Anyone have recent experience with the Holiday Inn Civic Center at 8th and Market in San Francisco? I know it is (to be generous) not a luxury property in an idyllic setting but it is nicely located for getting around on public transport, I will be there for business and not touring, and they have decent rates. The reviews on Tripadvisor are mixed if not polarized so I thought I would check here. TIA all.

Seamus,
You have the right (realistic) attitude about the locale. If you are getting a rate that agrees with you and are not in San Francisco as a first time tourist, I think you'll be fine. Be prepared, though, for seeing lots of homeless denizens. Think "gritty".

That being said, you are right about the transit being good. There is a BART station and (Civic Center) which is one of the combined BART/Muni Metro stations, plus all the buses going down Market Street. The F-line antique streetcars can also be picked up on this stretch of Market. You sound like a guy who is alert and savvy, so walking down this stretch of Market would be o.k. for you during the day. Use caution after dark and be aware that Civic Center has some long thru-ways that are a bit creepy at night.

For dinner options, Zuni Cafe is up the street from you, plus all the options in the hip Hayes Valley area. A short cab ride will take you to South of Market restuarants like CoCo 500, Oola and Bacar.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, dovima, I am aware of the grittiness of the neighborhood. That's not a total deal breaker; I do try to stay alert and am usually pretty savvy, and being a big guy also helps potential pests take it seriously when I ignore them or say no.

I'd also like to hear from anyone who has actually stayed at or at least been inside this property in the recent past. I'm a Priority Club gold member (that's why I am considering staying here, point whorish as that may sound) and usually get upgraded but it looks like there's not a whole lot to upgrade to at this place. I just want to be able to sleep, clean up and maybe do some work in the room between meetings elsewhere in town.

Seamus--where are your meetings? Might be easier to stay in another HI, such as the Financial District.

Multiple meetings but can get to most if not all on BART, thus the convenience of the location of the CC property. Another option is HI at 1500 Van Ness but that's not as convenient to BART. How difficult would it be to get from there to BART on Market Street walking or using public transport?
Crowne Plaza (my usual preference) has no rooms for my dates/rate needs.

Staying that far north on Van Ness Ave. would make it necessary to take a bus (the 47 or 49) to get down to Market Street. Or, you could take the California Street cable car from its terminal at Van Ness and California to its other end at the Embarcadero and get onto BART at Embarcadero Station. IMO, not comparable convenience-wise to having all transport at your feet and just a block away.

If you are street smart, you will be fine.
I stayed there as a teenager and the area was worse at that time.

There is some issues to deal with as far as homelessness goes and a lot of nearby restaurants and things will close down early so the nightlife isn't big right there.

But you are right in that you are near market street and can catch any market street bus that will connect you to major areas in the city. you can also walk one block (southward, I think) to mission street and catch a mission street bus to other parts of the city as well.

If it is a good deal, go for it.

Also, the bart is within one block of that holiday inn location.

What exactly, is a denizen? I am wondering what the connotation of that word is.

I think, however to be honest, that staying in an area such as near the civic center bart will give you a much more honest and realistic view of the city and what it is like to live here.

That part of the city does have some crime issues, but the crime is more apparent or harsher when you get closer to 6th and market and into the tenderloin. 8th and market is a great location and much easier to access bart that using the HI on van ness.

ps...the rooms were clean when I stayed. You might want to ask for a view, sometimes the rooms towards the center of the building only have views of the backs of other buildings...but on the flip side they may be quieter.

Have a great trip!

Denizen = occupant, resident, citizen, dweller.

OK, deal is done, reservation made at HI Civic Center. I will become a temporary denizen and report back afterward (unless, of course, I am fatally attracted by the the prospect of becoming a full time denizen.;-))
Thanks for the info, and anyone else please feel free to add suggestions for dinner in the area.

Zuni on Market would be an easy walk and a good choice. There are a number of other good restaurants in Hayes Valley, (behind City Hall) which is close by, but you would have to walk through the Civic Center Plaza to get to them and that is ground zero for the "homeless" denizens.

