San Fran Hotels--Narrowed Down Choices-Help Please!
 

Hi,

My boyfriend and I (mid twenties) will be visiting San Francisco for the first time for 5 days/4 nights at the end of June. I'm looking to book a package through Expedia or other such site, and think I have narrowed down some hotel choices, mostly due to our budget and other reviews I have read. Here are our top choices:

Cartwright Hotel
Hotel Carlton
Chancellor Hotel
JW Marriott

I'd like the hotel to be in a safe area, have comfy beds, hopefully not be too noisy, and as an added bonus, maybe have some character to add to our romantic getaway.

Thoughts/opinions on the above choices? Any insight would be most appreciated!

Sorry to add one more, but right next door to the Cartwright, is the Hotel Rex which my son and his GF, also in their 20s, recommended to us. They loved it, as did we. Tons of character and amazingly friendly service. I checked some random days at the end of June and prices ranged from $169 for queen to $209 for a king executive which includes a separate couch---Triple A rates. Free wine from 5-6 every evening in their cozy library-themed bar/lobby and free coffee every AM set up on the bar. It was a great hotel!

I live across from Carlton - certainly you can't say it has character. An ordinary building in the residential area. Cosmos, the budget tour company, is using it. Lower floors overlooking Sutter St may be noisy.

JW Marriott does not have much character but will be quite comfy.

Carlton...forget it...lots of blocks from Union Square.

Chancellor is in an excellent location..almost on Union Square. Has an excellent staff and management.

I can't believe that someone dissed the JW Marriott. It is our favorite hotel in all of San Francisco. (It was the Pan Pacific until last year.) It has a soaring lobby with two fireplaces, a restaurant, open to the lobby, a great fountain ringed with lifesized scuptures of dancing ladies ala the Matisse painting.

The rooms are large, with a good sized desk, all of the electronic stuff you need, and the bathrooms are to die for. A large marble soaking tub, in addition to your separate shower, a chrome and marble vanity area, with your own little TV to watch while you..what?....shave? Leave your shoes outside the door and they come back in the morning all polished.

Described as "comfy"? Well, OK. (not a description I would use, maybe.) How about glass elevators? I think the dancing ladies alone give it character.

What do I know?

Just for the heck of it, price out the airfare and hotel you book yourself. There are so many overbooked flights now and sometimes it's hard to get service from third party vendors. Given current flight levels I would MUCH rather be holding a tix I booked myself. If you can book the hotel and air directly for about the same price (or maybe less) than do it.

Just adding 2 cents....I just stayed at the Crowne Plaza Union Square. I booked it through Priceline and was NOT disappointed! I'm not sure what you are looking for as far as "character," but I vacation in SF almost every year and this was one of my best stays.

Ditto to starrsville. I have seen firsthand people w/expedia tkts get left behind when a connecting flt is late, whereas people holding tkts directly from airline were put on next flt.

Also, hotels will often match a price you get from online booking services, if you call and speak to a hotel reservation agent at the hotel---*not* the 800 #......

And I cannot emphasize enough the wonderful character of the Hotel Rex and the unbelievably gracious service of the entire staff!!

JW Marriott

I would vote for the Hotel Rex- definitely a wonderful and warm hotel with lots of character. You could also try the Mosser or the Hotel Monaco. If these don't fit into your budget, try the Marriott or the Chancellor. Have a great trip!

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Rex on our first trip to San Fran and we really liked it...definitely look into that. Now, I want to find a hotel down in Fisherman's Wharf

MelissaHI How much did you bid on priceline?

Is hotel Carlton in a bad area?

I think I paid $75 or $85 a night.

Carlton is not a bad area, only boring to a visitor. Mostly residential, and no restaurants to write home about. Nothing really close except buses. You wouldn't be interested in a hospital, or food store, or school, or "home" or.... :)