SF is a great, unique city to visit - whether for pleasure or business - but it can be very pricey for hotel accomodations.
My advice is to seek out the Golden Gate Hotel (GGH) on Bush Street, where you will be treated well, and save money for enjoying the City by the Bay and its many delights.
One example of the GGH staff going well beyond the call of duty for me was that I needed to attend an investor conference at the Omni Hotel (which costs about 3-4X what the Golden Gate will set you back for one evening). My dilemma was that I was checking out that day, but flying back to NY that evening.
I didn't want to fly the red-eye back in my suit, so I asked if I could possibly leave my bags with them and come back later in the day to change before heading to the Airport.
They checked their bookings and it appeared that my room would be free that night. They indicated that I could just pack up my bags and leave them in my room, and if it was still available, I could go upstairs and change later in the day. This would never happen at a chain hotel, or most any hotel, for that matter.
If they did need the room, I would be permitted to change in a different room, and they would bring my bags downstairs to the office.
This was my fourth time staying at the GGH, and they have certainly earned my loyalty through kindnesses such as this. They also allowed me to use their laptop and printer to print out my boarding pass, which saved me some additional aggravation when arriving at the Airport.
A few tips re/Airport - if you have the time, save yourself the money on a cab, and take the BART train to the Airport via the Powell St. Station (this route takes a while, so make sure you have ample time to spare for your flight), which is a short walk down the hill from the GGH (if you're hungry, stop in at Sears Fine Food along the way). I believe it was $5.45 each way - just make sure you get on the right train/correct direction, as not all trains go the Airport. Also, I recommend the Sushi Bar (don't recall the name) in the Airport food court - both reasonably priced and managed by some very amiable people.
GGH has flaky croissants/jam for breakfast - not bad, but you don't want this every day, most likely. Head to Dottie's True Blue Cafe for a delicious meal (lunch served too) - an eclectic place that you can walk to from GGH.
SF has a unique topography and part of its charm is that you can do a lot of hill-walking and exploring through various neighborhoods.
If you want to save some money on restaurant food, check out the Whole Foods Market - a few blocks from Van Ness St.
One additional restaurant you will want to check out in SF is the Swan Oyster Depot. Expect deliciously fresh fish and a wait for a stool. It's a tiny, charming place, well worth waiting in line for the next time you're in town.
Have fun - SF is a great town!




Value
Rooms
Business service



