San Francisco - Alison Bing [189]
AMSTERDAM HOSTEL
Map Hostel $
415-673-3277; www.hostelworld.com; 749 Taylor St; dm/r $30/80; 2, 3, 4; Powell St;
Busy, young and fun, the Amsterdam’s dorms have ensuite bathrooms with gleaming new fixtures – there are even hairdryers. All have either four or six beds, so there’s no over-crowding. Private rooms include TV, microwave and fridge. Great service.
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CIVIC CENTER & THE TENDERLOIN
All of the following are in safe areas, but when walking to Market St, walk east to Powell St, or west to Polk St (or Van Ness Ave), then cut south. The less-safe area extends roughly three blocks in all directions from Eddy and Jones Sts.
HOTEL VERTIGO
Map Boutique Hotel $$
415-885-6800, 800-553-1900; www.hotelvertigosf.com; 940 Sutter St; r $169-219; 2, 3, 4, 19, 27;
Scenes from Hitchcock’s Vertigo were shot here, and the refurb of the former York Hotel (the Empire Hotel, in the film) nods to the master with Spirograph-like artwork reminiscent of the opening sequence. The snappy aesthetic mixes burnt-orange, cocoa-brown and bright-white, with low-slung wingchairs beside platform beds with down duvets. It’s a 10-minute walk to anywhere noteworthy, but with extras like 32in flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and sound-proof windows, you get more bang for your buck than right at Union Square – and bragging rights to a bit of movie history.
PHOENIX HOTEL
Map Motel $$
415-776-1380, 800-248-9466; www.jdvhospitality.com; 601 Eddy St; r $119-169 incl breakfast; 5, 19, 31, 38;
The city’s rocker crash pad draws minor celebs and Dionysian revelers to a vintage-1950s motor lodge with basic rooms dolled up with tropical decor. Check out the cool shrine to actor-director Vincent Gallo, opposite room 43. The sometimes-happening Bambuddha Lounge occupies the former coffee shop. One complaint: noise. Bring earplugs. Parking is free, as is weekday admission to Kabuki Springs & Spa.
STEINHART HOTEL … APARTMENTS
Map Apartment Hotel $
415-928-3855, 800-533-1900; www.steinharthotel.com; 952 Sutter St; studio per week $455-595, 1-bedroom apt from $875; 2, 3, 4, 27;
If you’re staying for a week or longer, the Steinhart is a great address, a glorious early-20th-century building with high ceilings and swank art deco furnishings. Small studios have galley-style kitchenettes; larger studios and one-bedroom apartments have full kitchens. Rates include weekly housekeeping, free wi-fi and local calls, and use of the backyard patio and grill.
HI SAN FRANCISCO CITY CENTER
Map Hostel $
415-474-5721; www.sfhostels.com; 685 Ellis St; dm $24-29, r $82-100; 19;
A converted seven-story hotel, this better-than-average hostel sports 262 beds and 11 private rooms at the edge of the Tenderloin, with cheap eats nearby. The opera, symphony and Asian Art Museum are a quick walk away.
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CHINATOWN
SW HOTEL
Map Hotel $$
415-362-2999, 888-595-9188; www.swhotel.com; 615 Broadway; r $109-149; 45;
The legendary flophouse known as the Sam Wong underwent a late ’90s overhaul that included earthquake retrofitting and updated decor. Now it’s simple and respectable, with bland pastel decor. Parking is first-come, first-served and not always available. The hotel’s number-one selling point is location – on the Broadway axis dividing North Beach and Chinatown.
GRANT PLAZA
Map Hotel $
415-434-3883, 800-472-6899; www.grantplaza.com; 465 Grant Ave; r $69-129; California;
Many rooms overlook the blinking neon and exotic street scene of Grant Ave, which is the best reason to stay here. Rooms are generally clean (never mind the heavy air-freshener), but blandly decorated with generic furniture. If you want to be in the heart of Chinatown, this is the place.
PACIFIC TRADEWINDS HOSTEL
Map Hostel $
415-433-7970, 888-734-6783; www.san-francisco-hostel.com; 680 Sacramento St; dm $24-26; 1;
San Francisco’s smartest-looking all-dorm hostel has a blue-and-white nautical theme, fully equipped kitchen and spotless glass-brick showers. The nearest