San Francisco hotels/itinerary
 

Help! I am planning a trip to California in early September and am a little behind in booking my itinerary....I know we are flying into Oakland and going to a Red Sox game that night. We (my boyfriend and I) are planning to stay one or two more nights in SF....my questions are....should we stay in Oakland the first night since we are going to the Red Sox vs A's game and then move hotels to somewhere in SF? Or is there enough transportation to get from the coliseum back to SF after the game (game starts at 6pm)....we did not plan to rent a car until we leave the SF area and head to wine country so no transportation during our stay....can someone help with hotel choicesas well....we are on a budget ....mid 40's and just the two of us....we like inns/bed and breakfasts or boutique hotels.....thanks so much!

What time do you arrive at Oakland airport?

Is it labor day weekend?

The place where the As play is in a very high crime area - I worked "next door" to there for about 7 years and I would not stay in a hotel in that immediate area. If you want to stay in Oakland, hail a taxi at the ballpark and it take it to a hotel at the Oakland airport or another area close by. Then you would have to wake up the next morning, take some kind of public transportation or an hotel/airport shuttle to BART, to get you to San Francisco. That seems kinda un-exciting to me.

I would just walk to BART after the game and take it to San Francisco & stay there. BART runs till 12:23am.
www.BART.gov

Stu Dudley

OK stay in SF...that sounds great...it is not Labor Day weekend but the weekend of the 10th (my birthday)...do you have any recommendations on places to stay in SF....not high end as we plan to head to Napa after and then down through Monterey and the Big Sur before flying out of LA...read Stu's recommendations and printed it off to read tonight for some ideas on places to see...so need a place to stay in SF...our flight into Oakland arrives at 1pm on Friday and the game is at 6pm...so just enough time to get from airport to hotel and back for the game....I imagine using the BART transportation....as I said before we are in mid 40's ... on a budget but not too low end...somewhere around 100-150 per night if possible and have no clue on neighborhoods to stay...heard the Wharf is overpriced and not worth it to stay in that area...thanks for any help!

I don't have any hotel recs - since I live here & don't need a hotel. However, I would not stay at the Wharf under any circumstances - especially in your case where you need to take BART - which does not go to the Wharf. Best bet, IMO, is a hotel close to the SF Embarcadero BART station - which is the first SF station you'll get to on BART from Oakland. Actually, I would stay in that area even if I was not using BART. Use Priceline to get a good rate - there have been lots of post recently about good deals on Embarcadero hotels.

Stu Dudley

I've stayed here twice and worked out fine. It's a couple blocks off Union Square and in that price range.
http://www.andrewshotel.com/

So your plan is to go from Oakland airport, into the city/SF to a hotel, then back out to Oakland for the game?

BART doesn't stop at Oakland airport, you have to take a bus to the station BART from there.

I am staying at the Hyatt Embarcadero end of August and got a buy one night, get one free deal.

Yea...it is actually cheaper to fly into Oakland than SF so that is why we are flying into there....does the BART stop at SF airport?

Thanks for the advice on the hotel...will google now!

1pm arrival for 6pm game...flight might be a little late,etc.

I would get a car at Oakland airport if you can find a good rate, throw your stuff in the trunk, have a late lunch and head for the game. 7 day car rental is usually the same as 5 or 6 days and you could stay at Columbus Motor Inn (search the forum for great reviews of this place...parking is included). That's one idea and it's what I would do depending on the difference in the two car rental options.

The other plan to hop Bart in SF and check-in to a hotel, then turn around and head back to Oakland is do-able unless you have a couple hours airline delay which could be hairy.
You'd also want to choose a hotel within a block or two of the Bart Station.

You could always reserve the airport car just as a back-up plan I guess...in case of late arrival you don't want to miss the game.

I wouldn't stay in Oakland one night and then move to San Fran, that's the worst of the options. Stay in Oakland both nights if you're gonna do that, just Bart into SF on the 2nd day.

Thanks for the idea for the hotel in Oakland....Stu...just wondering what IMO stands for and also is Embarcadero in the financial district when I go on priceline or hotwire?? Thanks.

I agree with every single thing Stu said. (and I work next door to the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco). You have plenty of time even if your plane is late to get to the hotel, even have a shower and a walk, or a rest, and get back to the game by 6:00. If your plane is on time, you'll be at your hotel by 2:30. It's only a 20-minute BART ride to the Coliseum.

