Reviews of AC Hotel San Rafael Downtown This rating is a reflection of how the property compares to the industry standard when it comes to price, facilities and services available. It's based on a self-evaluation by the property. Use this rating to help choose your stay!
1201 5th Avenue, San Rafael, 94901, United States
#4 of 12 hotels in San Rafael
Guests' ChoiceReview Score
Based on 77 hotel reviews
8.3Score breakdown
-
Cleanliness
9.1
-
Comfort
9.0
-
Location
9.1
-
Facilities
8.7
-
Staff
8.9
-
Value for money
7.9
-
Free Wifi
8.3
Verified guest reviews from real Bookers
Real Bookers. Real stays. Real opinions.
Read more– opens a dialog boxHow guest reviews work
Each review score is between 1 and 10. To get the overall score you see, we add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of them. We use a weighted review system, which means the more recent the review, the bigger the impact on the total review score calculation. Guests can also give separate “subscores” in crucial areas like location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value, and free Wifi. Note that guests submit their subscores and overall scores independently, so there’s no direct link between them.
You can review an accommodation that you booked through our platform if you stayed there, or if you got to the property but didn’t actually stay there. To edit a review you’ve already submitted, contact our Customer Service team.
We have people and automated systems that specialize in detecting fake reviews submitted to our platform. If we find any, we delete them and, if necessary, take action against whoever is responsible.
Anyone who spots something suspicious can always report it to our Customer Service team so that our fraud team can investigate.
Ideally, we'd publish every review we get, positive and negative. However, we won’t display any reviews that include or refer to (among other things):
- Politically sensitive comments
- Promotional content
- Illegal activities
- Personal or sensitive info (e.g. emails, phone numbers, credit card info)
- Swear words, sexual references, hate speech, discriminatory remarks, threats, or references to violence
- Spam and fake content
- Animal cruelty
- Impersonation (i.e. if the writer is claiming to be someone else)
- Any violation of our review guidelines.
To make sure reviews are relevant, we may only accept reviews that are submitted within 3 months of checking out. We may stop showing reviews once they’re 36 months old, or if the accommodation has a change of ownership.
An accommodation can reply to a review.
When you see multiple reviews, the most recent ones will be at the top, subject to a few other factors (e.g. language, whether it’s just a rating or contains comments as well, etc.). You can sort and/or filter them by time of year, review score, and more.
Sometimes we show external review scores from other well-known travel websites, but make it clear when we do this.
Guidelines and Standards for Reviews
These guidelines and standards aim to keep the content on Booking.com relevant and family-friendly, without limiting expression or strong opinions. They're also applicable regardless of the comment's tone.
Contributions should be travel related. The most helpful contributions are detailed and help others make better decisions. Please don’t include personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary. Promotional content will be removed and issues concerning Booking.com’s services should be routed to our Customer Service or Accommodation Service teams.
Contributions should be appropriate for a global audience. Please avoid using profanity or attempts to approximate profanity with creative spelling, in any language. Comments and media that include hate speech, discriminatory remarks, threats, sexually explicit remarks, violence, or the promotion of illegal activity are not permitted.
All content should be genuine and unique to the guest. Reviews are most valuable when they are original and unbiased. Your contribution should be yours. Booking.com property partners should not post on behalf of guests or offer incentives in exchange for reviews. Attempts to bring down the rating of a competitor by submitting a negative review will not be tolerated.
Respect the privacy of others. Booking.com will make an effort to obscure email addresses, telephone numbers, website addresses, social media accounts, and other similar details.
The opinions expressed in contributions are those of Booking.com customers and properties, and not of Booking.com. Booking.com does not accept responsibility or liability for any reviews or responses. Booking.com is a distributor (without any obligation to verify) and not a publisher of these comments and responses.
By default, reviews are sorted based on the date of the review and on additional criteria to display the most relevant reviews, including but not limited to: your language, reviews with text, and non-anonymous reviews. Additional sorting options might be available (by type of traveler, by score, etc...).
