I'm trying to surprise my boyfriend with a trip to San Francisco at the end of July (27 to 30). Neither of us has been there. Heard great things. Having a hard time finding a nice place to stay. Looking for something in the "gay" neighbourhood for about 100-200 US per night. Any thoughts?

ummmmm....it's San Francisco.
which part is NOT the "gay neighbourhood"?

I was just in SF a few weeks ago and contrary to Zorro's comment, SF struck me as a surprisingly "straight" place (I expected my gaydar to be going off the scale, which it did not). With the exception of the Castro neighborhood - which BTW I found surprisingly small - SF was no different from any other city I've visited. The Castro is probably what you are referring to as the "gay neighbourhood" (canadian? otherwise a weekend trip to SF is a long journey from the UK).

Anyhow, my response doesn't answer your question ... Have you tried some gay-oriented travel web sites? outandabout.com, damron.com, planetout.com and even (the non-Gay, but Gay-friendly) timeout.com should give you some direction.

In any event, SF is an open city, no one will be staring if you and your boyfriend check into the local Sheraton.

While "zorro" is right to some extent, there are accomodations that draw/encourage a gay clientele. Here's URL from google: http://www.sftravel.com/gaybb.html

I've checked several B&Bs. They all seem booked for that weekend (July 27-30). I've noticed in some ads that the W Hotel seems nice. Any thoughts?

Depending on what you're interested in,
the W could be a good bet. However, it's downtown and if you plan on spending time in the Castro (the main gay area), it's about a four block walk and a 10 minute subway ride away. Or about a $10 cab ride. However, if you plan on going out to the gay south of market clubs at night or have any interest in visiting museums or doing shopping at the many downtown stores, the W is in a good location.

There is a Boat & Breakfast too. It is in the Best Places to Kiss travel book. I have been wanting to try it since it sounds unique.It wouldn't be right downtown of course, but might be a choice to consider.

The W is great! It's easier to take the trolley that runs about 2 blocks from the W directly to the Castro. Especially at night. You can also take a bus from the Castro back to the W. The walk at night can be a bit "iffy to say the least. Also, the W may be more than the $100 - $200 range you're looking for. You may also want to check out the visitors/convention bureau for SF. Finally, you should know that the summer is very heavy tourist season in SF.

So Doug, what is it that you are actually looking for, someplace around the attractions or maybe someplace near the bars. When you say in the "gay neighborhood are you talking about the Castro? It is definety the largest, most publicized. I have been to San Francisco several times, and love the Castro but have never stayed there. But I keep telling myself that the next time I am going to. I can remember only one motel in the area, a place called Beck's. It doesn't look that great to me, that kind of place where you might stay just for the convenience of being close to the bars or the area. My understanding is that there are a lot of nice B&Bs in the area. Have you checked out the Planetout website? It will give you a list of all kinds of accomodations. Also, check out citysearch.com. Even though it is not a gay site, they have a gay and lesbian section under most all the cities it carries. Enjoy your trip, I'm sure you will (San Francisco is a wonderful city).