Thursday.

Chancellor iPhone App:
Receive live hotel deals such as room and restaurant discounts and specials. Free game with every download. Specials offered only to people with the app. Current guests will receive specials and discounts during their stay, have an early check-in and late check-out priority function, maps, tours, restaurant information and more. Got to iTunes App store and search Chancellor Hotel. We are working on Droid and Blackberry Apps. Stay tuned.

Chancellor Bi-Monthly newsletter:
Get more in depth information about the hotel, packages, and events throughout San Francisco. Keep up on all of our activities and goings on. Also enter in drawings to win a free night.
Send me an email at wtyler@chancellorhotel and I will add you to the list.

Muni’s popular Powell-Mason cable car line to go out of service for four days

2011-03-08T14:55:00.000-08:00

I wanted pass on this article from the San Francisco Examiner:

By: Will Reisman 03/07/11 3:03 PM Examiner Staff Writer

Later this month, Muni’s Powell-Mason cable car line, a route that draws thousands of tourists each day, will shut down for four days due to repair work.From March 28 – April 1, bus service will replace the Powell-Mason line, which carries 6,578 passengers on a daily basis, according to the Municipal Transportation Agency, which operates Muni.

While that cable car line is out of service for repairs, tourists and other riders will still be able to travel on the Powell-Hyde Cable Car line, which travels on a similar path from Union Square to the northern points of San Francisco.However, the Powell-Hyde line will be out of commission for repairs from April 25 – April 29, and all three cable car routes (including the California line that is currently down) will not be running from June 1 – June 5.Operating in continuous service for the past 27 years, Muni’s cable car system has gone without a major improvement project since the mid 90s. According to the agency, system upgrades to the cable car infrastructure are essential to maintain reliability and safety standards.

9th annual Crab Festival & Celebrity Crab Cracking Contest in Union Square

2011-02-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

Ready, Set, Crack!

For the 9th year, the Chancellor Hotel and Luques Restaurant & Bar Will Be Participating in the Crab Festival at Union Square - A Fundraiser for the San Francisco 49ers Foundation.

The San Francisco 49ers and Other Local Celebrities Team Up With Local Chefs for a Crab Cracking Contest With Food, Beer and Wine Tastings Saturday, February 26, 12:00 Noon - 3:00 p.m. There will be a crab cracking demonstration that will be followed by a contest to see who can crack the most crab. For a nominal sampling fee, local restaurants will provide tastes of the city's beloved Dungeness Crab and patrons can enjoy Wine & Beer. Music and family entertainment including a children's booth and activities for the entire family are included in the event. Again this year, the Crab Festival will be a "zero waste" event. In partnership with Recology Golden Gate and the San Francisco Department of the Environment, all materials used at the event will be compostable and/or recyclable.

Admission is FREE. Tickets for food, beer and wine tastings are $5 each or 6 for $25. Tickets may be purchased the day of the event at a designated ticket booth - cash only.

Chinese New Year Parade San Francisco

2011-02-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

YEAR OF THE HARE - - LUNAR YEAR 4709

The 2011 Chinese New Year Parade is on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 5:15 pm.

The 2011 Chinese New Year Parade Lineup

The Chinese New Year Parade will be on Saturday, February 19th starting on Market Street at 5:15pm

You can see the route and once again it will come to the corner of our block at Post and Powell - about 100 feet from our front doors.

It is the largest celebration of its kind in the world according to their website www.chineseparade.com

They are expecting one million spectators along the parade route and another 2 million watching on KTVU channel 2.

We are expecting some rain this year, but that won't dampen the event at all. It is really a great parade and a lot of fun.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Central Subway Construction has begun

2011-02-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

Central Subway Construction has begun at the southeast corner of Geary and Stockton. The Central Subway will be the new line connecting Chinatown, Union Square, Moscone Convention Center, the Ball Park and the south east sector of the City together. The construction will move a block at a time along the east side of Stockton street down to Market. The construction crew will then cross the street and continue up the west side from Market to Geary. When that work is done, construction will continue on the east side of Stockton between Geary and Post Street where Maiden Lane starts. It is expected that the work will take 2-3 months on each block.

ABOVE: Looking down Stockton from Post Street. The right lane allows a right turn on Geary to enter the Union Square Garage.

One lane down Stockton for buses, taxis and delivery vehicles

Construction will proceed 7 days/week, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. One lane of traffic will remain open to buses, taxis, tour buses and delivery vehicles only.

There are two detours around the work.

Drivers will also be allowed to turn right off of Post Street onto Stockton to get to the Union Square Garage Entrance. But, others coming down Stockton from the tunnel and Chinatown will be directed down Post Street.

The New Chancellor Hotel App - Download it today!

2011-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

We have created an app for the IPhone (and the Droid soon) to help guests and Chancellor fans keep in touch and maximize their experience. Check it out today!

The Chancellor Hotel Duck Makes a Great Hood Ornament

2011-01-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

I was walking through Union Square this morning and the Ice Skating Rink Zamboni was going around...then I noticed the hood ornament! We love to see the Chancellor Rubber Ducks out and about.

The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco Launches It's Own IPhone App

2010-12-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

The Chancello Hotel on Union Square is the venue for the Union Square Business Improvement District Holiday Party

2010-12-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

We were honored to host the Union Square Business Improvement District's Holiday Party on December 2nd. In prior years, we have hosted the Union Square Association's Holiday Party (which is now the Union Square BID) and even won an award in the category of Special Events from the California Hotel & Lodging Association. We really have a great time putting on this event and it is definitely one of the biggest things we do each year.

Skyy Vodka has been so generous as to donate their product and we serve FREE specialty drinks for the guests of the party. We use this opportunity to solicit tips of which 100% are for our Christmas Sponsor Family. Each year, we sponsor a family that is not as fortunate as we are so they can have a little better Christmas. We use the tips to buy some of the items on their wish list. Thanks to the members of the Union Square BID, we raised a couple hundred dollars for the family. We clear out the lobby, bar and restaurant and set up some cocktail tables and open the doors for a couple hundred people to come through and enjoy a little Holiday Cheer.

We also ask that the members of the Union Square BID bring some non-perishable food that we donate to the San Francisco Food Bank. I am happy to report that we received a few hundred pounds of food! Thank you.

It was a great night with lots of food, drink and great music.

Our own Bellman, Matt Van Hoorebeke is the Stars of the Industry Award Winner for Outstanding Lodging Employee of Year (medium size property)

2010-12-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

The California Hotel & Lodging Association, the largest statewide lodging association in the country, held their Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon and Annual Meeting of the Membership on December 1st in La Jolla, California. Our Bellman, Matt, was given the award for Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year at a Medium Sized Property for 2010.

All of winners are pictured above

Matt has been with the Chancellor Hotel for 7 years. You will not find a better person for restaurant or drink suggestions in San Francisco. He knows the insider secrets and local favorites like no one else. The guests love him and he is mentioned on our guest comment cards all the time. We call him our quirky bellman.

Congratulations Matt!

Union Square Ice Skating is back!

2010-11-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Ice Rink is open Wednesday, November 10, 2010 through Monday, January 17, 2011

The ice rink is open and the Christmas Tree is in place. It is still being put together and decorated, but it will be lit on the Friday after Thanksgiving, known as "Black Friday" at 6:00pm. The tree lighting ceremony is always a fun time. "Black Friday" in the Union Square area is one of my favorite days of the year. It has an incredible buzz and the area is filled with shoppers, protestors, kooks and more. I love it!

Skating Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Open until 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Ninety-minute sessions start on every even hour. Please note: Rink closes at 9:30 p.m. on December 31.
Admission is $9 for adults and $4.50 for children eight and under, Monday through Friday until 6 p.m. $9.50 for adults and $5 for children eight and under, Friday at 6 p.m. until closing on Sunday. Skate rental is $4 with a $1 surcharge for hockey skates.

The best part is that we have discounted tickets available while supplies last. Our tickets are 40% off the regular price.

Here is a view from the roof of the hotel.

Our Halloween Tradition

2010-10-29T09:47:00.001-07:00

We held our annual employee pumpkin carving contest again this year and below are the pumpkins that were entered.

We also decorated the front desk with spider webs and other scary Halloween nick knacks.

The Chancellor Hotel is getting into the World Series Spirit

2010-10-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

We have dressed up our lobby bar area with our Giants gear to show our support and pride for the future World Series Champions...Our San Francisco Giants! Right now, they are off to Texas for 3 games, but we will be watching them from here.

The bar has been very busy during the World Series Games. We're offering free popcorn, drink specials, appetizers and more. It is a great place to enjoy the game without being in a loud riot.

I hope there are no Texas Ranger fans, because during the day, when you help yourself to our free lobby coffee we have a big GO GIANTS! sign right in your face.

GO GIANTS!

The Chancellor Hotel does not have air conditioning

2010-10-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

One thing that still seems to catch people by surprise (much to my surprise) is the fact that we do not have air conditioning. I don't know how people can book us, and not know that we do not have air conditioning, since every website has that information posted. It is also mentioned in probably 95% of our reviews on TripAdvisor. A quick perusal of reviews would clearly provide that information about us...but it keeps happening. What is not fair is when people book us knowing we do not have air conditioning and if they get caught in one of our rare heat waves, they get upset with us.

San Francisco does get about 15 days per year when it gets warm and air conditioning would be helpful. However, it does cool down at night and the heat rarely lasts longer than 2-3 days in row.

That said, even if we did have air conditioning, there still is no guarantee that everyone would be happy. I have seen many cases where the air conditioning was inadequate and people were still unhappy. It did not cool the room enough, it was broken or even when it was working properly, people still were not cool enough. The reality is, we would probably get the same number of complaints if we had air conditioning as we do without it. Thus, with our climate, the fact that we would get some complaints regardless of whether we had air conditioning or not, and it is much better for the environment, we do not plan on having air conditioning anytime soon...or ever.