Translations disclaimer
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
End of dialog content-
Reviewed: May 26, 2025
Jillian
United States6 Reviews8.0Very Good- • Leisure trip
- • Group
- • Standard Queen Room with Two Queen Beds
- • Stayed 1 night
More water bottles in the room would be great
Location is amazing, walkable distance to a lot of restaurants/bars. Beautiful view from both the room and rooftop of Mt Tam. Very spacious/comfortable room with clean room/bathroom.
Stayed in May 2025
-
Reviewed: May 5, 2025
Kelly
United States1 review8.0“Great location, comfy bed, well appointed room!”- • Business trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The staff at the front desk could be a bit friendlier. They were professional, but a smile could go a long way :)
Beautiful clean room with a very comfortable bed! Rooftop bar was good, but could use better Sun shades. The ones they have now are not designed to withstand wind and are very loud.
Stayed in May 2025
-
Reviewed: April 16, 2025
Smeg
Denmark8 Reviews9.0“A comfortable and modern hotel. Friendly staff and a great location in downtown San Rafael.”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
A lovely hotel. The walls are a little thin, but other than that it’s great.
Stayed in April 2025
-
Reviewed: February 26, 2025
Sophia
United States2 Reviews9.0Wonderful- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
I could hear my neighbors speaking at a muffled level and also hear what they were doing.
Location, cleanliness, new hotel, friendly staff.
Stayed in February 2025
-
Reviewed: February 10, 2025
James
United States32 Reviews6 helpful votes7.0“A fine stay.”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
It was a bit costly.
The hotel was nice.
Stayed in February 2025
-
Reviewed: January 24, 2025
Gerald
United States31 Reviews1 helpful vote9.0“Good hotel and great location”- • Business trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Overall the property is very good. Parking is the only thing that can be challenging especially in garage.
Stayed in January 2025
-
Reviewed: January 23, 2025
Marco
Canada4 Reviews8.0“We had a very comfortable one-night stay”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Our only criticism was that there are very few hooks or bars for hanging used towels
Modern, clean, well positioned, helpful staff, good food choice for breakfast
Stayed in December 2024
-
Reviewed: January 18, 2025
Jason
United Kingdom24 Reviews8.0“Very convenient option right in the center of San Rafael”- • Business trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 3 nights
Parking charges are a bit excessive.
Great location, and lots of good restaurant options around the corner. Very clean and modern hotel.
Stayed in December 2024
-
Reviewed: January 9, 2025
Monica
Panama24 Reviews1 helpful vote9.0“Nice well located hotel”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Its a day in between service hotel
Well centered, the staff was amazing, clean and new
Stayed in January 2025
-
Reviewed: December 21, 2024
George
Cyprus2 Reviews7.0Good- • Business trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Good but overpriced
Stayed in December 2024
-
Reviewed: November 30, 2024
King
United States2 Reviews8.0“I have told you all I know!”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
I think the bathroom is a little weird- it is part of the room, a with separate toilet and a separate shower. I could not turn off the shower because the device for on and off was unclear- it had little poles that one turned around with no signage.
Breakfast was OK- it cost $18.00 and I had a croissant(very good) some fruit (not good) and coffee. I think you should include the cost in the room charge.
Stayed in November 2024
-
Reviewed: September 28, 2024
David
United States4 Reviews8.0Very Good- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Premium Deluxe King Room with Mountain View
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Nothing
Nice property. Great location. Very clean
Stayed in September 2024
-
Reviewed: September 22, 2024
Sue
New Zealand71 Reviews5 helpful votes8.0“We stayed for two nights at the AC Hotel. It was right in town and close to everything.”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
Nothing - it was great.
The AC Hotel is well located in the city of San Rafael. It is new, clean and comfortable. I would stay here again.
