Hi everyone

I ahve been reading previous threads regarding accommodation options in San Francisco and I think I have confused myself!

We will be in San Francisco (no car) for 4 nights in mid August. Can anyone suggest a good area to stay in that is close to attractions and cable cars, but not right smack bang in the middle of the most touristy areas? We would like to get a feel for the 'real' San Francisco and I think location of our hotel is important for that.

Any thoughts?

If you want to be close to the Cable cars and attractions you will be in the middle of touristy areas. Would not stay in Fishermans wharf. The other areas that meet your criteria are probably pretty close in their tourist ambience.

mjs, not a challenge, just a question, why would you not recommend staying at Fisherman's wharf? We were looking at the Argonaut.

We will be staying at the Columbus Motor Inn next week. It gets great reviews on trip advisor and I will give it a thorough run down on my trip report. We partially chose it for the free parking, a rarity in SF, but it wont be an advantage to you.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton which was just a couple of blocks from the Cable stop and easy walking (if you don't mind hills) to some pretty good restaurants and shops. The immediate area was not what I'd call touristy, although the entrance to China Town was not far away.

Perhaps if you gave us some idea of your budget you'd get more recommendations.

Thanks for the ideas so far... our budget is around $200 - $250 a night for San Francisco (not so much in other places)... happy to pay less though Mostly want clean, central place that has a good reputation.

Personally I like the hotel locations near the Embarcadero (Le Meridian, The Palace, Hotel Vitale). I also don't mind staying in the Union Square area as another option - I like to see all the people and it is fairly central. Parking is an issue as Shanek above mentioned...it is very very expensive if you use the hotel service. Since we typically just park our car and for the most part use taxis unless we do day trips or are leaving the city, we usually find a garage near whatever hotel we are staying in that is more reasonable.

We love the Galleria Park. A member of the JDV hotels.
On Sutter between Kearny and Montgomery. Short walks to Un Sq, Embarcadero and a nice walk to Chinatown, No Beach, Financial Distr. Nice restos nearby too.

I am also planning a trip to San Fran and the wine country. I will do some more research but was wondering how many days should one plan for - is 5 nights enough? My DH doesn't like to stay away from home too long, but we both are interested in going, and splitting time between the city and the wine country. Any recommendations for which vinyards to visit? Which are the closest to San Francisco?

Didn't mean to hijack your thread Lakesidechick...

Fisherman's Wharf is "tourist central" (in the Disneyland sense). But mjs' second comment, "The other areas that meet your criteria are probably pretty close in their tourist ambience." is simply not correct. Stay in the Embarcadero area (try Priceline or Hotwire) and you will be in a "working" area of San Francisco (I work ON the Embarcadero, across the street from the Ferry Bldg., next door to the Hyatt Regency, which is ON the cable car line, as well as muni and BART). My office is 10 minutes walk from Chinatown and North Beach, 20 minutes to Union Square, 25 minutes to AT&T Park and Pier 39 (in opposite directions). Sure, there are plenty of tourists here, but only because it's such a great neighborhood, not because there's any particular "attractions" here.

I think that the next time I go to SF I would like to stay in the Embarcadero area myself - at the Hyatt or a the Casa Madronna Inn which is in Sasaulito <sp>.I have stayed @ Fisherman's Wharf a few time and Union Square a few times - I prefer Union Square over Fisherman's Wharf.

The St. Francis last time (last August) and it was a wonderful hotel.

Ditto what sf7307 has posted.

Thanks so much, that was quite helpful. I have the Vitale (still a little expensive) and the Hyatt on the list.

For cmcfong: the Argonaut is a great hotel to stay in. It's not "smack bang in the middle" of Fisherman's Wharf but way over on the West Side of the Wharf area along with the Maritime Museum, the Buena Vista Cafe, the turnaround for one of the cable cars and next door to Fort Mason (good for a casual stroll up that hill!).

One clarification about Fisherman's Wharf lodging (with the exception of the Argonaut) - these are usually rectangular, 3 or 4 story buildings without much character, just basic needs. It could say "Hilton", but think "Hilton Garden Inn" would be more appropriate. The rooms are slightly larger, which is why the hotels at Fisherman's Wharf are ideal for families and is the number one hotel destination in San Francisco (This is a generalization. I'll probably get slammed by someone saying they got the tiniest room in SF while staying in a FW hotel). The hotel prices are not as high as elsewhere in the City. Best of all, they are not as noisy as the hotels closer to downtown.

If you're young or don't have kids along and want to be in the middle of action and be in the more sophisticated areas of SF, then choose either Union Square (east) or the Embarcadero. The Embarcadero is quieter.

Priceline is a good suggestion. If you've not used it before, come back and ask before you place your first bid.

OK to cmcfong to answer your question about the Wharf. As sf has posted it is tourist central and although some of us actually work in the areas (including me), it is not an area that bears any resemblance to the real City. Most stores and restaurants exist almost solely to attract tourists; lots of tour buses, t-shirt shops, fast food places , overpriced "seafood" restaurants, bike rentals, car rentals, mid-range hotels, and places purpose built to attract tourists--Pier 39, Wax Museum. The Wharf is an OK option for families with kids, or if you need a hotel deal--it's not a place I would recommend without kids.

And ditto what SAB said!

Hey sf--tourist season is in full swing down here at the Wharf; the Duck Boats, Hop on buses, and various tour buses are plentiful; the Segway riders are blocking traffic; there is a line out the door and In and Out; off-key street musicians are plying their trade; and I had to ride the effing F to work this morning--what a terrible way to commute!!!

I apologize for having essentially hijacked the thread. I didn't mean to do that. The responses you have given me are quite helpful. I am planning a group trip for twelve of my friends from high school in April. It looks like the Embarcadero is a good choice for us. Thank you for all the help and again, I am sorry for having dragged the discussion off track.

I just stayed at the Vitale this past weekend and LOVED being down on the Embarcadero. I've always stayed in Union Square but it was great having a different experience this time. If you're into food/restaurants, it's fantastic being right across the street from the Ferry Building. For the OP, I'd say it's the best balance between being reasonably close to sights and cable cars (the less crowded California line) but not being overly touristed.

I would definitely recommend the Embarcadero area as well. To me, it's the ideal location because it relatively close to many SF attractions (Union Square, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, etc) but it's not as hectic. I also love being by the water and the close promixity to the Ferry Building is great. I usually stay at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero (there's a cable car pick right by it as well).

For restaurants around this area, I'd recommend Taylor's for a good burger(watch out for the garlic fries! They're potent!) and Slanted Door for a nice dinner. Reservations are tough to get at Slanted Door so I would recommend booking early.