Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [64]
Stanyan Park Hotel ★★ The only real hotel on the east end of Golden Gate Park and the west end of funky-chic Haight Street, this small inn offers classic San Francisco–style living at a very affordable price. The Victorian structure, which has operated as a hotel under a variety of names since the turn of the 20th century and is on the National Register of Historic Places, offers good-size rooms all done in period decor. Its three stories are decorated with antique furnishings, Victorian wallpaper, and pastel quilts, curtains, and carpets. Families will appreciate the six one- and two-bedroom suites, each of which has a full kitchen and formal dining and living rooms and can sleep up to six comfortably. Tea is served each afternoon from 4 to 6pm. Continental breakfast is served in the dining room off the lobby from 6 to 10am. All rooms are nonsmoking.
750 Stanyan St. (at Waller St.), San Francisco, CA 94117. www.stanyanpark.com. 415/751-1000. Fax 415/668-5454. 36 units. $139–$225 double; $275–$350 suite. Rates include continental breakfast and afternoon and evening tea service. Rollaway $20; cribs free. AE, DISC, MC, V. Off-site parking $14. Bus: 7, 33, 43, 66, or 71. Streetcar: N. In room: TV, hair dryer, kitchen (in suites only), free Wi-Fi.
NEAR SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
My grandmother always stayed at an airport hotel the night before she flew, and grandmothers always know best.
Best For: Business travelers or anyone with an early flight.
Drawbacks: Miles from the city with few dining options and zero nightlife.
Moderate
Embassy Suites ★ If you’ve stayed at an Embassy Suites before, you know the drill. But this hotel is one of the best airport options, if only for the fact that every room is a suite. But there is more: The property has an indoor pool, whirlpool, courtyard with fountain, palm trees, and bar/restaurant. Each tastefully decorated two-room suite has comfy linens and mattresses and nice additions such as two TVs. Additionally, a complimentary breakfast of your choice is available before you’re whisked to the airport on the free shuttle—all that and the price is still right.
250 Gateway Blvd., South San Francisco, CA 94080. www.embassysuites.com. 800/362-2779 or 650/589-3400. Fax 650/876-0305. 312 units. $139–$199 double. Rates include breakfast and free evening beverages. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking $15. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; free airport shuttle; Jacuzzi; indoor pool. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, hair dryer, Wi-Fi ($9.95 per day).
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The Big Picture
Hunting for hotels in San Francisco can be a tricky business, particularly if you’re not a seasoned traveler. What you don’t know—and the reservations agent may not tell you—could very well ruin your vacation, so keep the following pointers in mind when it comes time to book a room:
• Prices listed in this chapter do not include state and city taxes, which together total 14%. Other hidden extras include parking fees, which can be up to $50 per day (also subject to 14% tax!), and hefty surcharges—up to $1 per local call—for telephone use.
• San Francisco is Convention City, so if you want a room at a particular hotel during high season (summer, for example), book well in advance.
• Be sure to have a credit card in hand when making a reservation, and know that you may be asked to pay for at least 1 night in advance. (This doesn’t happen often, though.)
• Hotels usually hold reservations until 6pm. If you don’t tell the staff you’re arriving late, you might lose your room.
• Almost every hotel in San Francisco requires a credit card imprint for “incidentals” (and to prevent walkouts). If you don’t have a credit card, be sure to make special arrangements with the management before you hang up the phone, and make a note of the name of the person with whom you