HELP! WOULD LIKE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON GREAT HOTELS OR BED AND BREAKFAST. ALSO, GOOD RESTAURANTS.
THANKS IN ADVANCE

wife and I just returned from San Francisco for our 25th anniversary. We stayed at the Sir Francis Drake on Powell st. Union Square a grand old hotel and the service was great, couldn't be better. There are all types of hotels right in the vicinity that aren't that expensive. Holiday Inn was right next door, the Stratford Hotel was right down the street. As far as restaurants go there are great ones on every corner it seems. We ate at Bubba Gumps Shrimp Company one day(that's on Fisherman's Wharf), we did the Hard Rock Cafe another..Maxfield's at the Sheraton Plaza is a great dining place...Planet Hollywood..John's Grill, Lefty O'douls..all type of eating..great town..have fun.

I just returned from San Francisco and had an amazing time!! There are so many restaurants in this city - from cheap to expensive. As for a hotel, i stayed at "The Donatello Hotel". i did alot of searching for hotels and was very, very pleased. I am not sure what you want to spend, but this one is roughly $150-175 per nite. The staff and service is superb and this hotel is said to have the largest rooms in San Fran for hotels. I recommend this hotel to anyone who wants personalized service and a very nice/elegant hotel. It is not cheap, but when you compare this hotel to the Hyatt or the Hilton, (at over $200 per nite), the Donatello is much better. P.S. if you book a room, ask for a corner room - a better view.
Feel free to e-mail with any questions?

Jim.

We just got back from San Francisco also, and I agree with Jim, it was incredible! We stayed at the Mark Hopkins on Nob Hill. It was quite an experience. There were a number of honeymooners during our stay. It's usually a pricey hotel ($200 & up), but we got a great deal through Quick Book for $139/night. You can check Quick Book out on the Internet, they also have great rates for other quality hotels. Believe me $139/night is a verrrrry low price for a four-star hotel. The hotel has a refined elegant feel to it. We had a great view of the bay (if possible, ask for an even numbered room on a higher floor), the service was top notch, and the room was spacious and beautifully decorated. The drawbacks are that it is on Nob Hill which means very steep hills in all directions. The cable cars are close by, however, and the doorman hails a cab for you in minutes. It’s further away from the hustle and bustle of Fisherman’s Wharf or downtown. Beware however that if you are renting a car, the parking rates are pricey ($23/day.) I don't know what type of accommodations (intimate, formal, casual, etc.) you prefer, but for the money and quality, you can’t beat the Mark Hopkins. As far as restaurants go they are too numerous to mention, and we didn’t have one bad meal during our stay. If you like Italian, North Beach is the place to go, The Mona Lisa was a nice affordable place for dinner, and Michaelangelos was also very nice. If time permits, go across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, a great little town for walking, grabbing a quick bite or just enjoying the views, and to the Napa Valley (tour the vineyards taste some really special variety of wines.) You picked a great place for a honeymoon, and won’t be disappointed. Have fun, and if you have any questions, let me know.

Hotel Monaco is my choice. It's a small, European style motel. We paid $150 a night. Had a great time. Want to eat where locals eat? Try some place other than North Beach, Chinatown, etc. I like Noe Valley (Castro st and 24th st). Or Clement St for some great, inexpensive Asian food. SF is one of my favorite cities. I live 90 min away. Other great places are Bodega Bay or Sonoma State Beaches, Pt. Reyes Nat'l seashore. Berkeley is fun, the University area is colorful, though Telegraph Ave is a bit dowdy. Try a cable car TO Fisherman's wharf, instead of From the wharf. The lines at the wharf are ridiculous. You can get a cable car near Chinatown, so try parking there, or elsewhere along the line up in the hills, along California Street or Hyde Street. Both will go towards the wharf. Of course, get a good map to see where the cable cars go. Pacific Heights is a goood place to walk for a view. Market Street is OK, but busy. Try the area around Crissy Field, or the Palace of Fine arts for a little peace and quiet. Golden Gate park is a lot of fun, too. It's near Height Asbury, with is fun to walk around, too. SF is pretty safe, but be aware. It's a little dirty, too, but it's plusses really far outway the minusses.

I went to San Fran on my honeymoon 2 years ago and stayed at the Grant Plaza.
It is very fairly priced, $60 per night, and is just the basic necessities (bed and private bath).
The staff was very accommodating. If you want any other information, feel free to e mail me at [email protected]. Good luck and enjoy
your trip!!!

Just returned from SF celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. First timers to SF. Some definite things to consider. stay at the Queen Anne Hotel in lower pacific heights, near japan town on sutter & octavia. stay here for a couple of nights, its not as busy and is accessible to bus lines and cable cars to where ever you want to go. excellent service and nice rooms with fireplaces. make sure you book an evening on the hornblower dinner cruise. excellent food, with dancing and a cruise in the bay. well worth the $120 spent for two. take ferry to sauscilito and check out the boat docks, some splendid boats to look at. check out alcatraz and golden gate park. taking buses here is simple and interesting. excellent opera house, recently remodeled. spurge and stay at sheraton on the wharf and visit this area. a coffee at the buena vista and clam chowder in a french bread bowl is a must. enjoy. ok to mail me for further ifo.

