I will be using Marriott points to book a hotel in San Francisco. I have booked three nights at the Parc 55, Rennaissance Hotel in Union Square but after reading several of the postings here I'm wondering if the location is good. Other options are the Rennaissance Stanford Court or the Marriott at FW. Any opinions? (I booked the Parc 55 because they were discounting the points needed.) I'll be traveling in July with my husband and 14 year old daughter.

Don't wory, Parc 55 is great walking distance to everything. Have a great trip!

Pam, you will get way more replies here than you ever wanted, including poster "SFnative" who will bash this area beyond belief (personally I think he's a frustrated creative writer!)

The only thing I can say is, when my wife and I go to SF, we ALWAYS stay in Union Square, I have never been robbed, stabbed, spit one, peed on, mugged, murdered, or kicked in the shin. We have walked back to our hotel after theater or dinner and always felt safe. Have I been asked for money? YES! Did the beggar chase me back to my hotel because I wouldn't give him anything? NO! Have a wonderful time, you'll be fine!

Love Union Sq. & love the Parc 55!

Well said, Ron! I stay at Campton Place in the dreaded Union Square area every time I visit SF, or six-eight times a year. It's a great area convenient to all SF has to offer. It's truly amazing to me how some people (or one person) can dwell only on the negatives of a particular area. Enjoy SF, Pamela.

Thanks for the reassurance! Is it too early to book theatre tickets for our trip? Any recommendations?

Pam it is not too early to book you theater tickets if you want to go to a popular venue (i.e. The Best of Broadway series, etc.) Also, do you know about the TIX booth in Union Square? They sell day of performance discount tickets on a cash-only basis. The website is: http://www.theatrebayarea.org/tix/tix.shtml we have gotten tickets several times at the booth, try to go when it opens in the morning for best selection. Also, this is a good way to see some smaller shows that maybe you wouldn't have paid the full shot for. there are some wonderful smaller theaters in the Union Square area.

Pamela,

Union Square is a rather run down area of SF as most of the downtown has become in recent years. It should be okay during the day, but at night I would not recommend it. The culture really changes after the sun goes down.

Do yourself a favor and reconsider staying in the downtown area. This is what I and other residents of SF have to put up with on a daily basis. I think that alot of people who suggest staying downtown do not live in SF and may be unaware of what the city is like.

In a city rife with bar hoppers and street people relieving themselves on sidewalks, alleys and busy streets, the stench of urine has joined fresh sourdough and coffee as among the city's famous aromas.

``All you have to do to see that this is a problem is to walk down the streets of San Francisco and smell,'' said Supervisor Tony Hall.

The problem of public urination has become more pronounced in recent years, business owners say, driving away tourists and visitors whose impression of the city is decidedly sullied by the odoriferous streets.

``That kind of behavior is terrible for business,'' said Kathleen Harrington, owner of Harrington's Bar and Grill, and a spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Restaurant Association.

In San Francisco, the waste seems heaviest in the center of town: Union Square, the Civic Center, Market Street, Sixth and Mission streets, and South of Market. Supervisors said the culprits are not just the homeless, but also drunken bar hoppers and others who just can't wait to get to a toilet. Supervisor Mark Leno said he was especially miffed one day to see a couple of guys relieving themselves outside of a construction site near the main library, at Civic Center Plaza.

``For whatever reason, people are choosing to act in a very anti-social manner,'' Leno said. ``I love this city. I take it personally if people want to desecrate our city. And it's mostly a male thing, I have to say.''

If the Raddison Stanford Court is the Stanford Court...I'd say stay there, It is on Nob Hill. You will still be in close proximity to everything (including using the cable car).