Good Hotels in San Fran?

[m-dogg]

Hello - I'll be in San Fran next month...can anyone recommend a good hotel to stay at?

Nice but not too expensive & central to the usual tourist attractions is what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

 

[IJ Reilly]

What's your price range?

 

[m-dogg]

What's your price range?

Around $100 - $150 I guess. Preferably closer to $100.

 

[IJ Reilly]

You'll obviously find more quality closer to $150 and almost nothing habitable much under $100. But since you're obviously a cheapskate like me when it comes to hotels, I will share my poorly-kept secret favorite hotel in San Francisco, the Holiday Inn Civic Center. The last time I stayed there (MW in January) the rates were $89, IIRC. Not the greatest neighborhood, but right on top of BART and other public transportation. Not fancy, but very quiet for a city hotel, especially if you can get a room on the concierge floor.

 

[m-dogg]

Thanks - I'll take a look at that.

But a cheapskate? Nah! We're trying to keep the costs down on this trip, and I know San Fran is an expensive city.

And I tend to be pretty active when I'm traveling - So why spend a lot on a hotel if you're never going to be there!

 

[IJ Reilly]

Thanks - I'll take a look at that.

But a cheapskate? Nah! We're trying to keep the costs down on this trip, and I know San Fran is an expensive city.

And I tend to be pretty active when I'm traveling - So why spend a lot on a hotel if you're never going to be there!

Like I said, a cheapskate.

No shame in that. I don't like to overspend on a hotel room either, unless it's at a resort. If the room is reasonably clean and quiet, I'm a happy camper.

 

[stonyc]

But since you're obviously a cheapskate like me when it comes to hotels, I will share my poorly-kept secret favorite hotel in San Francisco, the Holiday Inn Civic Center.

Second that... couple years ago the wife and I were visiting SF and stayed there. We were right across the street from a demonstration, but they petered out a little after dinner-time. They picked up again though around 8-9am, but we were up and ready to go out by that time. Very thoughtful of those demonstrators I must say.

 

[Applespider]

I got a great deal on priceline for the Hilton near Union Square for $100 a night in October. One of the online priceline forums had some great tips on how to be able to do multiple searches in the main downtown area.

 

[iGav]

I stayed in a motel up near Mill Valley, 45-50 bucks a night I think, ideal as a base and got to drive over the Golden Gate every morning.

Motels are part of American culture

 

[crdean1]

I am a cheapskate, but like nicer hotels. I used priceline last June, and stayed in Union Square (a location option on priceline), and got the Renaissance(sp?) Hotel for $90 or $100 a night, can't remember which. It was an excellent hotel. (The regular room rate that we stayed in was a little over $200 a night.)

Also, I would only rent a car for the days you are going to be out of downtown, because it will cost you $35.00 a night to park your car in most hotel's garages. If you are saying downtown for a couple of days, you could avoid that and the rental car cost by taking the trolley everywhere.

It was a very nice hotel. Also look into the W Hotel, and the Hilton in Union Square, which was very nice. We ate dinner one night at the top of the Hilton, some restaurant where you could see the bridge, ocean and bay.

And you cannot go to San Francisco without eating at Mama's on Washington Square for breakfast and Scomas for dinner. Unbielevable!

 

[vniow]

I stayed in a motel up near Mill Valley, 45-50 bucks a night I think, ideal as a base and got to drive over the Golden Gate every morning.

I hope you enjoyed the $5 toll on the way down.

 

[iGav]

I hope you enjoyed the $5 toll on the way down.

more than worth it... had to make sure I got my money's worth from the rental car though, it cost me well over 1000 bucks for 2 weeks.

I ended up finding a cheap as chips car park in SF too on the corner of Vallejo/Sansome St.

I hate hotels... I like the wood veneer seedyness of a good motel.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I've got to ask -- how the heck did you manage to spend that much on a car rental?

