I'll be visiting SF for a wedding a weekend in August. The wedding hotel (and where shuttles to the wedding are departing from) is the Doubletree at Berkeley Marina. However, I'm considering staying at the Courtyard Oakland Downtown to save a bit of money and take advantage of my relationship with Marriott.

Ideally, I'd take Bart to the hotel super super late Friday night when I get in, then a taxi to/from Doubletree, which I think is several miles. Am I cutting off my nose to spite my face with this hotel change, or does it seem worth it?

You're talking about Berkeley and Oakland, both are cities in the East Bay, not in SF.

Fly into OAK directly, unless you have a reason for SF, which you haven't mentinoned.

Taxi between Doubletree and Courtyard would be somewhere around $25 each way.

The Berleley Marina is kind of out of the way---we stayed there a year ago. Unless your Marriott room is free, and even if it is, I would call the hotel where you will be staying and find out how much RT taxi fare is likely to be.

SFO is much more convenient from a fare and airline perspective coming from Dallas, so I'm going to stick with that. I think the hotels are about 8 miles apart, so that fare quote seems about right ...

I see now that I was posting simultaneously w/the poster above me and so he answered about taxi fare.

When we flew into SFO, we had a rental car and it was really surprisingly quick to get close to the hotel, but then very tricky to actually get to it, winding roads that were a tad confusing for the last mile or so.... but that will not be an issue for you, since you are not driving.

I noticed today that there is a Courtyard by Marriott in Emeryville. That would be much much closer to your Berkeley Marina shuttle than downtown Oakland.

Thanks but sadly that one is more expensive than even the Doubletree. Gosh I'm so picky ...

I too like to really compare all the costs, but then sometimes if it's close - it's just nor worth the hassle, especially for a wedding where there might be a lot of beverages flowing, pre and post parties, whatnot?

From SFO - you should be able to make BART connections to get fairly close to Emeryville/Berkeley Marina - wherever.

BTW - there are some places in the greater Oakland area where you don't want to be sauntering around late at night!!!

Doesn't sound worth it, because of the extra cost and inconvenience.

Is it really worth the hassle and price??

probably not ...

Well it looks like I can BART reasonably close between both hotels, so that's good from a cost perspective.

I now live in SF. I am from Dallas. I would not recommend for anyone to stay in downtown Oakland unless business demanded it. Stay in downtown SF and enjoy your trip. BART to the wedding area. It will probably get you close.

There is no BART stop near the Doubletree, nearest is North Berkeley and that is about 2 miles away

I am glad to see the post above, b/c I certainly did not think that there had been a station anywhere near the Doubletree. As I said it was very remote. The location reminded me more of a place on Cape Cod, many winding roads off the main road as one approached the waterfront property.

Hmm I could have sworn I'd mapped it earlier and it said .4 miles. Now it's saying I can take BART to Downtown Berkeley and another bus to get close. Maybe I missed that. In any event, not looking so convenient anymore ...

Thanks for keeping me honest.

Wow I'm looking back again on google maps, and the one I mapped earlier totally lied to me and said it was a five minute walk from the BART station. I see now that's totally wrong. In any event, I think I'm going to cancel the Marriott and stick with the doubletree!

I am so glad that you discovered this before the fact and not after! Who needs bad surprises on a trip?

Are you still planning to take BART to Berkeley "super super late" Friday night? Be aware that the last BART train from the airport leaves just before midnight, so make sure you have enough time to make that.