SFO hotel help
 

Hi Flying into SFO late with a 11 p.m. arrival. Would like a good place to stay the night, clean, and not too expensive ($150 tops) cause I am just sleeping and want to get up to play in city next day on way to wine country. Will be picking up car at SFO the night of arrival. Any interesting places just north of airport or on southern end of SF or in good/safe SF neighborhood? Have been there several times only not on the outskirts and since it is basically just to sleep, cheap is good. Help me out. Thanks!

I'm not really sure what you're looking for. You're picking up your car when you arrive, but don't want to drive into the city that night, right? If that's correct, then the answer is there are loads of hotels between SFO and the city, but there are no "interesting places". Basically:

Just south of the airport, there's the strip of airport hotels (your usual suspects - Westin, Clarion, Marriott, Hyatt, Embassy Suites, Days Inn, Holiday Inn Express) -- those are in the towns of Millbrae and Burlingame.

Just north of the airport, there are a bunch of hotels in a neighborhood that is best described as office park - these are in the town of South San Francisco (which is a completely separate city from San Francisco) -- there's an Embassy Suites, Residence Inn and some others. There's also a few motels -- Holiday Inn Express, La Quinta, I think, maybe Travelodge. Once past South San Francisco on 101 (the main highway between the airport and the city), you are in the city. I can't think of any hotels in the southernmost parts of the city (especially coming in on 101 - the southernmost part of the city is not exactly the nicest part of the city).

Just west of the airport, there are a lot of motels (Ritz, Millwood, El Rancho, Comfort Suites) on the main drag - El Camino Real - in the towns of Millbrae and San Bruno.

Nothing interesting (nice enough places to live, but not places tourists want/need to visit).

Hi and thanks. Yes We can drive into the city. I am looking for a relatively inexpensive hotel either near the airport that you outlined or we can go into the city, I am just not wanting to pay over $150. Was wondering if there are any hotels in neighborhoods in the city that are not necessarily at Union Square or the Wharf. Any that have free parking? I know that is asking a lot. Thanks!

The Stanyan Park Hotel is just across from GG park, free continental breakfast and parking in the huge Kezar city run lot across the street. I have had family members stay there many times.

www.stanyanparkhotel.com

There actually are a few motels in the city that have free parking -- check out the Columbus Motor Inn, Cow Hollow Inn, Chelsea Motor Inn, Hotel del Sol.

Whether you can stay for under $150 depends on the date (and whether there's a convention in town!) I just picked a random date and the HI Express in Burlingame is $109 a night, the one in SSF is $119. For the same night (I picked Sept. 9th), the El Rancho is $98, and the Marriott at the airport is $199.

For the same random night, the Hotel del Sol is $189, the Columbus Motor Inn is $155.

Definitely recommend Columbus Motor Inn. Great location but rooms sell out quickly.

>>Hi Flying into SFO late with a 11 p.m. arrival. Would like a good place to stay the night, clean, and not too expensive ($150 tops) cause I am just sleeping and want to get up to play in city next day on way to wine country. Will be picking up car at SFO the night of arrival<<<

Pardon me????? - you won't be geting into your car till after midnight - or later.......!!!!!! If you drive into the City - you're looking at 1AM ?????

Just get to the closest airport hotel, and worry about the car the next morning.

Stu Dudley