 

[katie ta achoo]

I hate hotels... I like the wood veneer seedyness of a good motel.

The Alpine Inn was incredibly cheap when my dad and I went. The double room had 3 rooms: a bathroom, a living room w/ bed, and a separate bedroom. The two rooms with beds both had TVs. Even though they advertise WIFI, it's not there. I had to get my wifi off the Apple store.

It was $79/night, IIRC. It's in Daly city. If you exit the place, turn left, and get to the major street, turn left again, about 200 feet forward, there's a MUNI line that'll take you into the city.

The guy that worked there was nice enough. Free coffee and HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING danishes in the lobby. Each room is like a little cottage; A separate house.
It's right across the street from the big stadium. I think it's called the Cow Dome or Cow city. *shrug*

 

[devilot]

It's right across the street from the big stadium. I think it's called the Cow Dome or Cow city. *shrug*

The Cow Palace?

 

[iGav]

I've got to ask -- how the heck did you manage to spend that much on a car rental?

easy.

I was only 21.
I was dropping the car off 2 states away.
I wanted a big yank tank.

 

[vniow]

[It was $79/night, IIRC. It's in Daly city. If you exit the place, turn left, and get to the major street, turn left again, about 200 feet forward, there's a MUNI line that'll take you into the city.

See, that's the smart thing to do if you're visiting SF from relatively far away. I can't imagine trying to navigate through here in a car if I'm just visiting for a short bit, trying to find parking takes its time out when you could be doing other stuff and its too expensive anyway. The bus line goes pretty much everywhere and there are several residential areas where you can park for days for free without a permit (which I am lucky enough to live in at the moment) so I pretty much take MUNI or BART if I'm going somewhere relatively populated and I'm in no rush.

My advise to anyone visiting would be to skip the car unless you plan on travelling outside the city sometime, transit runs all night and day and there's seldom a place you can't walk to from a bus stop. I can't help with hotels much since I'm a resident, my searches have been more for places to stay semi-permanently rather than a temporary hotel room.

 

[Sayhey]

The Alpine Inn was incredibly cheap when my dad and I went. The double room had 3 rooms: a bathroom, a living room w/ bed, and a separate bedroom. The two rooms with beds both had TVs. Even though they advertise WIFI, it's not there. I had to get my wifi off the Apple store.

It was $79/night, IIRC. It's in Daly city. If you exit the place, turn left, and get to the major street, turn left again, about 200 feet forward, there's a MUNI line that'll take you into the city.

The guy that worked there was nice enough. Free coffee and HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING danishes in the lobby. Each room is like a little cottage; A separate house.
It's right across the street from the big stadium. I think it's called the Cow Dome or Cow city. *shrug*

It is the "Cow Palace." Where the GOP had its convention in '64 and where the Grand National Rodeo has its annual event. Not exactly the area of our city most people hope to see. It's an extremely rough part of town. If you don't mind risking being awaken by gun shots and police sirens, I'm sure you can get a good rate. If you want to be close to the city's tourist sites and don't mind paying more, I recommend going toward the downtown/north beach/wharf area. I would check out some of the B&Bs in the area as well.

IJ's recommendation is a reasonable one. As a local, I don't rent hotel rooms often, but I have rented conference rooms in the Holiday Inn-Civic Center and it seemed a serviceable hotel. Don't expect luxury or great views.

 

[vniow]

It's an extremely rough part of town.

Is it? I had a friend who lived just up the street from the Palace and I stayed over there a number of times with no trouble, it was all pretty quiet over there. Perhaps its rougher the closer you get to the Palace, she lived a few blocks up Geneva.

 

[katie ta achoo]

It's an extremely rough part of town. If you don't mind risking being awaken by gun shots and police sirens, I'm sure you can get a good rate.