If the thought of getting caught in one of our heat waves without air conditioning would ruin your trip, don't risk it. Book another hotel that has air conditioning - it's better for everyone.

Sold out!

2010-10-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

The Giants Playoff Package was a very hot item. We sold out right away. If the Giants don't sweep it, I Hope it will go to 5 games and the Giants will return to San Francisco to win the last game on Wednesday. Of course, if that is the case, we will have packages available.

As a matter of fact, as long as the Giants are in the playoffs, we will have playoff packages available.

Go Giants!

San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves Baseball Playoff Package

2010-10-04T12:28:00.001-07:00

We are very excited about the San Francisco Giants going to the playoffs against the Atlanta Braves, and the best part about is that we have tickets!

We have put together a great package that includes:

A beautiful room
Valet Parking
A $25 food and beverage credit and
Two lower box seats in Section 129 Row 19

All this for only $500 including all taxes and fees.

Call us toll free at 1-800-428-4748 if you are interested

First come first serve!

Go Giants!

SF Chefs Food.Wine Event in Union Square San Francisco

2010-08-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Our own Luques Restaurant located inside the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square Participated in the SF Chefs Grand Tasting Event in Union Square last weekend.

We served a rendition of our best selling lunch item, the Thai Style Shrimp and Papaya Salad topped with crispy shallots and chili lime dressing.

We were sandwiched in between the Grand Cafe and the restaurant from the 5 star Awanhee Hotel located in Yosemite Valley.

The entire plaza of Union Square was tented and hundreds of people bought tickets to wander around and speak to culinary experts and chefs while being able to sample their talents. There were several wineries, liquor companies, top restaurants, and culinary vendors all under one "roof" making the event a very special opportunity for fans of food and drink. I am looking forward to next year already.

Our Summer Interns

2010-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

What did you do this summer? I think that is the typical back to school question for students all over the world. Hopefully, we gave two students from Galileo High School's Academy of Hospitality and Tourism some great stories.

We partner with the San Francisco Unified School District's academy program and we were lucky enough to have Kevin and John spend 6 weeks with us this summer making a little money and learning the hotel business.

They are two great young men and I hope they will join our industry when they finish school and join the workforce. It is our goal to introduce high school age folks to our industry and hope they will discover what a great industry it is and stick with it for a career. Even if John and Kevin don't make the hospitality industry their career, we are proud that we gave them their first real job and some positive experiences that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

John and Kevin served as bellmen, worked the front desk, reservations and even spent a day with me. I wish them luck and I think that whatever business hires them down the road will be very fortunate.

SF CHEFS 2010: San Francisco’s Second Annual Premier Food, Wine & Spirits Week

2010-08-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

The SF Chefs Event is coming up next week. It was a huge success last year, and this year, we are participating. Our own Chef Lacy will be serving his best selling Shrimp and Papaya Salad at the Grand Tasting Event on Saturday, August 14th. Here is all the information on the event:

Taste, Mix, Pair & Engage! The country’s first and only urban food, wine and spirits festival takes over San Francisco’s legendary Union Square August 9 – 15. The Bay Area’s finest culinary masters will celebrate food, wine and spirits in the epicenter of taste innovation and creativity. The week-long culinary festival will take place throughout the City’s restaurants and the Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square.
Purchase tickets online with your VISA Signature® card and receive preferred pricing and special perks. And as a special offer for our friends, please use the promo code “ff2010,” at sfchefs2010.com
A celebration of regional flavor, the festival kicks off with SF Chefs Restaurant Week. Over 60 Bay Area restaurants will feature prix fixe showcase menus highlighting each restaurant’s unique talent. Check out the complete list of restaurants and make your reservations online or by phone!
The Grand Tasting Tent
The City's greatest Square is decked for an urban garden party and a truly unique culinary experience!

Friday, August 13th
Opening Night Celebration:“Hog in the Fog”
Celebrate with Wente Vineyards as celebrity chefs cut the 2010 ribbon and open the doors to a haven of food, wine, cocktails, music and dance. Guests will savor a range of dishes from whole roasted Duroc pig to summer vegetable tarts, courtesy of the National Pork Board, Cuesa Farmers Market and thirty of the Bay Area’s finest Chefs.

Saturday, August 14th
Wine & Dine Gala FoodRaiser 2010:“Fork it Over”
Mavens, mutton and mayhem! Delight in signature dishes featuring lamb partnered with wine and cocktails from both near and far. “Fork it Over” in support of the GGRA scholarship fund and the San Francisco Food Bank.

Saturday & Sunday Grand Tastings: August 13th & August 14th
Each afternoon features a different group of renowned restaurants, winemakers, distillers and brewers. In addition to sampling an amazing array of food and beverages, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy demonstrations by Bay Area rising stars and nationally celebrated chefs.

For more information, please visit www.sfchefs2010.com.

The Chancellor Hotel is trying some aromatherapy

2010-06-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Studies show the tremendous power of scent and aroma, and we want to take advantage of that power. Scent is the closest sense linked to memory, and after a hotel stay, all you have are the memories. It all starts in the brain with the limbic system. That is the part of the brain that governs emotion and emotion is a huge factor is making a hotel stay a great one.

We just started working with Scentair to create memories and soothe emotion by introducing soft and subtle scents that will enhance the public area experience.

I look forward to seeing how it goes. I suspect that it is not something that is missed if it is not there, but people will have a better experience with us, but they won't really know why.

California Hotel & Lodging Association Members Win AH&LA Stars of the Industry Award

2010-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco was recognized with a Stars of the Industry Award for a Special Event and Wade Heath, Parking Lead at Disneyland Hotel was also recognized as an Outstanding Employee of the Year at the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Stars of the Industry awards competition announced during the AH&LA Summer Summit held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona.

We qualified for the national award by winning in the statewide Stars of the Industry awards of the California Hotel & Lodging Association.

Dine About Town June 1-15 is back again!

2010-06-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

Save on a specially prepared 2-course lunch for $17.95 or 3-course dinner for $34.95. Dates and times of participation vary by restaurant. Menus subject to change. Bon appetít!

Check out http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown/ for a list of participating restaurants and to make a reservation.

This is one of the best deals going in San Francisco. I hope you can take advantage of it.

The Chancellor Hotel participates in the Career Fair at Galileo High School

2010-05-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Tony Llanos, our controller/human resource manager and I had the pleasure of participating in the Galileo High School Career Fair. We set up a table with a display encouraging the students to consider a job in the hotel industry. Teachers brought their home-room students down to the Fair one class at a time to discuss different careers with some professionals. The students seemed interested and had a fun time.

We enjoy working with the San Francisco Unified School District and their students.

They are our future.

Chancellor Hotel is Honored by Expedia

2010-05-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

May 4th, 2010
Dear Chancellor Hotel on Union Square:
Congratulations on being chosen as an Expedia Insiders’ Select™ hotel, one of Expedia’s top-ranked properties!
The Expedia Insiders’ Select list is an annual award recognizing the very best hotels available in Expedia’s global marketplace, as judged by the experiences of Expedia®’s customers. Based on more than one million hotel reviews submitted by our travelers, your hotel was identified as consistently delivering superior services, an exceptional guest experience and notable value. The Expedia Insiders’ Select program includes only a small percentage of the top-ranked hotels offered globally across Expedia sites—earning a place on the Insiders’ Select list is a testament to your ongoing commitment to excellence.
Expedia will be actively promoting our 2010 Insiders’ Select winners with a special award designation both on our search results page and next to your property description on our global web sites.

A Photo Montage of the Union Square Crab Festival on February 13th

2010-02-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

Some candid words from a hotel consultant

2010-02-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

I came across this article in one of my online hotel news emails. It is by Daniel Edward Craig who is a hotel consultant and the author of the hotel-based Five-Star Mystery series. He is the former vice president and general manager of Opus Hotels in Vancouver and Montreal and its current blogger-at-large. For more information visit www.danieledwardcraig.com or email dec@danieledwardcraig.com.

I think it is great information for guests and I couldn't have said it any better. Here is a portion of the article:

...To that end, I thought I’d share a few insider tips on what to do when things go wrong in a hotel.

Should you complain? Probably. Hotels need to know if you’re dissatisfied; it gives us a chance to turn things around for you and to fix things for future guests. But if you set expectations the hotel can’t meet, such as a harbor view in a prairie hotel, resist the temptation to shift the blame. The best way to avoid unpleasant surprises is to check out online reviews before you book. They’ll give you the real story, warts and all.

Talk to someone who can fix the problem. Yes, it feels good to unload on friends, colleagues and random strangers, but repetition heightens feelings of victimization, and chances are they’re not listening anyway. If the issue is minor, speak to the front desk. If it’s significant, ask for the duty manager. If tears and family heirlooms are involved, contact the general manager. If there’s blood, call 911.

No more drama. Hotels will go to great lengths to appease guests, but it’s kind of hard if you’re throwing furniture or lunging at our throat. Ladies are discouraged from standing sullenly aside while their husband complains, uttering little huffs to convey feelings about their husband (wimp) and the manager (moron). Gentlemen, no need to inform us of your net worth, shoe size or number of Twitter followers. By virtue of being dissatisfied, you’re important enough.

The maid didn’t steal your tiara. Hotel managers receive frequent calls from frantic guests who have misplaced a valuable item and immediately blame the nearest employee. Invariably, the item turns up. When a guest accused one of my staff members of stealing her iPod, I ran a key report and viewed security camera footage, then called her back to ask if she had checked with the stream of visitors to her room late that night. I didn’t hear back. Store your valuables in the safe.

