Faina was nice enough to start a SF GTG thread for me, but I thought I would start a new thread to help me with hotels. I have gone back and read old posts, looked at Trip Advisor etc, but as always, first hand experience from those who have been to SF recently or from those who live there is a big help.

DH has a conference March 5 -9. A list with over 100 hotels was provided. Having not been to SF in 35 years, I need some help as there are sooo many places listed.

I would like to be within walking distance to Convention center for DH and conveniently located near public transit for me to get to the wonderful SF sights.

I went over the list of hotels and came up with these as possibilities:

Under $200:

Beresford Arms Hotel
Best Western Americania
Cartwright Hotel
Chancellor Hotel on Union Square
Hotel Britton
Hotel Metropolis
Hotel Rex
Hotel Vintage Court
King George Hotel
Miyako Hotel
Pickwick Hotel
Powell Hotel

$200 - 300:

Crowne Plaza Union Square
Fairmont Hotel
Galleria Park Hotel
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
Handlery Union Square Hotel
Hilton San Francisco
Hotel Monaco
Hotel Nikko
Hotel Palomar
Warwick Regis Hotel
W San Francisco
Westin San Francisco Market Street
Westin St. Francis
Hotel Union Square
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
Kensington Park Hotel
Le Meridien San Francisco
Marriott Courtyard San Francisco
Maxwell Hotel
Omni San Francisco Hotel
Palace Hotel
San Francisco Marriott

I can't book anything yet as I am guessing I need some kind of promo code and don't have it [think it will be sent in October].

Are any of these a definite no-no?

I picked places that seemed to be within walking distance to convention center.

We also don't get to register until after regular members do, so I may not be able to be picky.

Thanks in advance!
Debi

Cross off the Miyako - this is NOT within walking distance of the convention center. (Probably others, too, but that one immediately caught my eye)

Of all the ones you listed, I'd choose the W or the San Francisco Marriott. Both are practically across the street from the convention center, near the MOMA, easy walking distance to Union Square, the financial district, etc. Since your husband would be the one on a schedule, it's probably better to be near the convention center for him, whereas you'll be able to take it more leisurely, and walk where you want to go when you want to go.

Cartwright may be closed, check with the hotel.

Fairmont is on a steep hill, our hills might kill you if either one of you have weak knees.

Omni is not within walking distance, would you husband take a bus every day?

I'd agree with dmlove, the San Francisco Marriott on Fourth Street would be the best choice.

The W seems a bit cold and austere to me, but that's just one person's impression.

I'd suggest making a reservation at one or two hotels of your choice anyhow. Then when it's time for you to register under your program, just transfer the room over to the program and get their discounted rate. You'll know soon enough to cancel whichever hotel you will not be using.

The W seems a bit cold and austere to me

Some people would call that trendy, modern and hip

dmlove: Ok, "trendy, mod, and hip" it is!

It's the same with the Nikko - very plain, all blacks and whites - but I just don't get the feeling that it's the wonderful "Japanese" way of elegant simplicity. So, it seems cold and austere to me also but is probably "trendy, mod, and hip" to others!

"I'd suggest making a reservation at one or two hotels of your choice anyhow. Then when it's time for you to register under your program, just transfer the room over to the program and get their discounted rate. You'll know soon enough to cancel whichever hotel you will not be using."

Will they do that [swith the reservation over to discounted rate] without giving me grief??

Debi

I was able to book at The Rex Hotel and The Mosser. Did a search on here for Mosser, didn't find much. I tried calling The Rex to see if they would indeed let me keep the reservation and simply switch the rate; am waiting for a call back. The Mosser has a great rate, even during the time frame of convention.

Debi

Debi, did you remember to check TripAdvisor?

The Mosser is in a great location (across from the Marriott) but I don't know anything about it at all.

But it gets really great reviews on TripAdvisor.

I have just been reading reviews on Tripadvisor and the other "F" travel website, seems to get consistently high ratings and comments.

Debi

Deb: If you seeking to save a buck (and who isn't?), then I would suggest doing Priceline.

On Priceline, sometimes the Hyatt at Union Square could be gotten for $65; now it's running about $95 (just one example).

A 4* hotel in Union Square would be much more preferable than the Mosser with its "teeny tiny rooms" where someone said that the luggage has to be stored outside in the hallway!

I usually stay at the Grand Hyatt by Union Square when I do Conventions. Just checked your dates and it's already showing sold-out. That may be because your convention has blocked all the rooms for that time period. Don't know how big your convention is but I think most of the business hotels in the Convention Center area block their rooms early. So I don't think you'd be getting anything via Priceline. Don't know much about The Mosser but The Rex gets decent reviews.

I tried quite a few of the bigger name hotels on my list and they are all showing no availability. The conference is for Amer. Assoc. of Orthopedic Surgeons, so I imagine they have thousands of rooms blocked already. I won't be able to book using their code til October, so I was hoping to get a head start now.

Mosser sounds very interesting, especially if you stay for 7 days, the rate for a queen room with private bath is only $75 a night!!! I think we will stay longer and take advantage of that rate.

Debi

I assume it's the Moscone Convention Center. My husband has gone to a number of conferences there and usually stayed at the Milano Hotel, which is about a 2-block walk from the Moscone Center. He thought it excellent.

The W hotel is kitty corner to the Convention Center but it is dark and rather film noire like in setting. The Marriott is also convenient and typically Marriott for the want of a better discription. I rather like the Hotel Nikko as as it does not have the W darkness but a rather crip Japanese/Scandanavian flavor. The Fairmont is up a major hill but rather old and nice.
The Hyatt Regency is a good walk to the CC and a typical 4 star hotel. The Palace is pretty good and not too far of a walk to the CC. The Grand Hyatt is another typical 4 star hotel off of Union Sq. The Westin Saint Francis is an ok 4 star type hotel right on Union Sq. Busy, noisy lobby with excellent but pricey Michael Mina restaurant. The Meridien is quite nice but in the Financial district which means a long walk to the CC. The Four Seasons is the nicest hotel near the CC. I suspect that the Priceline will be of little help with such a large convention intown. I have not stayed at any of your other choices. The JW Marriott is not on your list but quite nice. Is the Westin on Market St the St Regis? I would probably stay at either the Palace or the Nikko or the St Regis if that is your Westin on Market St. The Westin St Francis, Grand Hyatt and Marriott and the W would also be ok.

Dear God- do not choose the Best Western Americano. I cannot stress what a bad part of town it is. It's not even safe to walk a block. The W is very central as is the the new Westin, which was formerly the Argent Hotel.

"The Westin San Francisco Market Street", formerly called Argent Hotel, is actually on the 3rd avenue between the Yerba Buena Garden and Stevenson. It was perhaps about 50 yards from the Market street. I stayed there last week. If you walk from the Market Street towards the Convention Center, you first walk by the Westin then W.

Unless you have a mobility problem, either side of the Market Street would be within a walking distance to the Convention Center.