Hotel in SFO - any recommendations?

[N_Architect]

I will be heading to the East coast of U.S. early May. Decided to make a stopover in SFO for 3 nights prior to taking UA 224 from SFO to IAD, hence looking for a hotel.

Last time I visited the Bay area I stayed at the San Mateo Marriott SFO Airport (that was years ago, before the recent renovation).

I am considering the following, depending on whether I will decide to stay downtown or somewhere between Palo Alto and the Airport:

- Westin SFO Airport;
- SFO Airport Marriott;
- Westin SFO Market Street;
- Westin St. Francis.

I would appreciate if anybody has stayed there before and can strongly recommend any of the above (or even any other not listed here) hotels.

Rgds,

[taipeiflyer]

i would definitely go westin st francis. best location, great shopping, good restaurants around.

[HUGE AL]

Take a peek at the St. Regis. Though the service is hit or miss (and many times it's a miss), their rooms rock!

[N_Architect]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll have another look but for the moment it looks like I'm in favor of Westin St. Francis.

[kevino]

The Westin at the airport does not have an executive lounge and neither does the Westin St. Francis. The Sheraton at the airport does have an executive lounge for SPG Plats.

Trivia about the Westin St. Francis is that every U.S. President since 1900 has stayed there. I'm not sure if the current President has stayed there.

If you need breakfast coupons for the St. Francis, send me an e-mail.

[taipeiflyer]

welcome to sqtalk kevino.

[N_Architect]

Thank you kevino and welcome to SQTalk.

Still not decided on where to stay, debating on whether to stay downtown or near the airport. At the moment considering Le Meridien and Mandarin Oriental as well after recommendations from a friend who is a DC resident but visits the Bay area often.

Hopefully will take pics when go there and trip report should follow upon my return from the U.S.

[HUGE AL]

Thank you kevino and welcome to SQTalk.

Ditto!

At the moment considering Le Meridien and Mandarin Oriental as well after recommendations from a friend who is a DC resident but visits the Bay area often.

Well THAT was a switch. I'm telling you, if you're going to go for those two, you'll REALLY like the St. Regis...especially if you have SPG status. The room they upgrade Plats to at LM isn't nearly as large or nice. Just thought I'd let you know...

[N_Architect]

Noted with thanks, HUGE AL!

[kevino]

Thank you for the welcomes tapipeiflyer, N Architect, and Huge Al. I appreciate it!

I walk by the St. Regis everyday on my way to work. The hotel floors are the lower floors and the residences are the upper floors. It's next to the SF Museum of Modern Art. On the other side of the Museum is a W, which is another option. Yet another SPG option is the Palace (formerly the Sheraton Palace, now part of the Luxury Collection) a block from the St. Regis. It is a historic property (like the St. Francis) that was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. A U.S. President died at the Palace; I can't remember which one though. Also now is a Westin on Third and Market Streets.

The St. Regis is the most expensive of the SPG properties in the area, even more expensive than the Le Meridian.

If you stay at the airport another option in addition to the Sheraton and the Westin is the Hyatt, which is nice and usually available at a reasonable rate. If you have status with Hyatt, they have a lounge you can access.

[N_Architect]

Now that you mentioned the Palace, the St. Regis and the Palace are the only ones (together with the Westin Palo Alto, which is not downtown of course) that have a Spa.

Staying downtown for 2-3 nights will enable me to relax a little bit before going east; just go out downtown, walk, feel the city and its energy, take some pictures.

Sometimes doing less is actually doing more (for ourselves) and I guess we all need that from time to time, right?

kevino, do you have any recommendations for places to go out for a drink in the evening, around the financial district? (now that you mentioned you walk to work there every day, I can't resist asking...)

Last but not least, it was President Warren G. Harding who died there, as you mentioned.

[HUGE AL]

Forgot to mention that the SR has a Bentley as their courtesy car. However, it cannot be reserved and is first come first served and will only take you places...not pick you up. I have gotten it twice though.

...do you have any recommendations for places to go out for a drink in the evening, around the financial district?

London Wine Bar has a nice happy hour.

The bar at LM is also good for a drink and their trio of Kobe (Wagyu) beef sliders).

Piperade for dinner...or Kokkari...or Aqua...

Depends what you're in the mood for...

[kevino]

I agree it's good not to do too much while on vacation! Less is indeed often more.

Thanks, yes it was Harding who died at the Sheraton Palace in SF. I hope he learned a lesson about not talking too much. That's how he got sick in Seattle, I think; his speech was too long.

The W has a Biss Spa which is supposed to be very nice. The bar on the mezzanine is trendy.

If you stay at the St. Francis, they don't have a bar on the the top floor. They used to have a popular nightclub there, but now there is nothing. It's available for private events. I guess there were too many problems before. Lobby drinks are nice there.

There is a bar at the Palace in the lobby that has an original Maxfield Parrish painting behind the bar that's worth several million dollars, I think. At the top of the Grand Hyatt is a bar next to the restaurant. You don't have to eat at the restaurant though the food is good there. I think it's called the Grand Views Bar and Restaurant.

At the top of the former Bank of America building at 555 California Street is a nice bar. It's across from the restaurant, the Carnelian Room. You can go there in the afternoons too, and on weekends it's empty. Drinks are not expensive at the bar and of course the view is great! The restaurant is very expensive.

If you stay at the Grand Hyatt and have status, you will have access to their lounge which is on the 32nd floor overlooking Chinatown, North Beach, Alcatraz, and Coit Tower. Looking straight down from there, you will see the spot where Sam Spade's partner was shot in the Maltese Falcon. If you don't have status but want to stay at the GH, just let me know and I can book it for you at a govt. rate under my name.

At the Financial District (Chinatown) Hilton (formerly the Chinatown Holiday Inn) across from Portsmouth Square there is now a bar in the lobby that plays live jazz sometimes.

Even if you don't go to the Museum of Modern Art between the St. Regis and the W on Third Street, you can go to their museum store which is very nice. There is also a MOMA store at SFO in the international terminal.

If you have any other questions let me know.

[KevSQ]

I will be heading to the East coast of U.S. early May. Decided to make a stopover in SFO for 3 nights prior to taking UA 224 from SFO to IAD, hence looking for a hotel.

Last time I visited the Bay area I stayed at the San Mateo Marriott SFO Airport (that was years ago, before the recent renovation).

I am considering the following, depending on whether I will decide to stay downtown or somewhere between Palo Alto and the Airport:

- Westin SFO Airport;
- SFO Airport Marriott;
- Westin SFO Market Street;
- Westin St. Francis.

I would appreciate if anybody has stayed there before and can strongly recommend any of the above (or even any other not listed here) hotels.

Rgds,

HI! I was there in December and stayed in Westin St Francis....great place, smack in the middle of city where shopping is heaven (very near Macy as well) and 10 mins walk to chinatown (if you fancy chinese food). Just get the daily tram passes to get around and also try Pier 39....great chowder soups....have a great time there!!

[N_Architect]

If you stay at the Grand Hyatt and have status, ... If you don't have status but want to stay at the GH, just let me know and I can book it for you at a govt. rate under my name.

To kevino and HUGE AL, many thanks for the info, tips and offer for assistance.
No, I do not have Hyatt status, so in case I decide to stay there I'll let you know.