Hi,

My husband and I are taking our two children (15 and 11) to California in August. We will first stay in San Francisco for three nights, head to Yosemite (already booked) and Monterey etc. We will spend the last two days in San Francisco before heading home.

I need a recommendation for a centrally located hotel that might be good for teens. We thought maybe Union Square... fisherman's Wharf ??? Not really sure. We thought that we would need two rooms, so I don't want to go crazy with price. But we definitely need a reasonable standard, clean, amenities etc..We have Marriot rewards etc...any suggestions?

Thanks!

If you can use Marriott pts, go for the Marriott Union Square which is in the heart of the downtwon shopping district, close to Chinatown, and transportation of all kinds, plays, musicals, and the cable car line to Ghirardelli Square. This is quite a swanky hotel. The other two Marriotts are a little further from the excitement of the City, though not at all bad locations.
I rhink your children may like the big city feel if they are not urban dwellers usually. Your days can be packed with great things...see some of the other recent posts on San Francisco. Day Muni passes will allow you to take cable cars, buses and trolleys (the F line is particularly fun) without breaking the bank.

Remember to bring warm clothes, both for SF and Yosemite and Monterey. The coast gets a lot of fog in August, and Yosemite nights can get frosty. If you get lucky, you'll have some of each kind of weather we get....and it's unpredictable, to say the least.
Press past the ubiquitous bums asking for money...Have fun in my City

Thanks! I just looked at the JW Marriot website (haven't called yet) and it said points not available for use during my stay (???). I also have am Ex points. Is this the same hotel?

Try Courtyard on 2nd. August is going to be hard to find rooms with points, I think. It is about a 10 minute [if that] walk to Market and Union Sq area.

There's both a JW Marriott and also the Marriott Union Square, which I think is the one to which nocali is referring.

Regular Marriott - http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-union-square/

JW Marriott -
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-union-square/

Try Beresford arms. its a short walk from union square and cable cars and has family suites. It is a bit old fashioned but v clean and reasonable. We had a family suite with a pull down bed and a separate bedroom. with 2 queen beds.

Since you have a car to park, Columbus Motor Inn. They do have a "family suite" but I think it only has one bathroom. Perfect location, easy access to both the wharf and Chinatown/Union Square, parking included ($40 at other hotels), keep your Marriott points for when they'll save you more $$$.

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Or more. I didn't see that the OP would have a car while in San Francisco, but if they will, this is definitely an issue to consider.

parking can be outraageous in SF. the Hyatt regency is $57.00 a day! Try the Parc 55 or the Donatello which very often have specials which include parking and both are wonderful hotels and if thy are not offering that, just ask, they might through it in to get business. . Yosemite in August will be very warm but Sf more than likely will be nice but not hot as the nights do cool off. check out the plays in Sf BEST OF BROADWAY for some plays, not sure what will be there in August but between the Geary, curran, the Orpheum and Golden Gate there is bound to be something good. Da passes for public transportstion is a good idea as the cable car alone is $6.00 for each ride NO transfers!