Stayed in September 2024
-
Reviewed: September 16, 2024
Nancy
United States11 Reviews1 helpful vote8.0“Fine for a nivht”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Noise from what we assume is rooftop cooling system
Location
Stayed in September 2024
-
Reviewed: September 16, 2024
Gerald
United States31 Reviews1 helpful vote8.0“Overall, the property was very good and a great location”- • Business trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Parking was very limited and had to park on street twice.
Overall excellent property and staff
Stayed in September 2024
-
Reviewed: August 30, 2024
Molnar
United States6 Reviews7.0“It met our needs”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Queen Room with Two Queen Beds
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Only 1 elevator worked the 4 days we were there and when the room got services they didn't replace wash cloths, the complimentary toiletries also the parking was extremely limited versus the size of the hotel.
It was clean and in a good location for our needs
Stayed in August 2024
-
Reviewed: August 18, 2024
Shane
United States17 Reviews2 helpful votes9.0“Great place to stay while visiting our son”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard Queen Room with Two Queen Beds
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
One of the elevators was inoperable, parking was limited
Location, things to do around the area
Stayed in August 2024
-
Reviewed: June 3, 2024
Christopher
United States3 Reviews9.0Wonderful- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Queen Room with Two Queen Beds
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The sliding door for the bathroom is a terrible idea. I wish hotels would stop using this design when renovating. It offers less privacy and they are difficult/annoying to operate as it depends on the person who installed it. Sliding doors do not belong on bathrooms, they belong on barns.
I loved the coffee in the morning and the spacious on site gym is the nicest hotel gym I have ever seen/used. The hotel is in a central location and that made it a great choice for me, as I didn’t want to drive to restaurants. The hotel is clean and modern. I would recommend this hotel and will be returning.
Stayed in June 2024
-
Reviewed: May 26, 2024
Clodagh
Ireland1 review8.0“All good”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Nothing
Comfortable and well designed
Stayed in May 2024
-
Reviewed: December 18, 2023
Barbara
United States71 Reviews4 helpful votes9.0“convenient location and friendly staff”- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
the lights kept going off in my room
Comfortable and well designed rooms
Stayed in December 2023
-
Reviewed: October 16, 2023
Yang
United States1 review8.0“Great except for parking and needed access to a microwave”- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Standard Queen Room with Two Queen Beds
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Limited parking and no microwave in common area
Location was great
Stayed in October 2023
-
Reviewed: July 5, 2025
Anne-laure
United States14 Reviews10“Great place.”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Premium Deluxe King Room with Mountain View
- • Stayed 1 night
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The outdoor plants along the building are looking wilted, non taken care of with weeds. It does not look good around the building. Foot traffic noise from the rooftop bar in our bedroom at the 5th floor just under.
Location. Design. Friendly staff and great rooftop.
Stayed in July 2025
-
Reviewed: June 4, 2025
Nina
United States32 Reviews1 helpful vote6.0“It was adequate, nice location, but having to pay for extras that were to be included was a surprise”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Standard King Room
- • Stayed 1 night
The bathroom is strange. There is no privacy in the toilet section, which can be awkward. There is a large gap between the floor and the door, and there is no fan for privacy.
We liked the rooftop restaurant, that may have been the best part of the stay.
Stayed in May 2025
-
Reviewed: June 3, 2025
James
United States36 Reviews1 helpful vote10“Hotel great, Bookings not so great.”- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Premium Deluxe Queen Room with Two Queen Beds and Mountain View
- • Stayed 2 nights
I booked a mountain view room and booking confirmed it. When I got to the hotel I was told they were all out of Mountain View rooms and only had one room left, an accessibility room. I asked how they could not have the room and I was told by Rodolpho that Bookings had over booked the rooms. How could this happen? we are lucky they had a room for us. I suggest that people should always call the hotel to make sure what Bookings says is true. I will be doing that from now on.
Since Bookings overbooked the rooms and the room we reserved was not available, Rodolpho gave us the last room they had, decreased our charge accordingly and comped our parking. I cannot say enough good things about his and everybody's service. Top notch hotel!
Stayed in May 2025
