Hotel: Embassy Suites

Location: SFO, San Francisco Airport location

Accessibility score: 6/10

Amenities Locations

Upon entering the main doors of the Embassy Suites SFO location, the check-in and concierge desk are located directly ahead as you enter the door. The desk is located in the center of a very large room, with the elevators directly to the left as you pass the check-in desk. Directly behind the desk (down a small curving ramp) is the area where the manager’s reception and included breakfast is served. The food and non-alcoholic drinks are located to the left as you reach the bottom of the ramp. For the afternoon reception, included alcoholic drinks are located behind a dark lattice, there is a small area for guests to line up while waiting for their drinks. The pool and hot tub area can be easily located by following the wall to the left as you exit the elevators. There is a door a short way around, which is behind the food area in the center of the large atrium. The smell of chlorine will be your clue and you will need your room key to enter. Towels are located on a large rack to the left as you walk into the pool area with a large basket for used towels. I found that the lounge chairs around the pool were a bit close to the edge and created a bit of a challenge for my guide dog to navigate.   

Checking in

I had called ahead to request a guided tour of the hotel and assistance finding my room, but upon arrival, I was told the person who handles that was not available that day. The front desk staff did offer clear directions to the elevators, but unclear directions to my room once I reached the floor I was staying on. I felt as if I was on my own to find most of the things I needed at the hotel. The room is well laid out, and I was able to find everything I needed. Be aware that large print and braille options are not available for the room service and hotel information guides. Hotel staff milling around were adept at offering clear directions to any location in the hotel.

Relieving area

I travel with a guide dog, and when I inquired about a preferred relieving area, I was told that I could relieve her anywhere in the front of the building. I found that there was ample grass areas to relieve and all areas in front of the building were well lit with large overhead lights. Suitable grass areas were located to the left as you exited the main doors. A trash can is located to the right of the doors as you are entering. I should not have to remind anyone of this, but please remember to bring waste pickup bags and clean up after your dog.

Overall

Everyone we encountered on the hotel the staff did a good job of not interacting with my guide dog while she was working. They ignored her as I would expect them to. Guide dogs like any dog crave attention and it can be difficult to get them back on task once someone has distracted them. The Embassy Suites staff did a great job of proper etiquette when dealing with a guide dog but fell down in terms of offering initial assistance to find my room. After a long trip, having someone direct you or guide you to your room can make all the difference when checking in.