momofrenee

Can anyone recommend a San Francisco hotel that is in a safe area, not too far from attractions, and is a good value?

sf7307

What constitutes "reasonable"? And will you have a car?

Tomsd

I think the motels toward the Golden Gate end of Lombard may offer the best value and you have the classic/nearby Chestnut and Union Sts, plus the Palace of Fine Arts and the Marina Green/Crissy Field within walking distance. There is also good bus service to downtown SF - and a number of them also offer free parking if you haveve a rental car.

This page can offer more info: http://www.sftravel.com/bgt.html

momofrenee

Yes, we'll have a car and I'd really like to get a good deal (under $100/night). Do you know of any?

DebitNM

That's a low budget, you are also going to have to be sure to find a place with free parking, which isn't easy. Depends on dates too.

Try this group of hotels:

http://columbusmotorinn.com/

I would NOT try for Priceline or Hotwire, as chances of getting a place with free parking is very slim and at $40 or so a night, that could cost more than your room!

DebitNM

Click on Sister Properties link on the left side of page to see them all.

Tomsd

$100 a night in SF - in the summer? - might be asking a lot - but I don't think you would have to pay too much over that in the Lombard area.

If all else fails - try the Pricelines of this world the week before.

DebitNM

I am sorry to have to disagree with Tom.

For someone who wants to pay under $100 a night for a room and needing to park a car as well, PRICELINE is way too "dangerous" to try. Even if the poster gets a room for $50 a night [not likely] they may find themselves prepaid with a non-refundable booking in a motel/hotel that charges almost the same amount for parking. And that $50 a night price doesn't include taxes, PL fee etc.

Tomsd

Debit: Agree - the parking fee may well be the joker in the deck - but hey - it was only suggested as last resort/if all else fails.

Again, I think you might be able to find something around $125 (including parking) in the Marina/Lombard area - more if after say mid-June - so just google away, and check the rates for the timeframe you will be traveling.

sf7307

Also re Priceline, whether it will work for the OP depends on how many people there are in their party, since Priceline only guarantees one bed. Often, a hotel will give you a room with two beds if one is available, but they don't have to, and it's possible they won't have one available.

easytraveler

Parking itself will run you about $35 -$50 a night. Then you want something under $100.

You ARE looking for something at the very low end and can't expect too much - musty smell, dirty carpets, mold in the bathroom, high noise factor, and all that MAY be what you will get for that price.

The Columbus Motor Inn runs from $90 upwards for two people, plus tax and fees, $10 for each additional person. Free parking. High, high traffic noise.

The Mosser is running at about $95 a night but no free parking.

The Hostelling International Hostel at Fisherman's Wharf has private rooms that sleep 4 persons running at $85+, parking is free, and that rate includes a free breakfast. If only two people and you want to sleep in a dorm, it's $28+/night/person.

Those are about your choices that we can recommend.

tuscanlifeedit

You can try to do some research for Priceline and Hotwire on betterbidding.com. You can see what is available and check for parking rates at the hotels that are listed as possibles. Then you can know what you're getting into.

Tomsd

Uno Mas: I think just about all of the hotels on this list
http://www.sftravel.com/bgt.htmln-
would suffice for your needs (and be clean! For more info - click on the pages below).

I would first check the rates for the ones on/near Lombard - toward the Golden Gate, and also ask what discount rates they may offer, as I found some rates in June for under $125.

While a number - but not all have parking - you could check with the front desks for what they might recommend. One guest said their hotel had parking on a first come first serve basis - but a nearby neighborhood lot had overflow/overnight parking for only $5.

http://www.sftravel.com/hotels/htlmarina/ramlim.html

http://www.lalunainn.com/rooms.htm http://www.lalunainn.com/

http://www.sftravel.com/hotels/htlma...teldelsol.html

http://www.sftravel.com/hotels/htlma...lden-gate.html

http://www.sftravel.com/hotels/htlma...nbythebay.html

http://www.sftravel.com/hotels/htlmarina/castle.html

janisj

None of the places googled/linked above will be 'under $100 a night'. Even if you lucked out and one of them is running a pre-pay/internet special for around $100, taxes and surcharges would raise that to nearly $120.

Unfortunately, under $100 a night isn't all that realistic in a decent location in the city. There are afew motels along Lombard that run under $100, but they are cheap for a reason - semi to total dumps. The nicer properties along Lombard's motel row will run about $125 to $150 a night. Again - unless you catch one running a pre-pay special.

I've twice stayed in the Travelodge at the Presidio end of Lombard (definitely avoid the other travelodge on Lombard - dump-ish. It has free parking, updated bathrooms, continental breakfasts and is just outside the Predidio. It is value for $$ but rates are above your budget -- around $130 ($150 inc. tax). That is for a semi-acceptable TL - so you can see that $100 is tough.

A hostel may be your best bet.

Oh - and when I say >>The nicer properties along Lombard's motel rownice, I just meant acceptable and better/nicer than some of their neighbors.

Tomsd

Again, these are value properties - but clean - and if you check the rates - the summer rates are usually $20-25 or more higher than the spring rates.

For example, the attractive rooms at the Luna Inn http://www.lalunainn.com/rooms.htm run in the $70 range in March (difference due to various discounts, etc) - whereas in late June - they pop up to $100 to $110 range.

janisj

"they pop up to $100 to $110 range"

$100-$110 is $120-$125-ish w/ taxes and surcharges. Unfortunately the dates I plugged in - 3 or 4 different 4 night bookings for June - the rates were well over $110. In the 3rd week for instance, it was $134 a night for the cheapest standard room.

So do try the Luna for your dates - they seem to be VERY date sensitive. Maybe you'll luck out.

Tomsd

No idea what Janis is looking at. I just again plugged in late June - June 26th to be exact - and this is what came up for Luna Inn:

Park and Stay Deal
$104.00

AAA/CAA/JAF: Membership card required
$98.10

janisj

which only proves my point. I said it was VERY date sensitive. Tom found $104 on June 26. Try June 15 . . .the cheapest room is $161.

Like I said - very VERY date sensitive/specific. So plug in your dates and you might strike it lucky . . .

mztery

Ok stop the catfighting you two.

I have lived here for many years. My first question would be: do you NEED TO have a car? (Ie are you driving here from somewhere, or are you renting a car once you get here?) If you are renting I would consider not doing so and staying in any number of OK hotels that could come in under $125 at least.
The hotels on Lombard are crappy. Some are less crappy but they are all noisy and most are poorly kept up poorly kept up and don't have free parking.The Presidio Travelodge is oK as is Columbus Motor Inn but again are date sensitive as janisj has said.

Also when are you coming? That will have some effect.

I'd probably skip the car and do priceline.