My husband and I are planning a trip to San Francisco. We're not sure where to stay etc... Every city has there wonderful areas and there not so wonderful areas. I read the good points of the city and there are many. Just curious, if one is on a moderate to upper moderate budget what do you recommend?

go to hotwire.com. I just recently booked a $200. room at the Argent Hotel for less than $90.00. You can't go wrong. Hotwire has never let me down.

Check Van Ness area close to Lombard street, safe, lots of eateries, conveniet public transportation, and has many motels.

Look into Russian Hill, Nob Hill, North Beach...really great area.

Wendy,
Can you tell me what the criteria for the hotel was on Hotwire? I am trying to stay at this hotel but I am not sure if what they are offering is for the Argent Hotel. (What area, how many stars, amenities, etc.)
Thanks for your help.

Liz,
Beyond budget, what are some things you consider when selecting a hotel? Location? Services? Ambiance? Is it just a place to sleep or do you want a social atmosphere? Do you want a restaurant? A little more information would help me help you.
Sharon

I stayed at the Holiday Inn on Fishersman Wharf two years ago and plan to stay at the new Holiday Inn on Fisherman's Wharf. Again, what is your criteria. I wanted to be on the Wharf. Touristy but that is what I want. Walk to cable cars, Alcatrez, etc.

I usually stay at an old hotel near Union Square. I like to wake up knowing where I am, and look forward to hearing the clanging of the cable car bells serving as my alarm clock. Sure it may be a little grimy and gritty, but I need a change from my boring suburban existence.

Liz, if you haven't gone yet...the Clarion Bedford hotel at Union Square is charming. Also, I recently booked the Radisson at Fisherman's Wharf through expedia.com for 89.00 a night; the usual rate is 139-300. You can get some really good hotel deals from them.

Liz,

I would be very careful about which area you choose to stay in San Francisco. I am a big city dweller, but the last time I visited SF it was a total shock. The overall seediness of the city, not only the panhandling problem, but the drug dealing in broad daylight and young street girls really made me sick. You may want to rethink a trip to San Francisco, especially since this is your first time so that you are not disappointed.

Tommy! You're back! You never replied to my nice offer to show you a good time on the town, and prove how friendly we SFers can be. I hate for you to harbor such ill feelings that you must constantly warn travelers away from SF. Do you post about other cities on this board or just reserve your negative comments for SF travelers? The offer still stands. Are we on?

And Liz, you've got some good advice here. Please tell us what you want to do in the city. I'd shy away from Fisherman's Wharf because it caters to the tourist, but perhaps that's what you want. Faina and SF Vet have suggested my fave places to send visitors. Also, you can get some very nice hotels in the financial district on priceline.