Food! That's one of the two things I miss the most about SFO. (Don't call it Frisco; makes San Franciscans shudder.) For a reasonably-priced Burmese restaurant, try Burma's House. Ask for Pia; she's delightful. The Burma's Chicken, Coconut Curried Beef, and Pum Day Kawe Zawe are three of my favorite dishes. Pia had all of my favorite dishes memorized! I can't wait to move back. For Thai, there are many nice places; one is Thai House in the Castro at Market and Sanchez. The desserts at Sweet Inspiration are somewhat pricey, but quite delicious. This is also in the Castro, which is the biggest gay area of the City; if y'all see two men kissing or holding hands, don't point. Hopefully y'all are more worldly than that. NOW, for the most amazing macaroon I have ever had, go to Dianda's at 565 Green near Columbus (I think that's the address). The chocolate macaroon has chocolate mousse over the macaroon with a thin layer of dark chocolate all around it. I would suggest public transit as opposed to driving unless y'all are VERY patient. E-mail me if you need more info.! Dine well, and happy marriage!

We're heading to S.F. in Nov, flying in from N.Y. staying in Union Square, using public transp. We would like to spend our last day and night in wine country, pref Sonoma Valley, any info on way to get up there and back to airport next day without having to rent a car, but if neccesary best connection to pick up and drop off. also places to stay, eat, etc. maybe an off-the-wall thing to see or do in Bay area perhaps off the beaten path
thanks

a few nights in SF then I would suggest crossing the bridge & going a few miles up to Mountain Home Inn in Mill Valley. Incredibly gorgeous location with view of San Francisco Bay with Muir Woods and Pt Reyes national seashore nearby. We're talking about 25 min. from the financial district to a bed & breakfast that is contemporary and very luxurious. No cutesy pooh victorian stuff here. I'm sure they have a net presence as they are so close to the source. If you are going to do the wine country then a dining splurge must be French Laundry. In the city I am partial to the St. Francis for its location & history but have to second the comments on the Donatello. Have tea or cocktails at the Compass Rose in the St. Francis..you'll feel like you are part of a movie.

a few nights in SF then I would suggest crossing the bridge & going a few miles up to Mountain Home Inn in Mill Valley. Incredibly gorgeous location with view of San Francisco Bay with Muir Woods and Pt Reyes national seashore nearby. We're talking about 25 min. from the financial district to a bed & breakfast that is contemporary and very luxurious. No cutesy pooh victorian stuff here. I'm sure they have a net presence as they are so close to the source. If you are going to do the wine country then a dining splurge must be French Laundry. In the city I am partial to the St. Francis for its location & history but have to second the comments on the Donatello. Have tea or cocktails at the Compass Rose in the St. Francis..you'll feel like you are part of a movie.

I appreciated your comments from Jim & Sharon re. the Donatello Hotel. We're going to be in SF November 15th through the 20th and are staying at the Donatello. I found it by process of elimination of a lot of other hotels listed on the internet. Was going to go to the Sir Francis Drake, but read comments about the miniscule size of the rooms.

We will ask for a corner room...I assume, the higher the better. Any other suggestions about the hotel or about SF in general. I'm a jazz pianist so we're going to try to get to as many clubs as possible. My girlfriend is a dancer so dance performances are in the offing. If you have any suggestions in either area, they would be greatly appreciated.

Here's another vote for the Hotel Monaco. It is a wonderfully intimate "boutique" hotel with French-influenced rooms and whimsical decorations throughout. The Corner Bar (the actual name of the bar attached to the hotel) is a great place for drinks and hors d'oeurves and the hotel itself offers complimentary wine and cheese in the afternoons. Located near union square, this hotel is within easy walking distance of the theatre, shopping districts and the cable car line. Be forewarned though, the actual line for the cable car can be pretty intimidating --depending on when you're there.

Have also stayed at "The Mark" (Mark Hopkins Hotel). Very classy, good service, good central location and some great views from the rooms. As Nancy stated though, be prepared to do a lot of uphill walking back to your hotel. The cable cars run close by but the wait is often formidable.

As for restaurants, I highly recommend Scoma's on The Wharf. Many of the places on The Wharf are overated tourist traps but this is not one of them. Huge menu, highly trained (if not a little brusque) wait staff and some of the best seafood you'll ever have. World famous place that has earned its reputation. No reservations are excepted.

This is a great city! Have fun.

two restaurant recommendations--Rose Pistola in North Beach--fab Italian--a woman in our lunch group--who is Italian--requested something that wasn't even on the menu--they made it for her and her comment was "this is so good, it is orgasmic."
Second suggestion--Elisabeth Daniel--very upscale, jewel-like restaurant--prix fixe menu only--expensive--7 courses, as I recall, but with small portions so you were not stuffed at the end of the evening--some of the most delish food I've ever had--we had a very charming not intimidating or snooty waiter--and as an added plus--wine list is very fairly priced--we had a lovely bottle of Australian white--about $20

Christopher, don't say y'all...it makes me shudder!