IMO = In My Opinion

Yes, the priceline "area" you will look for is the "Embarcadero/Financial District". The 4* hotels that are typically "won" are the Hyatt Regency, the Omni, Meridien and Hilton Financial District.

Nothing is too far in the downtown San Francisco area. You can easily walk to AT&T Park, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, North Beach, Telegraph Hill and Union Square from any hotel in the "Embarcadero/Financial District" area.

IMO = in my opinion

I agree with clark that its too tight to get to a hotel in SF with luggage to then go back to Oakland. I always try to get to a stadium 1.5 hours early to see Batting practice. It also drives me insane when people get there late and inconvenience everybody in the row.

Hopefully you see as good of a Sox game as I did when I went there. Saw Curt Schillings 1 hitter in 2007.

Well, sure, it's "tighter" to get to the game if you want to get there at 4:30!! But the game is at 6:00, and that's PLENTY of time.

Suzy, the game on Friday the 10th starts at <b>7</b>:05, not 6:00 (the game on Saturday the 11th starts at 6:05). So if this is for the 10th, you have an hour and five minutes MORE than you thought to do all this.

SF, I missed the 1st inning of a game while sitting in my seat at Petco due to the amount of people showing up late which didn't make me too happy. But that being said, I was thinking it was longer to the Coliseum (I was thinking around 45-50 minutes)...given that its only 20, there is probably enough time - assuming flight is on-time. Should also account that it will be a larger crowd given that its Red Sox. There are just a lot of variables for the OP to be aware of. Given that I have done the same thing, I still feel it may be too tight for my comfort level. What happens if the flight is 2 hours late into Oakland then you have to get to SF to drop off luggage then get back to Oakland? Sounds like a lot of scrambling.

To be clear, the BART ride is 20 minutes. It is longer than that with the walk from BART to the stadium itself (probably 30 minutes). tc, the OP has her options, I still personally would NEVER choose to stay in Oakland over San Francisco, and unless the plane is 2 hours late (I don't assume it will be, if it is, yes, they'll have to scramble a little), there is PLENTY OF TIME.

BTW, where is it in Oakland that everyone is suggesting the OP stay? The only place that's decent for tourists would be Jack London Square, which is impossible to get to from the airport by public transportation. And they'd have to drop off luggage anyway, since I doubt there's any way to take it into the stadium. The round-trip to the SF hotel might take an hour more than a Jack London Square hotel. Absolutely worth it to go to San Francisco IMO.

Last weekend we stayed at the Orchard on Bush and Powell. Straight shot up Powell from BART. We got it for $139 per night - upgraded to a huge suite - I never get lucky so we thought that was great. Staff was great.

If you make the 1:46 BART from Oakland you get to Powell just after 2:00. If you don’t catch it till 2:00 then you’ll get to Powell around 2:25.

Even if you leave Powell for The Coliseum after 5:00 you’ll still get there before the game begins.

That gives you a couple of hours of a cushion or just to check into a hotel. Not exactly rushed IMHO.

Ditto (and actually you can leave for the Coliseum after 6:00 and still make the game since, as I said above, the game doesn't start until 7:05).

Thanks everyone for your help....and clarification on game time...that is right...the game is later on Friday night...we are thinking of going to both games and I got the two nights mixed up....I do plan to stay in SF and will take the risk of a delayed plane but thanks for the concern...I think it would be more of a hassle to switch hotels after one night to move to SF...I will research hotels in Financial district and may be back on another forum with advice on these...thanks so much everyone...by the way...what does OP stand for??? I am not very computer savvy as noted by me google IMO for a hotel in SF....so I can think of is that OP stands for old people?????

OP = Original Poster.

Enjoy the games.

Have a great trip!

What's the price of a taxi from Oakland to Union Square? How about that for an option to smooth things out?

Then after checking in, unpacking, shower, and I bet even time for a snack or glass of wine... walk to your nearest BART station and go to the game.

Sorry this is NOT all that tight a timeframe, in my opinion. And I would most definitely NOT stay in Oakland over downtown San Francisco!

Oh and yes BART leaves directly from SFO, but not from Oakland. It's supposedly eventually going to be connected but for now you have to catch a shuttle bus bewteen the airport to where you actually get on the BART. Certainly do-able, but yet another bit more of a complication.

Around $50.00 according to sfgate.com. I kind of doubt that's an option, given the fairly steep price.

