Hotel Monaco, Villa Florence or another hotel in San Francisco?
Feb 7th, 2007, 11:00 AM
#21
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Have a beautiful time in SF CVerga. And I sure hope you get over your cold/virus. I have it also, so many people here seem to. It will be cold and probably rainy so pack accordingly. I think your deciding on the Hotel Monaco and the Grand Cafe is an excellent choice. Best regards.
Feb 7th, 2007, 12:33 PM
#23
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The rain does change my plans a bit. We were going to take BART into the City and enjoy walking around. I think that we may need to drive and deal with the cost of parking.
LoveItaly, thanks for you kind message. I'm actually feeling a lot better. Not to sound like a commercial, but my children's pediatrician told me about Zicam (cold remedy) and it actually helps me get over my colds much faster. I was sick in bed yesterday and today I'm feeling about 80% better. I hope you're feeling better too.
LoveItaly, thanks for you kind message. I'm actually feeling a lot better. Not to sound like a commercial, but my children's pediatrician told me about Zicam (cold remedy) and it actually helps me get over my colds much faster. I was sick in bed yesterday and today I'm feeling about 80% better. I hope you're feeling better too.
Feb 13th, 2007, 03:10 PM
#24
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I just wanted to report back on my stay at the Hotel Monaco, San Francisco. We went into The City to hang out and see Jersey Boys. First of all, Jersey Boys was fantastic! My husband thought it was excellent too.
With regard to the Hotel Monaco, I thought it was a very nice hotel. Nina was right, the queen canopy bedroom is way too small. The room is pretty much just that, a queen canopy bed. I walked in and knew it wouldn't work for me. My husband thought we should just deal with it. After 15 years together, I don't know why he bothers to try to talk me into staying in a room I don't like! So I went downstairs and asked if we could upgrade to a bigger room ( I was fine with paying more at that point). Instead they upgraded us for free to a bigger room. The room was decorated very nicely, the bed was comfortable and it was very clean. We didn't have a nice view (the building next door), but that was okay. I don't think that the hotel is situated in a way to provide great views anyway.
We were very close to The Curran Theater and Kuletos. While our dinner at Kuletos was good, it was alittle more pricey than I expected since everything is ala carte (including side dishes). For the two of us we spent close to $170. I think for the money, we could have done better with a little Italian restaurant in North Beach, but it was raining and we wanted to be able to walk. Otherwise, the service and the food were good.
In the morning we stood in line to have breakfast at Dottie's Cafe. It was excellent and worth the wait. The only bad part was a VERY aggressive homeless person that was asking for money. He would get up in everyone's face and would talk about having AIDS, etc. He was so bad that the other homeless people were telling him to leave everyone alone. One man tried to lure him away with the promise that they would go and do crack together. After being told to leave by the management of Dottie's 3-4 times he finally left when he was told the police were on the way. He wasn't the only homeless person that we encountered during our stay and I felt that it was a big negative. Next time we stay in The City, we plan on staying in another location where the homeless population isn't quite so large, despite how much we liked the Hotel Monaco.
All in all, a very nice stay and the Hotel Monaco didn't disappoint. It is a great place to stay if shopping and going to the theater are your focus.
With regard to the Hotel Monaco, I thought it was a very nice hotel. Nina was right, the queen canopy bedroom is way too small. The room is pretty much just that, a queen canopy bed. I walked in and knew it wouldn't work for me. My husband thought we should just deal with it. After 15 years together, I don't know why he bothers to try to talk me into staying in a room I don't like! So I went downstairs and asked if we could upgrade to a bigger room ( I was fine with paying more at that point). Instead they upgraded us for free to a bigger room. The room was decorated very nicely, the bed was comfortable and it was very clean. We didn't have a nice view (the building next door), but that was okay. I don't think that the hotel is situated in a way to provide great views anyway.
We were very close to The Curran Theater and Kuletos. While our dinner at Kuletos was good, it was alittle more pricey than I expected since everything is ala carte (including side dishes). For the two of us we spent close to $170. I think for the money, we could have done better with a little Italian restaurant in North Beach, but it was raining and we wanted to be able to walk. Otherwise, the service and the food were good.
In the morning we stood in line to have breakfast at Dottie's Cafe. It was excellent and worth the wait. The only bad part was a VERY aggressive homeless person that was asking for money. He would get up in everyone's face and would talk about having AIDS, etc. He was so bad that the other homeless people were telling him to leave everyone alone. One man tried to lure him away with the promise that they would go and do crack together. After being told to leave by the management of Dottie's 3-4 times he finally left when he was told the police were on the way. He wasn't the only homeless person that we encountered during our stay and I felt that it was a big negative. Next time we stay in The City, we plan on staying in another location where the homeless population isn't quite so large, despite how much we liked the Hotel Monaco.
All in all, a very nice stay and the Hotel Monaco didn't disappoint. It is a great place to stay if shopping and going to the theater are your focus.
Feb 13th, 2007, 03:19 PM
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CVerga - I'm glad you liked the Monaco. We were also given a free upgrade at check-in, when the front desk saw that we reserved a smaller, cheap, room from a discount website. I thought that was nice of the hotel.
I had no problem walking from the hotel to the Union Square direction (I'm sorry, I don't know street names) but I would not walk even two blocks in the opposite direction. There appeared to be drug users and prostitutes out at night. But the hotel itself was safe and clean.
I had no problem walking from the hotel to the Union Square direction (I'm sorry, I don't know street names) but I would not walk even two blocks in the opposite direction. There appeared to be drug users and prostitutes out at night. But the hotel itself was safe and clean.
Feb 13th, 2007, 03:42 PM
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Hello CVerga, trust you are all well now. There sure is a bad bug going around. My 20 year old grandson ended up with pneumonia and just got off the phone with an owner of a wonderful restaurant here in my city..she too ended up with pneumonia. Scary.
Just a follow up on the Villa Florence for anyone that is interested. The Larkspur Group took them over. They evidently plan to renovate, remodel or redecorate the hotel rooms..not sure which. So no doubt prices will be increased. And they plan to make changes with Kuleto's..hmm, wonder what they have in mind. And they plan to change the beautiful bar evidently. Why I wonder. I have seen new owners in SF places make changes over the decades and none of them have been for the better IMO. Well time will tell.
And the homeless, druggies etc. Never pleasant. Jolie, you no doubt were walking on Geary. That takes you from the Hotel Monaco to Union Square.
SF is not the city it once was and though I still enjoy it I miss the "old" SF. Guess I am showing my age, lol.
Just a follow up on the Villa Florence for anyone that is interested. The Larkspur Group took them over. They evidently plan to renovate, remodel or redecorate the hotel rooms..not sure which. So no doubt prices will be increased. And they plan to make changes with Kuleto's..hmm, wonder what they have in mind. And they plan to change the beautiful bar evidently. Why I wonder. I have seen new owners in SF places make changes over the decades and none of them have been for the better IMO. Well time will tell.
And the homeless, druggies etc. Never pleasant. Jolie, you no doubt were walking on Geary. That takes you from the Hotel Monaco to Union Square.
SF is not the city it once was and though I still enjoy it I miss the "old" SF. Guess I am showing my age, lol.
