lunabug

We are planning a short one night stay in San Francisco between flights in December.
Five of us and the consensus is to spend the night in one area rather than try to do the whole city in a few hours.
Any recommendations for what area to look for a hotel ... specific hotels?
We are two couples 50 /60's plus a younger.
We want to get the 'ambiance' of the city rather than do the tourist spots.
And a music scene / coffee house is of interest.
Can you help?

DebitNM

How much do you want to pay per night?

The Mosser Hotel is very close to Union Square and has *small* but very clean rooms. The prices are really good. You can get a room with a private bath or to save even more, you can get a room which uses a very clean, very private, easily accessible hall bath.

They also have single rooms, which would work for the 5th person.

A night should run around around $100 or less.
It is in a great location for such a short stay and can easily be reached using BART from the airport.

http://themosser.com/

It is #44 out of 243 hotels on Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...alifornia.html

We have stayed there for a week, and will do so again in January.

lunabug

I have looked at the Mosser and could definitely consider it.
I think up to $100.00 would work for a per night budget. It looks like from Hotwire that lots of hotels are available in that price range.
Is the Union Square area a good area for spending an evening? That's all the time we will really have.
We could ride the cable car out to Fisherman's Wharf. Is that a good idea?
Thanks

sf7307

Union Square has some good restaurants but it's not really a nighttime destination --- it's the main shopping area in San Francisco - stores, restaurants and hotels. As for Fisherman's Wharf, well, it's a VERY touristy area, not sure what you would do there at night. I don't think you'll find "music scene/coffee house" in either of those locations. What kind of music are you interested in? Check out the Boom Boom Room -- that's the neighborhood I'd go to for the evening --- excellent restaurant choices, and music.

http://www.boomboomblues.com/

Amber_L

Hi lunabug, I'd recommend staying as near the intersection of Broadway and Columbus as you can. There's no place better for absorbing several different aspects of San Francisco culture. It's the northeast corner of Chinatown, smack in Little Italy with plenty of surrounding Irish influence, near Coit Tower, and has beautiful views and storefronts. A matter of blocks from Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf, if you want the touristy experience as well.

http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/northbeach/

You'll have music and coffee there, but possibly the best place in the city for both is considerably lesser for the rest of the touristing experience. That would be Potrero Hill.

http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/potrerohill/

DebitNM

What I love about staying in the Union SQ area is that it is so easy to get to almost any other area either via Cable Car [to Fishermans Wharf] or North Beach or Chinatown [walking] or the Castro[ using public transit like the historic "F" trolley/streetcar].

We have walked all over the city and love to explore this way, but when you only have 1 night, you want to be in a central location.

Perhaps you need to figure out what you want to do that night and which neighborhood it is in, then decide if The Mosser or another area is best.

Re Ambers suggestion, Columbus Motor Inn is in the North Beach area. Many on here have stayed there and liked it, a typical 60's looking motel . Big draw is free parking. I have walked by it, it seems ok. Not easy to get to from Airport using BART, a long distance from Market street BART stations.

http://columbusmotorinn.com/

SAB

Broadway and Columbus is not my idea of a great location--on the weekend it is ground zero for post bar rowdiness. Lots of underage and barely 20 something club goers wanting to keep the party going and lots of incidents on Friday and Saturday nights.

lunabug

Thanks for all your help. I have reserved at the Columbus Motor Inn and rented a car for the drive back and forth from the airport.

vova

check out yoshi's to see if they have any music that night - it is a nice jazz club if you guys are looking for music. the neighborhood is a little rough around the edges but the club itself is nice.

lunabug

Our trip happened last Sunday. Of course Murphy had it arranged that our flight would be an hour and a half late. Between that and making a wrong turn on the 101 freeway we wound up arriving at the Columbus Motor Inn in time to walk to Fisherman's Wharf, eat and crash for the night.
Columbus Motor inn was adequate, not the Hilton for sure. The free parking and cheap rates did make it a good place to stay.