An eye for an eye. In today’s economy, hotels aren’t particularly enthusiastic about doling out freebies if we’re not at fault. If we messed up, however, the matter should be resolved to your satisfaction. If you feel you deserve compensation, be candid—otherwise you might get a fruit basket. But be reasonable. If you want a large cash payout, you’d better be missing a limb. If you invent or exaggerate a story to get free stuff, you might get it, but you’ll probably end up in hell.

Complain up. If the issue arises after checkout, send an email to the manager, who can copy it to other departments and, theoretically at least, resolve the matter quickly. If you’re not satisfied, forward the message to hotel ownership or the management company; these individuals loathe complaints and will get to the bottom of things fast. You can also dispute erroneous charges with your credit card company.

Bad things happen, even at the best hotels. The true test lies in how staff members respond. If an issue is expertly handled, a little praise goes a long way. At times it may seem otherwise, but we’re in this business because we love to please. Enjoy your stay.

Dine About Town January 15-31!

2010-01-12T11:10:00.000-08:00

One of the best City Wide promotions we do in San Francisco is back again!

Check it out:
Save on a specially prepared 2-course lunch for $17.95 or 3-course dinner for $34.95. Dates and times of participation vary by restaurant. Menus subject to change. Bon appetít!

http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown/

“Good Morning America” to televise live from San Francisco’s Union Square

2009-12-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

“Good Morning America” to televise live from San Francisco’s Union Square beginning at 4 a.m. December 3, 2009
by: ajackson
Residents and visitors encouraged to be part of the national television broadcast
“Good Morning America,” (GMA) which has an estimated television audience of 4.5 million viewers, will televise live from San Francisco’s Union Square as part of the ABC network holiday promotion “Good Morning America Lights Up America.”
When: Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009; 4 – 6 a.m. (the broadcast will air locally at its regularly scheduled time of 7 – 9 a.m. (PST).
Where: San Francisco’s Union Square – next to Macy’s holiday tree and ice rink
What: The public is encouraged to arrive before 4 a.m. and bring “one warm coat” for GMA’s holiday coat drive. Complimentary Ghirardelli hot chocolate will be served, as well as cookies and brownies from Wolfgang Puck Express Restaurant; beignets from Chez Papa Resto; and pastries from Emporio Rulli il Caffe, which will open to the public at 3 a.m.
The program will include GMA weatherman Sam Champion welcoming the live audience from a decorated classic cable car and leading an audience countdown to illuminate the holiday lights in Union Square. The broadcast will also include a performance by Beach Blanket Babylon. Caitlin McGinty, along with fellow cast members, will sing “San Francisco” while wearing the San Francisco Skyline Hat, which is 11′4″ tall, 10′ wide and 4′4″ deep and features the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, the Ferry Building, SFMOMA, a moving cable car and other city landmarks.
The live remote in Union Square will coincide with the unveiling of San Francisco’s holiday window at GMA’s New York studio in Times Square. Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the SFCVB, will unveil San Francisco’s window design to GMA’s morning anchor team, Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts and Chris Cuomo. Times Square attracts more than 450,000 visitors per day during the holiday season and GMA’s holiday windows have become a “must-see” visitor attraction.
The “Only in San Francisco” window will portray the essence of San Francisco during the holidays. Designer and sculptor Tom Greenfield has creatively showcased many of San Francisco’s most recognizable attractions and icons, including the Golden Gate Bridge; San Francisco’s famed cable cars; Coit Tower; AT&T Park – home of the San Francisco Giants; the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park; Macy’s Union Square and holiday ice rink; and San Francisco International Airport. Beach Blanket Babylon, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary, will also be represented, as will Wicked, which is in San Francisco for an extended engagement. The San Francisco CityPass, which provides visitors access to some of San Francisco’s most visited attractions, including SFMOMA; Aquarium of the Bay; Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise; the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, and the Exploratorium will also be represented in the holiday window design. The “Only in San Francisco” banner will be carried by a replica of a Virgin America plane.

Luques Restaurant & Bar Participates in the San Francisco Chamber's Expo After Hours Event

2009-11-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

2009 Business After Hours Fall Expo
On Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 from 5:30-8:30 pm
at The Westin St. Francis on Union Square, we participated in the Fall Expo put on by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce to showcase Luques Restaurant & Bar.

The Expo is one of the largest networking events of the year put on by the Chamber. The exciting event featured over 150 exhibitors including Chamber members, non-profits, small business resource partners, as well as catered hors d’oeuvres from several exceptional local restaurants, including us, with complimentary tastings from 15 wineries and live music.

We served our very popular Thai Shrimp Salad with Chile Lime Dressing and it was a big hit. We received many compliments and hopefully left a lasting impression on hundreds of potential customers. Here are a few shots from the event:

It is starting to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-11-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

Macy*s gift to the City, the Christmas Tree in Union Square, is being put up and decorated, the palm trees on each corner of the Square are lit and the Ice Skating Rink is up and running.

We are proud to be one of the sponsors for the Ice Skating Rink and are offering a great skating deal. Our guests can add ice skating for two people to their room bill for only $15 plus tax including skate rental. Regular price for skating is $9-$9.50 per person plus the $4.00 skate rental. That is almost 50% off!

Ice skating is available until January 18, 2010. For more information, see the website: http://www.unionsquareicerink.com/

The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be November 27th at 6:00pm.

Picture from the roof of the Chancellor Hotel

Don't Get Held Up at Hotels - By the USAToday

2009-11-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

We are having a heck of time with people complaining about authorization holds on debit cards these days. Using a debit card for travel is a terrible way to go. As I have traveled around, I have noticed very large signs advising guests about the authorization holds at Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels and more. However, we constantly are told that "I have never experienced this before..." I was in the Hotel Rex, part of the JDV Hospitality Hotel Group, right around the corner, the other day and they have a sign right at their front desk. USA Today printed the article below a year ago, but it seems to be taking a long time for the travelling public to get educated on this one. The problem for us is that there is no way to tell a debit card from a credit card unless you read the small print on the card. However, the computer processing does not know the difference. Well, here the article again in my simple attempt to help educate the traveling public:

DON'T GET HELD UP AT HOTELS == To avoid trouble when using cards at hotels:Use a credit card. Unless you're up against your credit limit, a hold won't affect your ability to charge more. A hold on a debit card is like you've written a check; that money isn't available until the hold is lifted, and that could take a week.Know when you will be billed. Some lodgings, particularly in vacation destinations, charge for one or more nights when you make your reservation. You may be paying for the room before you sleep in it.Ask what the hotel plans to do. Will it put a hold for a certain amount for incidentals on the card you present at check-in or merely keep a card imprint until you check out? If you're using a debit card, make sure you have extra money in your account to cover holds.To see when a hold is released, contact the bank that issued your card. Occasionally, you may have to push a hotel to lift a hold as soon as possible.
Source: USA TODAY research

Pre Authorizations can be done by gas stations and car rental agencies as well as others. A weeks vacation going from hotel to hotel could rack up a lot of holds.

They're Baaaaaaaack.........

2009-10-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

As I type this, the Blue Angles are practice flying over the bay and City for the big show this weekend as part of Fleet Week. They are so loud and it is just amazing to watch them.
Here is a crude video I took from the roof of the hotel so you can get an idea of the experience. The jets are coming from the noth bay, circling around behind the Westin St. Francis Tower as they get back in formation and head off toward the east bay.

If you can not come visit during Fleet Week, I hope you can see them some time because it is really something!

Here are a few pictures from previous years:

Maiden Lane Block Party

2009-09-28T10:53:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday was the 5th Annual Maiden Lane Renaissance Block Party. The first block of the lane between Stockton and Grant is closed off and we have a great party to raise funds for the improvements to Maiden Lane. This year the block party featured the Edna Love Band, pictured below

Catering by Grace Street Catering, Campton Place Hotel showing off their restaurant specialty, Red Stripe Beer, Skyy Vodka and San Pellegrino.

Of course, the Chancellor Hotel could not miss another opportunity to pour wine, thanks to our sales representative at Young's Market, Vito.

Tony and Helen were served the crowd and had a great time as well.

I want to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge sometimes!

2009-09-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

Some people make me want to throw up my arms and say "are you kidding me?"

Back in the olden days (10 years ago), people would get out their AAA Book, call a travel agent, call the local visitor's bureau, call hotels and request a brochure and make their choice that way. They were dependent on the information that THE HOTELS put out via their sales department to make their decision. The hotels had more control over the information and sold folks on their particular hotel. Today, people use the Internet and review sites to make their decision. People are relying on the comments and postings, often anonymous and from complete strangers, on review sites such as TripAdvisor to make their decisions on which hotel to stay. That is fine, and it is the new reality, but in my opinion, the responsibility for the selection has shifted from the hotels to the guests. Now, it is buyer beware! People are choosing the hotels, the hotels are not selling themselves to the guest like they used to do. Thus, assuming that the service is good and everything is working, if a guest doesn't like the hotel THEY selected, that is their fault, not the hotel's fault. Case in point: The Chancellor Hotel

We are now, always have been and always will be (as far as I know) a hotel without air conditioning, with small rooms, smaller bathrooms and a hotel with all of the charm and character (quirks) of such built in 1914. That is not going to change. It is on our website and mentioned repeatedly throughout our reviews and postings on the Internet. When considering the Chancellor Hotel, that information can't be missed. Therefore, if someone selects us to stay at when visiting San Francisco and they are unhappy because we are a historic hotel and/or we have small rooms, etc., who's fault is that? Is it fair that we get dinged because we are what we are and people pick us anyways? I don't think so. If I rented an old Model A car, and it served me well, I surely wouldn't complain because it clinked and rattled, and didn't have a cup holder like every other car today does.

