We will be arriving into San Francisco around 8:30 pm and plan to get up the next morning and drive to the Golden Gate Bridge and Muir Woods. Should we get a hotel by the airport, or is there a better area? We're not going to be there long (just to sleep) so we don't need anything fancy or to spend a lot of money. Just 3* or better. No flea bags....

What are your plans after going to Muir Woods? Are you moving on, staying in the area a couple more days, flying home?

Where/when are you renting your car? That night or the following morning? If you want to stay at the airport, use priceline.com. There are tons of hotels you can get for a bargin.

We got the Doubletree at the airport on priceline for $38.00. With taxes & fees, came to $50. You might want to try. Others are getting the Hyatt and Sheraton according to biddingfortravel.com. Good luck.

All the SF Airport hotels charge a parking fee, from $13 on up, so it'll be best to plan on not having a car the night you spend at the airport hotel.

The hotels have free airport shuttles. I'd suggest taking the shuttle to the hotel on the night you arrive. Get the car the next morning, drive to Muir Woods, return the car -whenever, depending on what the rest of your trip is like. If you are going back to stay at the airport hotel the second night, I'd suggest returning the car after your trip to Muir Woods.

Budman's right on: bid on a 3* at the airport and you could end up in any number of acceptable chain hotels - Hyatt, Doubletree, Sheraton, etc.

I've stayed at the airport Marriott which has a Hertz rental right on the property. Very convenient!

We are still developing plans, but think we will probably head to Napa/Sonoma for a couple of days and then come back to San Francisco. We will be staying at the Omni for 3 days following that for a work deal.

We had planned to get the car the night we came in, but it sounds like we might want to wait until the following morning.

If you just want a place to stay after your flight, then an airport hotel makes sense. If you are looking for someplace to base yourself to see SF, then definitely stay in SF rather than out at the airport.