Thanks for checking sf7307 on my taxi question. See for me, I'd probably spring for it (and make up the money somewhere else along the trip). Taxi Oakland airport to a Union Square/Financial District hotel. Have plenty of time to checkin, leisurely change, get settled, then walk to the nearest station and catch BART to the game and back.

I might, too, because it will certainly be the "path of least resistance".

Thanks for your help. I plan to now go into SF airport now...the savings on the price to fly into Oakland airport is not enough to make the taxi ride worth it and since the BART is right there at SF airport...we will plan to stay in SF...will take the BART to/fro game and stay the weekend in SF....is the Orchard Garden Hotel nice? I found the best prices on that or te Hyatt....not sure if the Orchard is too far from BART system as it looks like it is on the cusp of chinatown..thanks for any input..

The Orchard Garden Hotel is only 3 blocks from a BART station -- and they're not particularly long blocks either. Sorry, I don't know the hotel, but I think the neighborhood is a great place to stay (very central for walking).

Here is centralparkgirl's review of the Orchard Garden Hotel from last year. I know her personally, and she has excellent taste (and standards :-) ). She has also stayed at the Hyatt Regency and the Meridien -- hopefully, she'll see this and respond.

"We then checked in to our pristine room at the Orchard Garden Hotel. I opted for a non-refundable rate of $111 which I booked two days before departure. The linens, decor, amenities, etc, were consistent with a 4* hotel. After having someone repair our non-functioning deadbolt, we headed out to Belden Alley a block away."

I checked out the Orchard Garden Hotel...very nice...just one concern...my boyfriend likes to have a cigar on vacation...looks like a totally green hotel and tobacco free...I can understand no smoking in the hotel itself but does that mean no smoking cigars on the rooftop paio as well???

Leave the cigars at home - they won't be appreciated here - anywhere. It is not a green thing - it is a state law and San Francisco has even added their own twists (like not outside at enterences to a building, parks, etc - I imagine rooftop places also..

Stu Dudley

Stu's right -- smoking in or near public buildings is not allowed in California (state law). I can't imagine that it wouldn't apply to the rooftop patio. I think the rule is something like 20' from the entrance to a public building, even on the sidewalk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...2.A0California

Not that I want to encourage him (I personally think cigars are more invasive of other people's space than cigarettes, but this isn't about my opinion!), but the state law might actually permit smoking on outdoor patios, so you'll have to check with the hotel whether they permit it. I've read that many CITIES have banned smoking in outdoor spaces, but the state law doesn't go as far.

http://www.no-smoke.org/goingsmokefree.php?id=127

Ok....thanks for the no smoking information...will have him leave the cigars home.....please provide feedback on the following hotels...the Griffon, Villa Florence, Orchard Garden and any other boutique hotel that is worth considering...again..I will have no car and would want to be close to the BART. I do like smaller quainter hotels as opposed to the bigger chain hotels. Thanks for your input.

Of those three, the Griffon is closest to BART (it's about a block from the Hyatt Regency). Villa Florence is in the busiest of the three neighborhoods (the cable car runs right in front, it's a block from Union Square, pretty much tourist central -- but its also right at a BART station). The Griffon is in the neighborhood where I work - much quieter (not dead, just quieter) -- lots of restaurants, the bay, Ferry Bldg., great place to take a walk (if you're at all into food and/or markets, do not miss the Ferry Bldg., in particular the Saturday a.m. farmers' market, which NY Magazine once referred to as "the granddaddy of them all"). The Orchard Garden is in a nice neighborhood, on a fairly busy street (but this is a city, they're all pretty busy), but a little removed from the hustle and bustle that is Union Square.

I can't comment on the hotels themselves, but I'd pick the Griffon for the neighborhood, and proximity to BART.

I just realized the Villa Florence is probably even closer to BART than the Griffon, but the Griffon is only a block away, so I'd still pick that neighborhood.

We just stayed at the Griffon last weekend and loved it. Had a Deluxe Queen that, while small, was quite charming, with a brick wall behind the bed and a view out to the Emabarcadero and the bay. Location was fantastic; Perry's restaurant, attached to the hotel, has a great happy hour.

Thanks Hazel...I have read tons of reviews on this Hotel and one mentioned that the area is "dead" at night...also lots of complaints about the small rooms...we are planning on extending our stay to 3 nights in SF before heading to Napa and really just need a room to sleep at night..and love the idea of a quaint place...