Don't get me wrong either. I am not excusing things not working or poor performance. If I rented an antique car for my wedding or whatever, it should do the job. If someone stays with us, they should get a clean room, everything should work and the service should be very good. We are not perfect, things break and stuff happens. However, if the car broke down during my wedding, I would want things made right. The same goes for us. If we drop the ball or fail to deliver, we will make it right. We always have and always will. But again, if I rent an antique car, if is unfair of me to complain because it is not like a new car. If you book a historic 3 star hotel, you will be getting a historic 3 star hotel. Don't knock us for what we are, just accept that we weren't right for you and you know better for the next time when considering a 3 star historic hotel. Thanks!

The Chancellor Hotel is Recognized for its Green Efforts

2009-08-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Chancellor Hotel, San Francisco has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Green Hotels in the U.S. by journalists at Mother Nature Network (MNN). MNN is the new earth-first environmental Website founded by Chuck Leavell, the noted eco-activist who doubles as a long time keyboardist and musical director for the legendary Rolling Stones.

MNN launched in January (visit us here: http://www.mnn.com), the everyman's one-stop guide to greening your daily routine as big or small as you want.

We appreciate the recognition. The Chancellor Hotel has actually been actively working to reduce waste, energy usage, water usage and more for over 10 years...Long before it was "the" thing to do. We have been doing it quietly and because it is the right thing to do, not because it is a sales gimmick to get PR and create a niche in the market. Reducing our impact on the environment is something we truly believe in and will continue to do to the best of our ability.

Karma in action...

2009-08-07T11:51:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, a Berkeley Farms delivery truck was parked in front of the hotel while it was delivering to Border's Books next door.

Of course, the truck was not supposed to be parked in the white passenger loading zone, so their may have been a little Karma payback to them as well. It is when trucks violate the law and use the white zone for their commercial use that we run out of space and guests have to circle the block, but that's another story.

This story is about people getting what they deserve. In this case, the driver was delivering to Border's and he did not lock his truck. Up the street comes a clumsy thief and he decides to go into the truck and take a case of orange juice. Unfortunately, the thief forgot there was a step down out of the truck and fell face first onto the sidewalk. The Orange Juice splattered all over the sidewalk and he must have been in pain.

He got up, closed the door of the truck and strolled away.

Result:

Thief - Nothing but pain

Berkeley Farms - short one case of OJ

Remember...lock your car and do not leave valuables visible.

Sunday Streets this Sunday August 9th - A Great Time!

2009-08-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

Here is some information I pulled from the website:

Bring San Francisco’s streets to life!
Sunday Streets creates a safe, fun, car-free place for people to get out and get active in San Francisco neighborhoods. Last year’s two events drew more than 15,000 people each weekend creating huge demand for more. This year, we’ve expanded the event to six Sundays, opening the streets to San Franciscans to explore four different neighborhoods and participate in a wide variety of activities, including: dancing, biking, skating, walking, hula hooping, yoga, and just people watching.

Sunday, August 9: Great HighwayBike, walk and play next to the Pacific Ocean. Travel from Golden Gate Park to the San Francisco Zoo, along Ocean Beach. 10am-2pm.

Sunday Streets Main Event: Lincoln Way at the Great Highway

* Free bike rentals provided by Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours* Sports Basement ‘Lube Fairies’- free basic bike maintenance and information* Sunday Streets main information table and media check-in* Sunday Streets Sponsor booths* Community Based Organization information tables* California Academy of Sciences “Penguins to Penguins” activity center* Solar Telescope Viewing, 11am-1pm, presented by Morrison Planetarium(note: this event is dependent upon weather, clouds or fog cancels)* Adult Fitness screenings, presented by the YMCA* SF SPCA’s Sloan “Big Dog” and Miss Emmy “Kitty” mascots* Historic displays from “Playland-Not-at-the-Beach” museum
Kid’s Activities: Main Event Area (Lincoln/ Great Highway) and Great Highway at Sloat
Presented by the YMCA of San Francisco
* Heroix 4 Kids* It’s Yoga Kids!* Hula Hoops, obstacle course, and kid’s games* “Penguins to Penguins” activities, presented by the CA Academy of Sciences and SF Zoo* Zoomobile and “Leaping Lemur” game, penguin crafts, SF Zoo- Great Highway at Sloat
Roller Skating: JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, near 6th Ave
Presented by David Miles- the ‘Godfather of Skate’, the California Outdoor Rollersports Association
* Free skating lessons from 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.* Roller rink (over 100 roller skates available for free use, while supplies last)* Thriller Dance and tribute to Michael Jackson skate dance demo- 12:30 – 1:30 P.M.
Dance: JFK Drive at Transverse, Golden Gate Park
Presented by Cheryl Burke Dance Studio
* East Coast Swing: 10 - 10:30 A.M.* Salsa: 10:45 - 11:15 A.M.* Boomercize® Dance workout: 11:30 - 12 Noon* Boomercize® Dance workout: 1 - 1:30 P.M.
Yoga and Martial Arts: JFK Drive east of Chain of Lakes, across from Bison Paddock
Presented by Golden Gate Kokikai Aikido and Purusha Yoga
o 10-12 noon Kokikai Aikido Demonstrations and Introductory Classeso 12 noon Yoga by Purusha Yoga
Live Music: Various locations:
* Noriega/ Upper Great Highway, Pedal Powered stage by Rock the Bike* Taraval/ Upper Great Highway, music by Aoede Music, Grain
Rivera Activity Area: Rivera and Upper Great Highway, Ocean Beach, Seawall
* Fitness activities* Hungry? Grab a snack to go: provided by local vendors Celia’s, Other Avenues Coop, Le Bahn Mi* Acoustic Music Jam Area (Seawall)* Beach Activities, TBA
Bike: Taraval and Upper Great Highway
Presented by the Presidio Community YMCA Bike Program and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
* 150 free bike rentals byo Bike & Roll (Taraval)o Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours (Lincoln and Great Highway)* Bike & Roll’s ‘fun cycle, a bicycle built for seven!* Sports Basement “Lube Fairies” (Lincoln and Great Highway)* REI Bike Repair (Taraval)* Youth Bike Rodeo by Presidio Community YMCA (Taraval)* SFBC’s Freedom From Training Wheels (Taraval)* Adult Bike Education hands on lessons (at Free Bike Rental Stations)

The SF Chefs. Food. Wine. in Union Square for the 1st Time Should be a Great Event

2009-08-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

August 6-9, 2009

Union Square is getting ready for the Big SF Chefs. Food. Wine Event. Here is a picture from our roof where they are setting up the tent. As you can see, the entire Square will be tented for the four day food and wine event celebrating the unique flavor, diversity and bounty of Northern California.

The tasting tent will cover almost the entire Square, where chefs, wine makers and distillers will offer an exploration of taste featuring local products.

There will also be classes and seminars that will offer interactive opportunities for the public to participate with local farmers, ranchers, chefs, winemakers, distillers, media, luminaries, authors, vintners, mixologists and culinary experts in an entertaining forum.

Check out their web site for more information: http://www.sfchefsfoodwine.com/

Here is some event schedule information:

Tickets available on the website. You can buy tickets to indiviual events or day and event passes. If you are a "foodie" this event is not to be missed!

The Chancellor Hotel had ANOTHER celebrity guest...

2009-07-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

We seem to be on roll for celebrities staying with us. This time, our friends at the Magic Parlor that were doing the Eccentrics of San Francisco show at the hotel every Friday and Saturday night put us in touch with Carol Channing. What an honor.

Carol Channing, a San Francisco native, stayed with us while she was in town for a benefit performance for the Dr. Carol Channing/Harry Kullijian Foundation for the Arts, working to bring the arts education back into California schools. Joining the Broadway icon in the show offering memories, humorous story telling and several signature songs was our own Walt Anthony of the Magic Parlor.

The show was held at San Francisco State University Creative Arts Building last Saturday and it was a huge success.

San Francisco 49er Football Season is Just Around the Corner!

2009-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that just about one month from today is the first pre-season 49er football game vs. Denver. Go Niners!

We have great seats for our football package right down by the field almost on the 50 yard line.

We actually only have the two pre-season games and a couple regular season games left. If you want to see football the way it was meant to be seen, check out our package:

http://www.chancellorhotel.com/packages2.htm

Here are some pictures from previous years so you can see how close you are to the action

July - the start of the end of the year.

2009-07-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

As we start July, we end the first half of the year or we are starting the last half of the year. It has been a tough year so far...good for the travellers with great discounts often available, but hard for us to make ends meet. However, the Chancellor Hotel has seen a lot tougher times than these, so things are not that bad.

Looking forward to a nice 4th of July weekend with lots of entertainment around the water front culminating with fireworks over the bay.

Fourth of July Waterfront Celebration Saturday, July 4, 2009 1:00 PM to 9:30 PM

PIER 39 invites you to enjoy a fun-filled Independence Day celebration. Rock out with 'Take 2' from 1-4pm followed by San Francisco's favorite 80's cover band, 'Tainted Love' from 6-9:30pm. Immediately after the entertainment look to the sky as the City of San Francisco lights up the night with it's Firework's Spectacular, accompanied by a musical simulcast from KISS FM 98.1. PIER 39 has the best viewing area on the bay!

Muni Bus and Metro fares are now $2.00 per ride! Cable cars and the visitor guest passes remain unchanged other than becoming a better value now

The Show we have enjoyed hosting in Luques Restaurant every Friday and Saturday for the last 3 months will be closing this weekend. We are very sorry to see the "Eccentrics of San Francisco" go dark, but we hope it will return again someday. It was a great show and they are great people to work with.
We just started our new breakfast and lunch menu in Luques Restaurant, featuring more Benedicts in the morning and pastas in the afternoon.
We just hosted a meeting for the Union Square Ice Rink that will be returning this holiday season. Hard to believe we start planning now, but it takes a lot to put on and we are happy to be a sponsor. Look for our Holiday Ice Skating package later in the year.
We are now on Facebook and hope to grow our fan base and use the new social networking tool to keep our friends in the loop. If you are not already a fan of the Chancellor...Please join us!