Have you checked Priceline? Here is a list of hotels according to Biddingfortravel.com:

SAN FRANCISCO

Union Square East – Embarcadero

4 Star
Westin St. Francis LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Grand Hyatt San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Le Meridien San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW (formerly Park Hyatt)
(St. Regis) Palace Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Omni San Francisco Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hyatt Regency San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW Click here to Save 50% when dining at Equinox... this hotel's restaurant!
Hotel Palomar
W San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Marriott San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Argent Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Clift Hotel
Hilton Financial District LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

Boutique NOTE: Priceline will not upgrade a Boutique bid to 4*
Galleria Park LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Villa Florence LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Triton LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Harbor Court Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Orchard Hotel
Executive Hotel Vintage Court LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Juliana (this hotel is now closed)

3 Star
Sir Francis Drake
Crowne Plaza Union Square LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Club Quarters LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Courtyard San Francisco Downtown

2.5 Star
Pickwick LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Chancellor Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

2 Star
Mosser Victorian LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

1 Star
Hotel Des Artes (was Alisa Hotel) LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Union Square LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW (re-rated from 2* per comment in hotel review)

Union Square West

4 Star
Hilton San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Renaissance Parc 55 Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Nikko San Francisco
Mark Hopkins Inter-continental
JW Marriott Hotel San Francisco (formerly Pan Pacific) LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Monaco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Prescott Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Clift Hotel

Boutique NOTE: Priceline will not upgrade a Boutique bid to 4*
Hotel Serrano LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Diva LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Kensington Park Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Warwick Regis Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

3 Star
The Hotel Rex LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
The Maxwell Hotel

2.5 Star
Grosvenor House Suites Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Ramada Plaza

2 Star
Clarion Hotel Cosmo (formerly Clarion Bedford at Union Square)
Cartwright Hotel
Monticello Inn

1 Star


Cathedral Hill

3 Star
Cathedral Hill Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

2.5 Star
Opal Hotel (formerly La Quinta Inn & Suites) LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Radisson Miyako LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

2 Star
The Monarch Hotel
Carlton Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Best Western Miyako Inn

Fisherman’s Wharf

4 Star
Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Argonaut Hotel (another possible hotel)

3 Star
Hyatt At Fisherman’s Wharf LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Marriott San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hilton San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Tuscan Inn LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

2 ½ Star
Courtyard by Marriott Fisherman's Wharf
Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Fisherman's Wharf

Civic Center

2 ½ Star
Ramada Plaza Downtown San Francisco LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Holiday Inn Civic Center LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

2 Star
Best Western Americania LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Hotel Metropolis LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW ("down-rated" from 2.5*)
Hotel Britton LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW

Wow - thanks for all that info, TTess. There is a convention in town (not sure if it is Fleet Week or what) and rooms are tight; I actually tried at several places on your list before deciding to do the point whore thing.

SAB - I think I will venture to Zuni - negotiating the legions of street people may not be the best of appetizers but c'est la vie.

I think you will enjoy Zuni and the walk south on Market itself is not to bad, nothing like the Plaza. Because of the open space and the lack of any facilities open at night around the Civic Center Plaza, it is a magnet despite numerous attempts to make it less desirable (such as removing all the benches.)

So here I am in the HI Civic Center. The grittiness of the neighborhood is actually less than I recall from the past, though it is surely not the Champs Elysees. The hotel is clean and comfortable, the staff friendly and efficient, and the location is excellent for jumping on BART. Room is pretty standard, decent size though the bathroom is on the small side. King bed is comfortable, free wireless internet works fine. Four elevators, no waiting. Seems to have a lot of tourists from outside the US - Europe and Japan mostly. Morning brekfast buffet (comlimentary for Priority Club members) is decent - fesh fruit and pastries, juice, bacon, sausage, smoked salmon, eggs to order or scrambled on the buffet. Overall, beter than I expected, not a posh establishment but not a bad place at all.