What defines the real feel of San Francisco, wharf area, or Union Square? Would staying at Chancellor Hotel be preferred by most San Franciscans as opposed to wharf hotels/motels? Would waking up and taking an early morning walk to the pier be better than to the hustle and bustle of Union Square?

I'm having a problem with this decision. Please help.

well I am no expert but having stayed in both areas I would have to say I preferred staying in Union Square area

have stayed at the Chancellor - but dont remember what time of year - no air conditioning was not a problem though

I would say neither -- one of which is very touristy and the other is in the heart of the shopping district.

Personally, I would opt for something smaller in Pacific Heights (or North Beach).

I think that the benefit of Union Square is that it is right in the hub of public transportation, so you can get just about anywhere in the city pretty easily. It isn't very atmospheric though.

Stay in Union Square where all of the transportation options are easy to get to. Wake up there and take a walk down to the Embarcadero. It is about 12 (flat) blocks. You will be going through the Financial District and walking on Market Street. It doesn't get much more "real" than that. Check out the markets and shops in the refurbished Ferry Building and walk along the docks.

The Chancellor is a good reasonably priced hotel in a great location and the staff is friendly and helpful.

If you want to get the "feel" of San Francisco, take a city tour first off with one of the companies which use trolleys or other small vehicles. You will see the obvious tourist destinations and well as the neighborhoods and you drive through them. Then you will have an overview of the city and know what you would like to explore in more depth.

There are several parts of SF so different from each other, it's difficult to determine "the feel". Haight-Ashbury? Chinatown? Noe Valley?

I think of the Wharf as more for families with children, Union Square is for serious shoppers or theater goers.

Dear Princess:

Check this out:

www.sfcityguides.org

I have done 4 of their walking tours. Very fun, interesting & free.

MY

Fisherman's Wharf is where the out of town tourists stay. This is the hokiest part of San Franicsco. The only reason to stay there is if you want to be close to the boat trips to Alcatraz or Bay cruises.

The downtown area stretching from the Hilton down to the Hyatt Regency on the Embarcadero (including Union Square and Market Street) is home to a host of great hotels, shops, restaurants, theatres, and both the Financial and Chinatown districts.

Within walking distance are also the SFMOMA, The Metreon, AT&T Park, and the Moscone Center. I know of no other city in the country that offers a greater concentration of attractions in such a small area.

However, even this area is not considered the hotel zone. I would think that distinction belongs to Nob Hill which has the highest concentration of great hotels in the West.