Eh, I'm from Houston. I was fine with it. I didn't hear any sirens, though.. I hear more of them at home, in my quite little neighborhood... *shrug*

 

[IJ Reilly]

IJ's recommendation is a reasonable one. As a local, I don't rent hotel rooms often, but I have rented conference rooms in the Holiday Inn-Civic Center and it seemed a serviceable hotel. Don't expect luxury or great views.

Actually, you can get a room on the Market Street side of the building, which offers a nice view of the City Hall dome. Not the most spectacular panorama in San Francisco perhaps, but the dome is lighted at night.

As for Union Square hotels, I used to stay in that area quite a bit, but I avoid it now because it's not very close to the city's main public transportation hub on Market Street, and many of the hotels which call themselves Union Square hotels are in fact many blocks away from the square, on a fairly steep hill. If you're going to drive to the city, then I suppose this doesn't matter, but if you're going to hump your bags to and from from the BART station, then it does. To me.

 

[Sayhey]

Is it? I had a friend who lived just up the street from the Palace and I stayed over there a number of times with no trouble, it was all pretty quiet over there. Perhaps its rougher the closer you get to the Palace, she lived a few blocks up Geneva.

A few blocks away north of Geneva on Sunnydale is one of the poorest areas in SF, including some of the largest public housing tracts in San Francisco. It is also one of the most crime ridden areas in the City. Now, with everything in the City so close to everything else, it is possible to find rough neighborhoods within walking distance of most hotels. This case is more so than almost any other. If you're on Geneva and worry about these things, stay to the south side.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, if you're looking for rooms with a view, the places to go are the Mark Hopkins, the Fairmont, or any of the hotels on Nob Hill. You will pay for it, but the views are excellent. Don't try to drag luggage up Nob Hill - take a cab. If the OP wants some other suggestions, it would help to know not only the price range but also what he/she wants to see in San Francisco.

 

[WildCowboy]

If the OP wants some other suggestions, it would help to know not only the price range but also what he/she wants to see in San Francisco.

The OP gave a price range (though not in his OP )...$100-$150, the closer to $100 the better. Being a local, I don't have much experience with the hotels. When my parents come to visit, they stay in Millbrae down by the airport. But they rent a car, as they drive off to do other things (Monterey, Marin, Redwoods, Hearst Castle, etc.).

But I would agree that the Cow Palace area isn't so good. I live in Daly City, but not at that end of town...not even a consideration for me. That whole southeast area isn't too great (you have to get up to Bernal Heights to find a decent neighborhood, and even that one's still up and coming). And it's not really close to anything, though if you're close to BART you can get places.

I would agree that Market Street is the best area location-wise if you don't have a car...access to all sorts of transit is right outside your door. The bigger Union Square hotels are good and well-located, but will be pricey. The Holiday Inn closer to Civic Center isn't in a great neighborhood, but it's not terrible and at least it's near transit and things to do. It sounds like it's a good deal, but I don't know anything else about it.

 

[Sayhey]

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I saw the price range, but I wanted further information.

 

[IJ Reilly]

The Holiday Inn closer to Civic Center isn't in a great neighborhood, but it's not terrible and at least it's near transit and things to do. It sounds like it's a good deal, but I don't know anything else about it.

Only a brisk 10-15 minute walk to the Apple Store.

But you will have to go past the Tenderloin and the little porno district on Market Street nearby. Some people might be uncomfortable with that. Myself, I just keep my eyes ahead of me and walk. OTOH, the bus, trolly, BART & Muni stations are about 100 yards from the hotel entrance.

The HI-Civic Center is a pretty generic modern hotel. Small lobby, average sized rooms. My TV has always worked, and the room has always been clean. They added free wifi recently. The restaurant is mediocre and pricey, and the service, often slow. No call to eat there unless you get a breakfast voucher with your room.

Average though it may be, I suppose I'm just used to the place. I can get there with my eyes closed, and know what to expect. Personally I'd prefer one of the historic hotels, but when I have stayed in them, the results have been uneven at best (the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins not generally being within my budget, thought we did stay at the Drake once).