47th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest * Union Square * San Francisco

2009-06-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

The 47th Annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest was held in Union Square last Thursday and I was lucky enough to be a judge again.

The competition was very stiff. All of the contestants are actual cable car gripmen and they take the contest very seriously.

However, before the professionals compete, there is an amateur contest. There were three amateur contestants: KOIT Radio, ABC 7 View on the Bay, and KBLX Radio. Each one plays for a charity. KOIT Radio won again.

Here I am awarding KOIT Radio with there 1st Place Trophy

Check out the video of a champion in action.

The winner above - Leonard Oats and the esteemed group of judges

Throughout the event, we were entertained by the Slot Blades which is a band made up of Cable Car Operators and Conductors. They can operate a Cable Car and a play great music!

(A slot blade is the small piece of wood that is lowered onto the tracks to act as a brake on the Cable Cars)

Hotels and guests are falling victim to pranks that are not funny

2009-06-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Hotels are ripe grounds for pranks and scams and we need to keep our guard up at all times. As hotel employees, we are trained to serve and follow requests. As guests, we let our guards down because we are on vacation and trust authority. Well, that can be a big mistake. I have written in my blog before that when hotel staff contacts you during your stay, and you are not expecting them to do so, make them wait for you to verify their validity before you do anything. Tell them to wait and call the front desk. Here is a bulletin that is going around about hotel pranks. I have to admit that they are so outrageous it is amusing, but probably not to the victims. I like to pass this stuff along, so maybe I can help someone somewhere avoid having a bad day. It also reminds me that when I think I have heard everything, something like this comes along.

Hotel Bulletin

Telephone pranksters posing as security or sprinkler company employees have been causing serious damage to many hotels across the country with several reports from Los Angeles properties, as well as New York and across the southeast.
The prank goes like this:
A caller very convincingly has an employee set off the hotel's fire alarm, shut down electricity, and even smash windows, with the most serious damage reported as fire sprinklers that have flooded several hotel lobbies. To-date, it seems this prank is targeting limited service properties during the night and audit shift.

Press reports from various incidents:

From the Smoking Gun-

Now...Go Break The Windows
Crank caller wreaks havoc on Arkansas hotel,
duping employees, guests
JUNE 9--A telephone prankster posing as a sprinkler company employee caused havoc Saturday morning at an Arkansas Holiday Inn when he convinced an employee to set off the hotel's fire alarm, smash windows, shut down electricity, and break a sprinkler head that flooded the building lobby. The bizarre incident is documented by the Conway Police Department, which, as seen below, photographed the aftermath of the June 6 incident. According to police, Holiday Inn employee Christina Bergmann was at the front desk early Saturday when a male caller "identified himself as an employee of Grennel Fire Sprinkler service." The man told Bergmann that there was a problem with the hotel's fire sprinklers and that she "needed to pull the fire alarm to reset them," cops reported. "Bergmann proceeded to pull the fire alarm at this point, causing the audible alarm." Bergmann, aided by a hotel guest, would subsequently follow a series of directions from the caller that would result in about $50,000 in damages to the hotel's windows, carpets and electrical system. Hotel guests, who were evacuated during the incident, were allowed back into the Holiday Inn after police and fire officials determined that the caller was an imposter. Since a similar prank call was made to a Holiday Inn in Little Rock, Conway cops alerted fellow Arkansas law enforcement officials that "more of these calls could be coming in," according to the police report. Rusty Brown, the Holiday Inn guest who helped Bergmann follow the prankster's instructions, told TSG he was "an innocent bystander and got involved in domestic terrorism." Bown, 36,remarked that there was "absolute panic in that hotel," adding that, "all I did was make it worse. I'm not proud of breaking windows. It is very disheartening."

Here is a story where the guest was duped...

Pranksters convince hotel guest to heave TV, fridge out window Last Updated: Monday, March 23, 2009 6:09 PM CT Comments85 Recommend110
CBC News

The defenestrated mini-fridge sits outside the Edgewater Hotel in Whitehorse following the phone prank Sunday night. (Allison Devereaux/CBC)

A sleepy guest at a Whitehorse hotel fell victim to a late-night hoax Sunday when
pranksters pretending to be hotel staff instructed him to hurl two appliances
out of his second-storey window as an emergency measure. Staff at the Edgewater Hotel in downtown Whitehorse said the Victoria man was sleeping in his room when callers woke him up shortly after 11 p.m. to say there was a gas leak in the building. The callers, who said they were from the front desk, told the guest he had to increase air flow into the building by throwing the room's television and mini-refrigerator through his window. The man was also instructed to pull the fire alarm, waking the Edgewater's other guests. "The poor guy in the room is, of course, feeling pretty bashful and somewhat stupid, but he's not going to be held liable or anything," David Goold, the hotel's night attendant, told CBC News early Monday morning. "He can't really be blamed for what you're doing, half-awake, under the front desk's supposed instructions, which is who the people on the phone said they were. "Goold said he later received two separate tips from callers in Ontario, who said the people responsible for the hoax were bragging about their conquest in an online chat room. Goold passed on the tips to Whitehorse RCMP, who say the incident is under investigation.

Cable Car gets its bell rung

2009-06-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

The 47th annual Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest is going to held on Tuesday, June 9 at 12:00 pm in Union Square. As the board president of the Union Square Association this year, I am lucky enough to get to be a judge.

However, when I was walking past the cable car turn-around yesterday, I saw a taxi that couldn't wait for the big event. I don't know what it was doing at the cable car turn-around area because it is off limits to automobile traffic, but hit a cable car and rung its bell.

If you don't want to ram a cable car but would like to hear a bell get rung, come check out the big event. The contest will feature two competitions: one for local media and community representatives; and another for cable car Gripmen and Conductors. Cable car crew members will face-off for the chance to be the World Champion Cable Car Bell Ringer. Defending champion Leonard Oats will compete against six challengers.

Cost: FREE
Website: http://www.masstransitmag.com/web/online/Industry-Announcements/47th-Annual-Cable-Car-Bell-Ringing-Contest-to-be-Held-June-9/1$8801
Venue: Union Square

Dine About Town June 1-15!

2009-05-29T09:26:00.001-07:00

I just went to the kick off party in the Cellar of Macy*s last night featuring tastes from participating restaurants and wines from the Napa Valley. It was a great event with Delicious tastes and it looks like it will be a great summer promotion. This is really one of the best deals going. Here is some information from the www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown/
website. Check it out...there is a complete list of the participating restaurants, menus and a booking system.

It's like you've dined and gone to heaven - twice! Dine About Town is back for June 2009! Save on a specially prepared 3-course lunch for $21.95 or dinner for $34.95. Dates and times of participation vary by restaurant. Menus subject to change. Bon appetít!

Chancellor Hotel serves as a polling place for the special election May 19

2009-05-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

What happens if you hold an election and nobody shows up?...Well we found out on May 19th. The Chancellor Hotel was the polling place for the small Union Square voting precinct for the special election and I think we had more check ins than voters. The special election was the state's leaders plan to get California out of a severe budget crisis, but the people wanted nothing to do with it as was demonstrated by the low turn out.

It was a waste give up half our lobby for the day, but it is even scarier to think how much the state wasted on the special election only to be worse off than we were before.

TIPS FOR HAVING A SAFE STAY FROM USATODAY

2009-05-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

I consider the Chancellor Hotel a very safe hotel. We are intimate enough that we recognize our guests and people that do not belong often stand out. The hotel has only one way in and one way out which passes right by the front desk. The staff receives a lot of safety awareness training which is the biggest factor for providing a safe environment for our guests. Of course, all of our doors have secondary locks, peep holes, electronic entry locks, secondary window locks and in room safes. Safety is a major focus of ours.

However, I came across this article and I thought I would pass these tips along because it is good to keep in mind with us and anywhere else one goes.

These tips from government officials and hotel security experts may help ensure a crime-free hotel stay:

Before booking a hotel, make sure that guest-room doors have multiple locks, including a deadbolt.
Consider using a valet, or park your car in a well-lit area as close as possible to the hotel lobby.
Before getting out of the car, scan the parking lot for any possible assailants. Lock the car and do not leave any valuables inside.
In high-rise hotels, request a room on the third floor or above.
If hotel personnel mention your room number during check-in or another time during your stay, ask for another room.
Don't enter an elevator if someone inside seems suspicious.
Don't open the room door to anyone without verification from the front desk, and do not use your name when answering the phone.
Make sure you know how to use the phone in your room and that you can dial 911.
Place all valuables in the in-room safe.
Hang the "do not disturb" sign on the door and leave a light and radio or TV on when leaving.
At night or any time there's concern about safety, request a hotel staff member to accompany you to your room to inspect it.

The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco crosses a TripAdvisor Milestone

2009-05-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Chancellor Hotel just received its 1,000th guest review on TripAdvisor!

That is the most reviews of ANY hotel in San Francisco. Unfortunately, we just dropped to #6 at the same time, because the new Fairmont (with only 15 reviews) is moving up quickly. However, our ranking and over 1,000 reviews is not bad considering we do not solicit reviews like some of the other hotels do.

The Chancellor Hotel has more reviews than the top 4 hotels combined and more 4 & 5 dot (the highest) scores from guests than they all do together. The second highest reviewed hotel only has 800 reviews.