Oh Liz, I think you are in for a treat. It has been a year or so since I visited and that was my first time. I vacationed alone during my stay. But here are my two pennies. First, I personally never listen to people saying that they would not visit a city or location because of panhandlers or homeless (No Offense). Poverty is every where and there are all types in this country. I found certain parts of San Francisco to have more homeless than others, especially the Market Street area near Union Square. But there were people in need all over the city. So what, it is sad, it is unfortunate, but it does not ruin vacations if you don't allow it. Anyway, San Francisco must be one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S., really. It is was breathtaking in my opinion. I stayed at the Ramada on Market in walking distance to Union Square. The hotel was decent although I would choose another when I return. I have since found wonderful bargains on Expedia.com at fabulous hotels since then. hoteldiscount.com is nice too. San Francisco is a big tourist destination so deals are to be had with research. You simply must allow yourself the time for walking this beautiful city. The architecture, the small shops, the chocolate, the history, the food, ohhhhhhhhhh. I took a walking tour of China Town one evening, an experience that I loved. Our guide was wonderful and informative. The history in China Town is amazing. I did take a trolley tour of the city, although I would not suggest it. Public transportation in San Francisco is clean, wonderful, and easy to follow. After my tour, I found that I could have seen the same sights on my own for much cheaper. But some people enjoy a little more structure. You really should take the Alcatraz tour if that is up your alley. I loved it. I suggest the audio visual tour where you listen to recordings while you walk the facility. This allowed me to take my time and stroll at my pace and the recorded stories take a wonderful mood. Tours to Alcatraz can be purchased at most hotels, but I purchased mine at Pier 41 with the Blue & Gold Fleet. I think it cost $19 or so. On another day I jumped the next street car heading my way. I ended up at the Golden Gate Park which rivals Cental Park in beauty any day. The park system is massive and every inch is lovely. The Botannical Gardens and the Japanese Gardens are not to be missed if you enjoy nature. In fact, the Japanese Gardens in the Golden Gate Park are the oldest in the nation. I took the majority of that day exploring the park and climbed hills to see wonderful views of the city, bay, Golden Gate Bridge, the works. Now I visited in early September, so the swimming in the Pacific was off limits for me. But the beaches are quite nice, or the one I walked near Golden Gate Park. That evening I saw the most tranquil sunset I have ever seen. The sea lions were just too cute playing on the rocks along the coast. I think Fisherman's Wharf deserves a quick visit but should not consume an entire day. The seafood however is fabulous. You know, I just realized that you only asked about hotels, so why I have typed all of this evades me. I just loved the city so much, perhaps it will help someone else. Back to hotels. I would not suggest anything south of Market except the W hotel which is trendy and fun. If you can get a deal at any of the hotels along Fisherman Wharf, great, although they book fast. Something in the area of 10 million people visit the Wharf every year and everyone wants to stay on the Wharf. I really have not seen great deals on Nob Hill. Expedia has had great packages staying in the Financial District. Ok, I will stop now. Really hope you go and enjoy your stay.

I guess that Goldie is an SF visitor's Bureau rep.

Liz,
I was in SF last month, and believe me, it is not all it is made out to be. The one thing that surprised me was the fact that most of the city seemed to shut down after dark. I also felt that the culinary and cultural scene was not on par with that of a "world class" city. Hotels and restaurants tend to be quite expensive for what you get. I think SF is living off of its reputation from the past. Also, the amount of grime seemed to be so rampant throughout the city. I expected some not so good areas, but it seemed that there were more areas to avoid than not.

No, am not a visitor's bureau rep Ann. I am simply a person who enjoyed visiting the city. I am a person who has seen the homeless, the poor, the drug dealer, the buyer, the crime, the begging, in every major city in the US that I have visited. I have been to most of them. I just don't see how this ruins a trip. There are too many wonderful things to see and do than for me to walk the streets sulking because someone is without. I don't see the point in not visiting the city because some inhabitants sleep on the street. I went to inhale the breeze blowing off the bay. To walk through the parks and take in the scenery. To walk across the Golden Gate and admire such an engineering marvel. To climb the hills of Marin county. Im sorry, but the homeless of San Franciso did not ruin that experience. No doubt, the city may not be the same of years past. The politicians may not be doing much about the poverty in the city. But take away the tourism to San Franciso in watch the streets fill to the brim. If we all listened to people like Ann, tourism would all but completely cease. Why anyone would walk the streets of the Tenderloin at night is beyond me. Common sense lets me know when an area is not the safest area for me and I leave. Liz, Im just saying that everything I experienced was enjoyable to me. It appears that my focus is different than many. I met friendly natives and tourist. The pasta on the Wharf was excellent, and the cafe's I dined in on sleepy mornings were pleasant. The city appears to offened the perfect worlds of many. You should not go expecting Emerald City or the land of Oz. But what city is.

Ann and Tom are the same person. Look at the structure of the posts. She/he goes off about San Francisco on a regular basis.

Liz,
We booked the marriott fishermans wharf for $70 through priceline.com for july 4th week. First do some research with www.biddingfortravel.com then bid through priceline. there are some nice hotels i.e. park hyatt financial district going for $55 night.

Liz,

I live in New York City so I am well aware that every big city has its share of homeless, etc as Goldie has pointed out. But what I saw in San Francisco was a generally run down city in most areas, not just the bad areas such as the Tenderloin. And considering that San Francisco has a population that is less than 10 times that of NYC's
8 million, that is pretty bad. You may want to consider going to the Monterey Bay Area instead. I took a sidetrip there while in Northern California and the coastal scenery was the best I have seen. I regret that I did not spend more time there.