Using Priceline in San Francisco ; question for easytraveler
 

Easytraveler:In the post below you mentioned to bid Union Square East on Priceline, not USW. My college-age daughter and I will be visiting in March. Is USE safer or more convenient than USW? Thanks for all advice

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34654175

Must be the safety. Convenience at daytime is the same.

Hello, EasyTraveler :)

Alohaa s4,
We are big users of P'line in SF and always use USE due to location. Most of the hotels we get are quick in/out for us off the Bay Bridge.

USW is a bit harder to get in/out.
Safety is a bit of concern in USW, too as it's nearer the Tenderloin.

Maybe you can hire Faina2 for protection? :S-

I forgot to mention we will not have a car. Are hotels in this area convenient to walking and public transportation? We hope to do a lot of shopping.
Thanks again.

SF is a nice walking city if you are in shape.

Either zone has easy access to public transportation like cable cars, busses and I've seldom had a problem getting a taxi.

USE includes UnSquare, a hub of pretty much everything...USW is more "Theater District" and borderline T'loin.

We've also used FishWharf area.

If you do stay in the UnSq area and like to walk, a nice walk is down Market to the Ferry Building, down Embarcadero to Fish/Wharf then either walk up Columbus thru NoBeach up Grant to Chinatown or to Kearny or Montgomery for great TransAm Pyramid view and back towards UnSq....or hop a cable car at the FishWharf area Hyde St Cable Car turn around (after an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista for fortification!).

A "good" way to see SF. :-X

susan4: My apologies for responding to you so late!

I've been away from this board for several months - holidays, travel, illness, and DSL-challenged! The worst was trying to hook up to DSL!

You've gotten some great responses, hope you bid and got what you wanted!

I went into Priceline and checked current availability and, on USE (Union Dquare East), what is coming up is the Westin St Francis and the Hyatt at the Embarcadero (about $85), and the Villa Florence for $70. These are great deals, especially the Westin St Francis, which is right on Union Square.

As the others have said, USW (the Union Square West zone on Priceline) "borders" and even "enters" the Tenderloin - a not very safe area at night, even though the Theater District is in the Tenderloin and there are many neighborhood hotels dedicated to that district. It's better to stay away from bidding USW if you're not going to SF for the theater.

My apologies again and I hope you bid and got a fine SF hotel! Welcome to THE CITY! :)

Hi all and thanks for advice. We did bid priceline USE and got the Westin St. Francis for $86. I know the location is great but we are hoping to get 2 beds or at least a queen without paying $35 a night upgrade. From what I have read and from what the front desk told me, Priceline guests get standard 1 double bed rooms which are too small for a rollaway. I will call again day-of-arrival and hope to get a nice desk clerk and lots of availability on arrival at 10pm.