Our reviews are all real from members of TripAdvisor that use the site to find us and go back and tell how it was. Our high ranking is a result of happy guests that did their research and selected a hotel that they enjoyed. We are a very nice hotel for what we are, but what we are is not for everyone. Most of our bad reviews are from people that did not use the site before booking us, but used it to slam us because they made a bad hotel choice through poor or no research. Back in the olden days, people used travel agents for hotel bookings and the hotel selection was often based on the agent's advice. Today, people do their own travel planning on the Internet, and poor hotel choices can not be blamed on the travel agent. As far as I am concerned, if someone doesn't like their hotel (aside from being dirty or service issues) that is their fault, not the hotel's. In the age of the Internet, it's buyer beware.

So do your research and select the right hotel and post a great review. That way, everyone wins.

Happy travels!

Is the Chancellor Hotel haunted?

2009-05-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

I get emails from people all the time asking me questions, inquiring about the hotel, telling me about their stay and all sorts of things. The following email is one of the most unusual I have ever received.

This will be probably a slightly odd email, to say the least, but it's a 100% serious one.
I stayed in room 1501 this past week for the ---- Convention. On Wednesday evening (4/29), probably at around 10:30 or so, I was getting ready for bed after listening to an audio book aloud on my iPhone speaker (like a tape recorder) for a few hours. After turning it off, and turning off my side lamp beside the bed, I was overcome by an extremely cold sensation -- very deep cold, much more than a drafty room would give you -- and became aware of the appearance at the left side of my bed by what I believe was a ghost, probably about 4 or 41/2 feet tall and visible mostly by its head form and shoulders (and maybe the arms.) It looked like a human shape, but I can't say I recall specific features like nose, mouth, etc.
I'll be honest -- I was pretty confused by what I was seeing, thinking it was a shadow on the wall that I was casting, but the nightlight position of the bathroom and wall switches for that was impossible. I waved my arm to make sure it wasn't me, and looked away and back several times to make sure I wasn't having some sort of strange hallucination, like a speck of dust in my eye or something like that. I was extraordinarily confused at first because it never occurred to me that I was seeing a ghost. It was only after I had mentally rejected all other assumptions of what could make this shadow on the wall that I realized that this "shadow" was standing only a couple feet away from me.
I am convinced that what I saw was real, and that it was drawn to me because I had turned off the audio book not long before. It was looking very clearly at me, and seemed to cocking it's head, as if to suggest, "where did the story (i.e. the audio book) go?" Once I realized what I was seeing, and once I broke through my frozen panic, I buried myself under the covers and eventually the cold sensation went away. Neither the sensation or the ghost reappeared for the remainder of my trip. Frankly, I didn't spend much time in my room after that, and never played the audio book again when I was there.

Let me get to my ultimate point... please call if you'd prefer not to reply by email, I understand if you'd rather not do that. But I am extremely serious that I believe I experienced something paranormal in 1501 on Wednesday night, and was pretty freaked out by it (I have honestly held no opinion about these sorts of thing beforehand and what happened hit me like a ton of bricks.) All I ask is if you have any information you could share with me, as to what the "story" is, or just to let me know this is not a singular incident, I'd really, really, really appreciate it. I know that probably no hotel property is all that interested in this sort of publicity, but I would really like to know what you know. I mentioned it to one of your employees on Friday morning, who was completely convinced that what I encountered actually happened, and made it sound like this wasn't an isolated occurrence. So all I ask is for info -- I have no issues with any service or amenity of The Chancellor, and am just trying to figure out what the hell happened. And I promise complete silence if that's what you want in response...
I'm just searching for something to help me make sense of what I saw.

We have had a few people over the years make comments about ghosts and strange occurrences, but this is the most serious, detailed encounter I have ever heard of at the hotel.

You decide.

Wine Fam Trip

2009-04-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Napa Valley Wine Country Tours is starting a $99 tour that includes a Napa Valley Winery, Lunch in Sonoma and two Sonoma County Wineries. All tasting fees are included as well.

The tour is in a luxury limousine style coach complete with a fruit trays, assorted breads, cheeses and plenty of bottled water. The coach has maps and video screens that are used to educate their guests on terroir and the special aspects of the Sonoma and Napa Valleys.

They pick up in Union Square and Pier 39

The first stop was at Jessup Vineyards. While we tasted their premium wines, we were educated on the wine making and style. Jessup Vineyards does the sit down tasting which is much more comfortable and allows for a more serious understanding of the wines.
Then we toured the barrel room

We then went to Corner Stone in Sonoma for Lunch. Here is a group shot of everyone on the fam trip. It included folks from the Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hotel Abri and of course the Chancellor gang.

We had a great lunch in an outdoor gazebo

After lunch, we went to Jacuzzi Vineyards where we tasted olive oils and their Italian varietals of Sonoma County Wine.

After Jacuzzi, we went to Roche Winery where we tasted several wines in their barrel room. They served us 4 wines right from the barrels. Then, we went to the tasting room for a few more samplings of their great wines. Roche also offers horse back riding at their vineyards.

After a great day of wine tasting, we were served crudités on the ride back down Highway 101 over the the Golden Gate Bridge.

It was a great day and very informative wine tasting experience. When you factor in lunch and the tasting fees, along with the VIP experience, the $99 tour price is a good deal.

Elvis and Great Italian Food...What more could you ask for?

2009-04-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of seeing James Clark's Tribute to Elvis at Fior D'Italia Restaurant last night as part of the Thursday night series.

It is a great show and great food. We had a lot of fun and really enjoyed the evening. If you are an Elvis fan or just enjoy a fun show with dinner, check it out.

The flier doesn't have all the dates, but they told me the show had been extended 3 more weeks. You can check with Fior D'Italia at http://www.fior.com/ or 415.986.1886 for more information.

Fior D'Italia is America's Oldest Italian Restaurant since 1886. It is located in North Beach on the border of the Wharf Area at 2237 Mason Street.

The Chancellor Hotel had a celebrity guest...

2009-04-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ms. Chase Masterson just checked out the other day. She was very gracious during her stay with us providing autographs and pictures. Chase Masterson portrayed the Bajoran Leeta on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for five years (from 1995 to 1999), and Ivy Lief on General Hospital.

We will add Chase Masterson to the elite list of celebrities that have stayed at the Chancellor Hotel such as:

Andrew Shue

Andy Dick

Nadia Comaneci

Bill Press

No, that is not Spock in the middle. It's Matt our bellman

The Chancellor Hotel Staff Participates in the California Hotel & Lodging Association's Legislative Awareness Summit in Sacramento

2009-04-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

Four of us from the Chancellor Hotel went up to the Capitol on April 1st (no fools) for the Eighth Annual California Lodging Industry Legislative Awareness Summit to advocate:

♦ Opposition to the economy hotel crime bill (SB 355) - Which requires "economy" hotels to post at the front desk and on their website all of the calls for service through 911. Well intentioned, but terribly flawed legislation.

♦ Support of meal-rest period legislation (SB 287) - We are just looking for clarification and mutually agreed upon flexibility.

♦ Educate the legislators on the importance of meetings and conferences to the industry. It is amazing how much damage the leaders do when they vilify meetings, resort travel, retreats and the like. When companies cancel their meetings, retreats and travel, it is the many hotel workers and local small businesses that depend on the hotels like event managers, photographers, florist, taxis, limos, shuttles, tour operators and more that suffer. Not to mention all of the local and state tax revenue that is lost. Travel and meetings mean business.

We joined Approximately 300 members of the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA), the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), the California Lodging Industry Association (CLIA), and the California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns (CABBI) to meet with over 100 legislators at the Capitol.

Following opening remarks by Tony Bruno, Vice President of Hotels and Downtown Disney and the event chairman, the audience was treated to Deborah Marriott Harrison, Vice President of Government Affairs for Marriott International, Inc. who spoke on the need to be involved.

The keynote speaker for this year's legislative summit was Steve Poizner, California gubernatorial candidate and State Insurance Commissioner (pictured), who discussed moving the California economy forward.

Other presentations at the Summit included a panel of CH&LA, CLIA, and AAHOA lobbyists, among others, that was moderated by Marlene Colucci, Executive Vice President for Public Policy, American Hotel & Lodging Association detailing the issues and providing tips and tricks when visiting the legislators. Also, CH&LA’s past President & CEO and current Member Legal Advisor Jim Abrams along with Hitesh Bhakta from the Law Offices of Norman Filer gave an update ADA laws and the impact to the hotel and lodging industry.

The Chancellor Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco Celebrates Earth Hour for the 3rd Year

2009-03-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 28th was Earth Hour. That is when 2,140 cities, towns and municipalities symbolically chose to VOTE EARTH for Earth Hour 2009, as part of the world's first global election between Earth and Global Warming. We all turned our lights out for one hour as a symbolic reminder to save energy and help the planet.

Here are some pictures from the Chancellor Hotel's symbolic participation:
Here are pictures of the hotel normally and During Earth Hour

The front desk did just fine in the dark

Even when two young ladies came to check in

The bar was quiet and when the lights went out, it filled up. I was thinking we should have Earth Hour in the bar more often!

Here is the hotel before and during Earth Hour from across the street

The Chancellor Hotel hosts HFTP Dinner and gets a preview of the Eccentrics of San Francisco Show

2009-03-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

We hosted the monthly meeting of the Hospitality Financial & Technical Professionals (HFTP) of Northern California last night. Tony Llanos, our new controller, is the vice-president of the chapter.
The night started with cocktails and socializing. Chef Lacy prepared fillet Mignon which was preceded by a delicious mixed green salad with candied walnuts blue cheese and sliced pears. The group ate in the Clipper Ship Room and moved downstairs to the "theater."

The theater group does a great job converting the restaurant space into an intimate room for some fun story telling about the eccentrics of San Francisco mixed with some illusions.

