# Looking for a hotel in San Francisco **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006 "2013-01-03T21:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/1 "2013-01-03T21:46:00Z")
Any good recommendations? I’m hoping to spend less than $100/night (yeah, right!) and looking for something between Union Square and the financial district. ---
**Author:** ![drew870mitchell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drew870mitchell/32/3946_2.png) [@drew870mitchell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drew870mitchell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/2 "2013-01-03T23:45:50Z")
If you’re okay with going a few blocks outside of that, I stayed at the Monarch Hotel (Polk + Geary) a few years ago for a little under $100. Nothing great or terrible to say about it but I would stay there again. It’s not “between Union Square and the financial district” so you should map out how long your walk will be and read the reviews before you commit to anything because a stranger on the Internet said something. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/3 "2013-01-04T00:11:21Z")
Ever thought about a hostel? Post Hotel & Hostel 589 Post Street, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 94109 is something I came up with using a search on San Francisco Hostels. Can’t testify for it - you might want to look for reviews. Even some rooms here are about $100 and it is in the right place. I don’t think you are going to do better in a hotel. Even the small hotels in the area are quite expensive. I suspect any traditional hotel for $100 will be a fleatrap. I’m sure some Doper will come along with more experience. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/4 "2013-01-04T02:43:18Z")
I just stayed at the Adante, on that lovely line between Union Square and the Tenderloin. The service was surly and the room shabby, but it was $80 a night. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/5 "2013-01-04T02:57:48Z")
The San Remo is nice, not quite you location, but I’ve had good experiences there. > **[Lost and Found Items | San Remo Hotel](https://www.sanremohotel.com/san-remo-hotel-location.php)** > > Use this form to notify our staff of any lost and found items that you might have left behind during your stay at San Remo Hotel. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/6 "2013-01-04T13:54:42Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I just stayed at the Adante, on that lovely line between Union Square and the Tenderloin. The service was surly and the room shabby, but it was $80 a night. That’s where I stayed last time. It was adequate and I’ll stay there again if nothing better comes up. It’ll be a bit of a walk this time though. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/7 "2013-01-04T13:56:45Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That’s where I stayed last time. It was adequate and I’ll stay there again if nothing better comes up. It’ll be a bit of a walk this time though. Don’t they have the most amazing continental breakfast? It consists of bananas, loaves of Wonder Bread, and a toaster. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/8 "2013-01-04T13:58:28Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > The San Remo is nice, not quite you location, but I’ve had good experiences there. I’m all in favor of Mason St., but that’s pretty far north! Is there a bus or cable car? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/9 "2013-01-04T13:59:28Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Don’t they have the most amazing continental breakfast? It consists of bananas, loaves of Wonder Bread, and a toaster. They had tiny bran muffins when I was there. Meh, they have coffee too. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/10 "2013-01-04T14:04:55Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Ever thought about a hostel? Nope. 🙂 I like my privacy. And I snore. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/11 "2013-01-04T14:11:13Z")
Sorry if this was said already: Just keep scanning the online sites, e.g. [kayak.com](http://kayak.com), [hotels.com](http://hotels.com) etc. Usually, you can find a pattern where the cheapest rates are available only on certain days. For example, on my last trip, I found that the cheapest airline fares were available Mondays to Wednesdays. In general though, if you are looking for cheap hotel fares, the best way to get a deal is to call them directly to figure out their usual specials and/or hope they make a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/12 "2013-01-04T14:53:00Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Just keep scanning the online sites, e.g. [kayak.com](http://kayak.com), [hotels.com](http://hotels.com) etc. Good idea. I can also look on Orbitz, since that’s where I booked my flight. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/13 "2013-01-04T14:55:11Z")
Got it. 5 blocks from Market St, indoor pool, $72/night, just blocks from 3 BART stations. Bloody brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/14 "2013-01-04T18:09:41Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Nope. 🙂 > > I like my privacy. And I snore. Plenty of single rooms in hostels - I think the one I linked to had them. Also multiple bunk rooms. Never stayed in one in the US, but did in Berlin (next door to the North Korean embassy!) and it was quite satisfactory. However it looks like you found a good one. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/15 "2013-01-04T18:21:58Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Plenty of single rooms in hostels - I think the one I linked to had them. Really? I did not know that. I slept in a bunk bed with a bunch of other people a couple of times last year. Did not like. Question about hostels: If I did find one, would I be allowed to leave my suitcase there during the day? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/16 "2013-01-05T10:26:45Z")
Found the Cow Hollow Motor Lodge perfectly acceptable to lose my virginity in for I think $79 dollars, though that is way north of where you’re looking and considering that was 15+ years ago probably way more expensive now. ---
**Author:** ![Tortuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@Tortuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tortuga)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/17 "2013-01-05T23:25:30Z")
Sounds nice, tdn, which hotel? I was going to suggest the Grant Plaza Hotel. Parking a car is a pain, but it’s otherwise a pretty good deal for its location. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/18 "2013-01-05T23:34:49Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Really? I did not know that. I slept in a bunk bed with a bunch of other people a couple of times last year. Did not like. > > Question about hostels: If I did find one, would I be allowed to leave my suitcase there during the day? Yes. If you have a private room, it is pretty much exactly the same as a hotel, except it will probably have good common areas with couches and activities (movies, games, books), a cheap in-house bar, and affordable activity booking. I always stay in hostels when I can, because I like meeting people in the evenings and I find they have better and more helpful service than low to mid range hotels. In a dorm, you’ll almost certainly have a locker to keep your things in the day, as well as the ability to store items in a locked luggage room. I wouldn’t leave valuable things laying around in plain sight as travelers can sometimes have light hands, but if your things are in a secured area, they should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-hotel-in-san-francisco/646006/19 "2013-01-06T00:56:24Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Yes. If you have a private room, it is pretty much exactly the same as a hotel, except it will probably have good common areas with couches and activities (movies, games, books), a cheap in-house bar, and affordable activity booking. I always stay in hostels when I can, because I like meeting people in the evenings and I find they have better and more helpful service than low to mid range hotels. In Berlin my wife and I stayed in a private room, while my daughter stayed in a dorm and took showers in our private bathroom. I suspect the beds won’t be of the quality you find in a hotel, no TV, and furnishings are minimal. And you might have to be more careful - in Barcelona we stayed basically on mattresses on the floor with barely any space around them. We were heading for a cruise right after, so we could stand that for a day. Hostels are often closer to where you want to be. The one in Berlin was three blocks from Checkpoint Charley, and the one in Barcelona was two blocks from Las Ramblas. Any hotel nearly as close to the center of the city would have cost a fortune.