Dave

Please help. I'm trying to scratch together a weekend in San Francisco with my wife THIS WEEKEND August 16-18th. I have tickets for a show, and I have two hotel reservations, but I've been reading about BUMS and all this negative talk in these forums that I've NEVER experienced in San Fran, but most of the time I was wandering around with fellow guy friends late at night partying, so if these elements did exist, I never noticed...

Anyway, I have two reservations. One is at the WESTIN ST. FRANCIS in Union Sq. But its pretty expensive and I heard the service is terrible - big hotel=snotty service and long lines.

So I went with a boutique hotel - the WARWICK REGIS HOTEL on Geary St. Cross street is Taylor. Then I hear all this talk about TENDERLOIN and looking at my map, it looks like my hotel which is billed as "Two blocks from Union Sq." is actually in a porn shop and drug addict hang out. IS THIS TRUE?

Normally, I wouldn't care, but I'm trying to plan something romantic for the weekend. Please help. There are alot of hotels still available (believe it or not) and I need to make a decision fairly quickly.

Can I stick with this hotel or is the area crap? If it is crap, where would you suggest? Nob Hill? Where?

Help.

Thanks ahead of time.

PS: I absolutely LOVE this city, and can't wait to get there this weekend.

D

As for the repeated talk about "bums," consider the sources. It's the same folks over and over, I suspect. SF has a homeless problem alright but it's not the only thing to consider when visiting.

Now that we've settled that...

Westin is my choice. I've stayed there a dozen or so times and have never had "snotty" service.

Susan

Dave, I don't know your budget, but a quick search on quikbook revealed the following hotels I'd recommend and their rates:

Harbor Court Hotel $99
Hotel Palomar $150
Westin St. Francis $166
Hotel Monaco $215
Orchard Hotel $129

I've recently stayed at the Huntington Hotel on Nob Hill and it was fantastic. Very romantic and well situated in the city, but again, I don't know your budget. Any of these hotels are well located. Good luck!

Abby

Harbor Court for $99 is a STEAL!!

Susan

I'll add one more from the quikbook list:

Hotel Prescott for $139.

If you stay here, try and see if the concierge can get you reservations at the restaurant, Postrio, Wolfgang Puck's place. Both the hotel and the restaurant get rave reviews.

dave

Thank you, susan. My budget recently got SLASHED due to the fact that we found an apartment and have to move in two weeks, so suddenly all my money is going to that. Another reason I was moving from the WEstin to the smaller boutique hotels (besides the more personalized service)

I am checking out that link and those hotels now... thank you.

AS for restaurants... what do you think about Acquerello? I made a reservation there. Around Van Ness & Polk.
Thanks.

TvlPro

Go to hotwire.com and book the 5 star in the Embarcadero area. It was 134.00/which included taxes.
The hotel is the brand spankin' new Omni on California Street. Absolutely stunning with warm, friendly service.
It's a freakin' steal!!!!

kal

I just took a peek at Hotwire and see where the "Boutique" hotel in the "Downtown-Embarc" area is still going for $82/night so it probably is still the Harbor Court. Very nice place.
Stayed there again 2 weekends ago.

Remember, once you click on "accept", you have paid for the room wheteher you go or not.
Mahalo,
Kal

al

Hmmm I just tried to book St Francis for middle of November and the cheapest room they had at that time was $425 for a double...if you can get it for $166 THAT IS A STEAL!!!!!

Debi

Dave-
I recently stayed at the Tuscan Inn on Northpointe- Fisherman's Wharf area and it was fantastic. The hotel is charming, the staff fantastic, and the price was right- they have specials all the time I guess and we paid 100.00 a night. They have coffee and biscotti in the AM and wine in the late afternoon in the lobby- on some days they even have free head, neck and shoulder massage! We couldn't say one bad thing about it- we really enjoyed it there. Might be worth a try. Good luck

Mike

Local radio station here in Fresno, Ca
runs ads all the time for the Argent Hotel for $99.00 per night. If this
is of interest call them and ask for
the radio special.
Mike

Owen O'Neill

Last spring I stayed at the Triton Hotel (Klimpton Properties - they also own the Monaco). Great little friendly boutique hotel - wonderful rooms with friendly staff and no ultra-hip attitude issues. IT's near the Chinatown gate. I got a deal from Privceline but I've seen web rates through consolidators as low as $109 and direct from the hotel as low as $119-129. They upgraded me to a larger room without my even asking because they had one available (keep in mind that I was on Priceline and not expecting or aksing for any extras). They also let me check in four hours early. I will stay there again. The little cafe next door that is loosely associated with them is horribly overpriced but can't blame the hotel for that.

Josh

Dave,

Your concern about the "bums" in SF is a valid one based on my most recent trip there. There are a number of porn shops and adult venues such as the Mitchell O'Farrell Theater in the Union Square area. I personally would keep away from Union Square and definitely keep out of the Tenderloin area. There are lots of bad elements(drugs, prostitutes, beggars, etc.) in these parts of the city. Nob Hill, usually though of as a very nice part of SF, has also been gettin rough around the edges lately. Have you thought of maybe going to the Wine Country instead or down to the Monterey Bay Area?