It was an abbreviated show and the first run with an audience so we are all looking forward to the opening in April.

However, the HFTP Group really enjoyed the show and everyone left wanting more.

Welcome some new faces!

2009-03-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome Tony Llanos our new Controller.

Welcome Kristel who will be working at the front desk.

Welcome Ingrid Segarra from Barcelona Spain. Ingrid will be spending a year with us doing her manangement training.

New Floor in the Bar

2009-03-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

We finally got rid of the carpet in the bar and put down a nice new floor. We have a lot more to do and hopefully will get it done as we move through the year.

The Magical Escapade is Getting Closer

2009-03-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

We just hung the new sign indicating the Chancellor Hotel as the home to the "Eccentrics of San Francisco's Barbary Coast."

Audiences will gather for a ninety-minute show abounding with local anecdotes and lore presented by captivating and consummate conjurers and tale-tellers. We’re partnering with the terrific folks to re-establish the San Francisco Magic Parlor in a perfect location accessible to both residents and visitors! We truly hope our long-term venture will send folks back home from the Bay Area with very magical memories of their California visit! Reservations are highly recommended due to the intimacy of our theatre, and tickets are available from: http://www.brownpapertickets/.com or 1–800–838–3006.

Further details at http://www.sanfranciscomagicparlor/.com.

PCI Standard Compliance

2009-03-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

The Chancellor Hotel just took the next step toward guest data security and it takes a little getting used to. We upgraded our computer system to be Payment Card Industry (PCI) Standard Compliant which protects guest credit card information through encryption and limited access. From now on, when a desk agent enters a credit card number, once they enter the number, it can no longer be seen by anyone. There is only one person at the hotel that has the password to view credit card numbers. In the past, anyone that had access to the hotel system, could view an account and see the credit card number. Now, no credit card information can be viewed in the system at all. We also, no longer take a physical imprint of the card so we do not keep paper copies of the information anywhere. While this new system will provide much greater data security, if we need to re-enter a credit card number or something, we must call the guest to get it because we have no back up. Every once and a while, there is a glitch when entering credit card information and we would have to re-enter it from the imprint or from what was in the computer...no more!
If we have to ask for a number again for some reason, please bear with us, it is because we are protecting your information to the best of our ability.
Thanks for your understanding.

Ready, Set, Crack! The 7th Annual Union Square Celebrity Crab Festival.

2009-03-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

Unbelievable! What a great day! The Rain Gods were on our side. We have had day after day of rain and the clouds parted for a beautiful day in Union Square for the 7th Annual Celebrity Crab Festival last Saturday. We have participated every year and it gets better every year.

We are proud to announce that our Chef, Darren Lacy, won the Celebrity Crab Cracking Contest. We are very proud and look forward to him defending his title next year.

Here are some of the Celebrity participants:

They include three 49er players, CBS 5, Miss Chinatown, The Fire Chief, Gold Rush Dancers, and 107.7 the Bone radio personalities.
Here is the set up waiting to get going

Here is the contest in full swing with Chef Lacy and his 49er partner

Chef Lacy Wins! Here he is with his sour dough crab crown and then back at our wine booth

A big crowd was on hand to witness the Chef's Crab Cracking Mastery

We were pouring some great Kenwood Wines and serving one of the Chef's signature items, crab cakes. People told us all day, they were the best!

Sour Dough Sam, the 49er mascot came by to congratulate us and check out the wine.
The crab items being served were great! Here are a couple samples...

What a great time! We are looking forward to next year.

Nice guest note with pictures

2009-02-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

A guest of ours sent me the following note with some pictures, and I thought I would share the note and pictures with everyone. It really is nice and uplifting when people do things like this.

Thanks!

Dear Mr. Tyler,

Enclosed please see the photo album and please pass it to your staff. I had a wonderful staying in Chancellor Hotel and most of your hotel staff are very helpful.

Matt is a character and very cheerful!!! Rory and Michael M. at the front desk are
very helpful. The most funny thing was the last day of my staying, I found Rory working at the hotel bar. :) So I had to take a pix of him.

Susan, Alicia, Lawrence, Harris, a black guy who handles housekeeping~ they are wonderful.

For sure, I am looking forward to staying in your hotel if I go to SF in the near future.

Take care and have a nice day!

Eccentrics of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast …a magical escapade!

2009-02-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

The Chancellor on Hotel Union Square is home to the San Francisco Magic Parlor and I wanted to share this news with everyone on my blog:

Great San Francisco news to share— welcome a new performance venue to the Bay Area!

Join us for our Grand Opening April of 2009 the charming and historic Chancellor Hotel on Union Square is home to “Eccentrics of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast …a magical escapade! ” Celebrate San Francisco’s wild, wacky, and romantic past, with world-class entertainers Spinning Tales and Weaving Enchantment.

Garnering a warm reception each time “Eccentrics of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast”…a magical escapade! has been presented, the highly praised show is now permanently housed within the San Francisco Magic Parlor at the Chancellor Hotel, 433 Powell Street, right on Union Square.

Share libations and delicacies one-half-hour before the show in our elegant and intimate theatre every Friday and Saturday Evening at 8:00pm sharp. Performance-artists Walt Anthony, David Miller, Brian Scott, and Ruth Fraser deliver wonder and wizardry to savor, bringing to life memorable portraits of wild-and-woolly characters from San Francisco’s colorful and notorious past!

Our Victorian Parlor will be elegant yet informal in ambiance —a comfortable room where both tourists and locals can experience distinctive magic with a classic theatrical flavor— without totally emptying their pocketbooks. An intimate velvet-draped stage will be the focal point of the salon, the cozy theatre seating only about three-dozen guests.

Audiences will gather for a ninety-minute show abounding with local anecdotes and lore presented by captivating and consummate conjurers and tale-tellers. We’re partnering with the terrific folks at the Chancellor Hotel to re-establish the San Francisco Magic Parlor in a perfect location accessible to both residents and visitors!

We truly hope our long-term venture will send folks back home from the Bay Area with very magical memories of their California visit! Reservations are highly recommended due to the intimacy of our theatre, and tickets are available from: http://www.brownpapertickets/.com or 1–800–838–3006.

Further details at http://www.sanfranciscomagicparlor/.com.

AT A GLANCE…

WHAT: “Eccentrics of San Francisco’ Barbary Coast”…a magical escapade
WHERE: San Francisco Magic Parlor in The Chancellor Hotel Union Square
433 Powell Street (between Post and Sutter Streets)
WHEN: Every Friday and Saturday Evening, at 8:00pm sharp
Year-round - Opening April 2009
TICKETS: $30 Entertainment Charge - Refreshments Available Before Show
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ or 1-800-838-3006
INFO: http://www.sanfranciscomagicparlor.com/

It's Official...

2008-12-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

San Francisco Hotels voted in a Tourism Improvement District plan yesterday at the Board of Supervisors Meeting. Therefore, effective January 1, 2009, there will be a Tourism District Assessment that hotels will pass on to guests that is based on room charges that will generate millions of dollars to add to the promised City funds over the next 10 years for the repairs, improvements and expansion of the Moscone Convention Center in addition to the sales and marketing efforts of the Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Visitors to downtown San Francisco, beginning in 2009, should expect to pay 1.5% of guest room charges as an assessment fee in addition to the 14% occupancy tax. Hotels in the West Side and far South of the City will be assessed 1% of room charges.

Chancellor Hotel's Holiday Reception

2008-12-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

The Chancellor Hotel hosted a Holiday Reception for our guests and the Union Square Association for the 2nd year in a row on December 4th. The tradition has grown out of the Holiday Stroll that used to be held in the Union Square Area and features great food, wine, beer, mulled wine and the special "Grinch" drink to benefit the family our sponsor family. Invitees were also asked to bring non-perishable food for our annual food drive.

Gen and Monica Served up the "Grinch" for our sponsor family.

We offered a free specialty drink called the "Grinch" shaken with care by Monica and Gen. All tips were matched by the hotel and used to purchase gifts on our sponsor family's wish list so they can have a better Christmas in these hard times.

We cleared out the Luques Restaurant and set up some stand up cocktail tables with a wine bar and some great food stations

Chef Lacy dished up some great food and was the hit of the party.

Above: Florinda serves some Delicious stuffed mushrooms

Kevin and Tony man the beer and wine bar

We were lucky enough to be visited by Mr. Scrooge. Unfortunately, no Bah Humbug here!

Here is Mr. Scrooge and Donna from the Union Square Association

The Dickens Fair is at the Cow Palace until December 21st

Here are other great pictures from the event

A few shots of the Chancellor Staff

Here are some random shots from the reception

Hotel Scam Warning

2008-12-10T14:32:00.001-08:00

Here is a scam warning I heard about a while ago and posted onto the Inside Pages on TripAdvisor. I just received a bulletin from the hotel security directors association that indicated the scam was just perpetrated again at a local hotel.
==========================================================

There is a scam where people call hotels and ask to be connected to a room. They often ask for a common name like Smith, Jones, Wilson, etc. However, if someone calls a hotel and just asks for a room by the number, they are often connected without any screening procedures by the hotel. When the guest answers the phone in the room, the caller claims to be the hotel manager and says there is a problem with the credit card information at the front desk. The caller then asks the guest to repeat their credit card number and address. Some people have fallen for the scam and found thousands of dollars charged to their cards within minutes. Again, do not give out your credit card number to anyone who calls you. If the hotel management needs to verify your credit card information, tell them that you will go down to the front desk to do so.

2008 Macy*s Christmas Tree Lighting in Union Square San Francisco

2008-12-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

WOW! What a great time. I have been to nearly every Tree Lighting Event since Macy*s donated their first tree to the City 19 years ago. In all my years, NEVER have I seen so many people on the streets on Black Friday.

