We're coming to San Francisco Memorial Day weekend for 2 nights as part of a 8 day trip to CA. It's our 2nd trip in 10 years. Trying to decide whether to stay at the Chancellor in Union Square or Vitale on the Embarcadero. We're planning to do one of the free walking tours, maybe see BBB, and some museums, and neighborhood walking. Any suggestions would be great.

The Vitale is on the Embarcadero, wich makes it especially nice for taking a walk -- along the water -- AT&T Park a little more than a mile in one direction, the Ferry Building across the street from the hotel, Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 in the other direction. That's not to say Union Square is bad - both are convenient to public transportation, plenty of places to walk. Since the things you plan to do are probably spread out all over, I don't think it matters much what neighborhood you stay in.

I think it depends on your tastes. Too me, the Embarcadero is too touristy and a little run down... but I love the street people in that area.

We prefer to stay by Union Square because it is a little more classic San Francisco.

Both are good locations and SF is a wonderful city to walk.

I would look into the reviews on trip advisor. It looks as if the Chancellor has better reviews.

Embarcadero run-down? M-ybe it was 10+ years ago, but not now! It's a great neighborhood (I work in Embarcadero Center - I'm there every day; it is NOT rundown). Also, while I don't know anything specifically about the two hotels, I do know they are in different "classes" - the Vitale is an upscale hotel, the Chancellor is a "tourist-class" hotel. The Chancellor might get better reviews on TA, but that's like comparing nestle's to Scharfenberger;

Maybe we need to define "run down"?
They've seem to have done a lot to "clean it up" IMHO especially with the Ferry Bldg Marketplace.

Union Square has more "street people" than the Embarcadero. The Embarcadero was gentrified during the dot com boom. It's a great area. I'd choose the Vitale, hands-down.

Any other suggestions for the Embarcadero besides the Vitale?

There aren't that many hotels actually on the Embarcadero - the Vitale, the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, the Harbour Court and the Griffon.