Black Friday (or Fur Free Friday as we call it in San Francisco), is the day after Thanksgiving. It used to be the biggest shopping weekend and one of our busiest weekends in the hotel. Now, it is just a "busy" weekend for us, but VERY busy in the City. The day usually starts off with the fur protests, anarchy protests, anti-business protests and new this year, Iraq Veterans Protests.

Here is a picture of the Square taken from our roof early in the day with the Ice Skating Rink:
The fur protesters usually start in front of Saks 5Th Avenue and Nieman Marcus and then move to the Square.

The Chancellor put out its usual Christmas Decorations

The Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony was hosted by Spencer Christian of ABC

Of course, Santa Clause was there. However, this year Santa read a letter he had received which was about a young man that wanted to tell his girl friend something special for Christmas. He was invited on stage and proposed to her. She said "Yes"

Since they are not a same sex couple, they can get married in California.

The Tree was lit by a countdown with Santa, the Former Mayor Willie Brown, the Police Chief and Fire Chief. Here is the lit tree!

It is an 80 foot tree from the side of Mount Shasta in Northern California. The tree is lit with over 10,000 energy efficient LEDs.

New this year are the lit palm trees at each corner of Union Square. They look great!

These are actually pretty good times to come visit Union Square and San Francisco. Discounts are available, the City looks good, the Ice Skating Rink is back after 12 years, the palm trees are lit, Market Street has the snow flakes on the Path of Gold Historic Street Lamps. It is a good time to come to the City and forget about how bad everything is.

After the lighting, I have never seen so many people pour into the streets. Here is a picture from Powell at Post Street looking down Powell
The night would not be as crazy as it could without Critical Mass coming through. You gotta love 'em!

The Chancellor visits Anchor Steam Brewery

2008-12-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

Luques Restaurant and Bar is proud to serve a San Francisco original and classic --Anchor Steam Beer.

Anchor Steam Beer has been brewed in San Francisco since 1896. It was purchased by Fritz Maytag some 30 years ago when it was a distressed brewery barely staying in business. Fritz Maytag is a descendant of the inventor of the washing machine and also owns Maytag Blue Cheese.

Today, Anchor Steam Beer and its many other brews are some of the best and highly respected in the market place.

The Chancellor food and beverage staff and others were lucky enough to be taken on a tour of the brewery in San Francisco and were treated like royalty. Thanks Dan!

Here are a few pictures from our tour:

The Chancellor Crew in front of the big copper brewing pots

Dan showing us the hops

Rory and Erhan in the lobby

It's a Double Edged Sword

2008-11-19T21:55:00.000-08:00

It has been a while, but it just happened again...a professional thief struck!

At the Chancellor Hotel, we try to provide a welcoming and friendly environment for people to relax and enjoy themselves, as most service oriented businesses do. However, while hotels and restaurants try to make customers feel comfortable, they must always keep their guard up. Professional thieves know how to take advantage of people relaxing and letting their guard down and we just saw it again.

A guest was sitting at the bar and had her purse on the floor to her right as she was talking with a friend to her left. A nicely dressed lady walked in and sat down in the seat next to the purse on the floor. The nicely dressed lady ordered a glass of wine and engaged in some small talk. As she did that, she manipulated the purse with her foot. Eventually she lifts the purse up by putting her foot in the straps and reaches down to take out the wallet. She uses her feet to work the purse back into the position where it was and SUCCESS!

The lady finishes her wine, acts like she is taking a phone call and leaves.

How do we know all this? We have cameras through out the public areas of the hotel, and the victim found out her wallet was missing when she went to pay her bar tab a short while later. The victim was sure she had her wallet when she arrived, so we looked back at the video. You can see it all, and she was good.

By the time the victim called to cancel her cards, there was $1,800 charged at Nordstrom's and $300 in gas purchases.

I hope by sharing this story, someone will avoid the same thing happening to them. Please, relax and enjoy, but do not let your guard down. Keep purses and valuables in your view. Do not wear backpacks on your back on transit or in busy areas. Do not walk with your purse over your shoulder. Do not leave purses and bags at tables in bars and restaurants, or sit with a purse or bag hanging on the back of a chair. Thieves are constantly roaming looking for opportunity. If you do not give them the opportunity, you will not be a victim.

Ice Skating in Union Square!

2008-11-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

Safeway Holiday Ice Rink
In Union Square presented by Macy*s
2008-2009
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 – Sunday, January 4, 2009
Closes at 4 p.m. on December 31, 2008

Information Hotline 415.781.2688

Daily Schedule • Open 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday
• Close at 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night
• 90 minute sessions that start on every even hour

• Private party booking* available Mondays & Tuesdays,
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 – 10:00 p.m.

*Sessions not open to public if sold to a private party. No private parties after Tuesday, December 16, 2008.

Cost • Admissions:
Adults $8.00; Children 8 and under $4.00 Monday – Friday until 6:00 p.m.

Adults $8.50; Children 8 and under $4.50 From Friday 6:00 p.m. session until closing on Sunday.

• Skate rentals: $4.00 (Hockey skates available for $1 extra)

• Group rates: applicable only Mondays through Thursdays, not available after Tuesday, December 16, 2008
• 15 to 24 - $0.50 discount per person
• 25 to 74 - $1.00 discount per person
• 75 or more - $1500 – must rent entire rink
• Private parties: $1500 Single Session; $2750 Double Session

Sponsors

Beneficiary Safeway, Macy*s, Larkspur Hotels, Jet Blue Airways, Emporio Rulli Il Caffe, Sweet and Baker Insurance Brokers, Kaiser Permanente, Westin St. Francis, JW Marriott, NBC Bay Area, KGO Radio and 7x7 Magazine.

Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco and San Francisco Recreation & Park Department

*Dates, rates and times subject to change

Chancellor Hotel serves as a polling place for the Historic Election

2008-11-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

The Chancellor Hotel served as the polling place for precinct 3347 for the second time this year.

It was great to see Democracy in action!

This time was a lot busier than last time.

Tub Overflow - It Happened Again!

2008-11-03T16:35:00.000-08:00

Despite our warning on the back of the registration cards that everyone signs that says that the tubs will overflow if left unattended when running, and it will cost you $1,000.00 for repairs, AND we have a bright yellow sign over the tub faucets with a warning as well, it happened again! The guest didn't even tell us about his tub overflowing. Luckily, the building engineer was making his morning rounds and discovered a wet carpet in the hallway outside the room. The water was all the way into the hallway outside the room and across the room to the far window.

We have to pull all the furniture out and remove the carpeting to dry the room. The room just below was only damaged slightly, thankfully. It was a fun Monday for the maintenance and housekeeping departments!

The Chancellor Hotel's Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest

2008-10-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Each year we have a pumpkin carving contest for our staff. Each year I am amazed at the creativity and skill that is demonstrated.

We buy the pumpkins and invite the staff to carve one and enter it into the contest. We then ask our guests to vote on the their favorite pumpkin by filling out a little ballot and putting it into the box. Shortly after Halloween, we open the ballot box and count the votes. The top 3 pumpkins win a cash prize. However, every one's a winner when they participate.

Happy Halloween!

The New LCD Flat Panel TVs are coming in!

2008-10-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here, Carlos is moving a TV upstairs.

This is how they look in the room... Nice!

We are very excited that we have begun our new LCD Flat Panel TV installations. We bought the 32" LG TVs and we are putting them in the rooms. We get about 20 a week and are working from the top floors down. If you care, feel free to request a room with a new TV. They sure look nice!

Nike Women's Marathon

2008-10-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Nike Woman's Marathon was just last weekend and it all starts in Union Square. Here are a few shots from the event that morning:
Gathering in the lobby before the race

They have a few participants!

The Chancellor is in a great location to stay in for runners. However, if you're not staying with us for the race, chances are, you will be awake for it!

Fleet Week Pictures

2008-10-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some great pictures a guest sent me from Fleet Week:

The Blue Angels are Back!

2008-10-09T16:31:00.001-07:00

Fleet Week is upon us and the highlight of the event is the Blue Angels Air Show over the Bay. I took a few pictures from the roof of the Chancellor Hotel as they were practicing. Below is a picture of a plane between the Mark Hopkins Hotel and the Fairmont Tower as it is flying over the bay.

This is looking up Bush Street from the Chancellor's roof toward the Bay.

They start practicing on Thursday for the show and buzz the City all day long. Man, are they loud! It is really fun to see them fly in formation over the City as they practice.

For more information and the complete schedule of events, check out the web site: http://www.military.com/fleetweek

Free Theater 2008

2008-09-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

I came across this in a bulletin I receive and thought I would pass it on. Sounds good!

Every Wednesday from October 1st to October 22, theatres around Northern California are offering up thousands of tickets for FREE to promote the experience of live theatre. Most Free Night of Theatre events will take place between October 3 and November 7, 2008.

Reservations for Free Night of Theatre will begin on Wednesday, October 1. Tickets will be available at the TIX Theatre Bay Area Box Office located on the west side of Union Square from noon until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1 and will be available online at 6 p.m. thereafter.

Participants may only reserve tickets for one show during the Free Night campaign.

New batches of tickets will be available online every Wednesday until October 22. Those interested in taking advantage of this great offer are encouraged to review the theatre listings carefully to make sure to get a show date that works for their schedules. You may check out all of the tickets available by visiting http://www.theatrebayarea.org/tix/fnot_home.jsp

Welcome 2 New Staff Members at the Chancellor Hotel

2008-09-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

We are happy to welcome Alex from Belarus to our Chancellor Hotel Family. He is working as a server in Luques Cafe

We also welcome Nathaniel (Nat) to the front desk. He was working with Enterprise Car Rental at the San Francisco International Airport and is now giving the Hotel Business a try.

Welcome and thank you!