411 on San Francisco

[Guest ManToManEscorts]

I try to get up to SF at least 3-4 times a year. A cab driver suggested a great place a few years ago, and I stay there every time I go.

 

It's called The Grant Plaza, corner of Grant and Pine, on the edge of ChinaTown (1 block from Triton Hotel). Easy walk to Union Square, shopping etc. The rooms are spartan but immaculate, and run approx $60 for a single. (twin bed, TV, and decent-sized bathroom).

 

It's a very well-run establishment, and I highly recommend it for guys on a budget. Not sure of Parking arrangements, as I never have a car there.

 

Check it out!

 

 

Dave

http://www.ManToManEscorts.com

[guyinsf]

RE: San Francisco

 

I hope your decision to insult someone because he happens to like a different drink than you was a joke.

 

I personally hate gin...always have a vodka martini. And while I usually go for the standard vodka and a slight splash of vermouth martini, I have enjoyed some of Martuni's other offerings (particularly the sour apple martini). But I seldom drink anymore anyway, and usually what I have is red wine (with a nice dinner) or a single malt scotch neat.

 

Next thing you know we'll all have to like the same escorts.

[Guest]

For hotels in San Francisco, I cannot recommend more strongly that you get your hotel through http://www.hotwire.com, or through a bidding site like priceline. I promise you that this about the only way you will get a nice hotel room at a decent price. The hotwire service is especially nice because you know before you buy exactly what the price of the room will be, what neighborhood it's in, and what amenities it has. You risk nothing by at least checking out what deals you can get there.

One strategy is to get a fixed price at hotwire, then bid on priceline below that price, if you're really into saving money. But be aware that if you don't accept hotwire's offer in an hour, you can ask for prices again for three days (or maybe less). I have always been really thrilled by the hotels I got on hotwire.

The only thing you need to be careful of is that parking prices are not disclosed. If you select your hotel in an area with difficult parking, such as Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf, don't be surprised by $30/night (although there are always other parking lots if they really try to stick you with outrageous parking fees).

[Guest Thunderbuns]

RE: San Francisco

 

>I hope your decision to insult someone because he happens to

>like a different drink than you was a joke.

 

Insult? How can you possibly take what I said as a insult? Or were you just having a Prosac moment? ;-) ;-) Joke, honey!

 

Thunderbuns

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

I am a Xanax man, myself

 

I agree on the Vodka Martini's.

 

I meant the Travelodge on Valencia. My favorite place to eat on the Planet is nearby Carta, unless they have now closed. You can walk up the street -- slight hill -- to the redesigned Safeway for coffee at Starbucks and smoothies at Jamba Juice. There is a an excellent, inexpensive place for Mexican Food on Church and tons of places to walk around there, including several neighborhood bars and Thai and Indian food places on Height and Filmore, just a few hundred feet away.

 

Weekly bus passes are available at City Hall. While I have no desire to live there, even though my future new husband left me to go to San Francisco, it remains one of my favorite cities. Check out ACCESS SF books, which you should be able to find in any decent sized Barnes & Noble type bookstore in the travel section. There are any number of suggestions for inexpensive accomodations in it as well as food, entertainment, etc.

[SmallTownJohn]

Hey there,

 

My SF info providers...can someone tell me in what part of the city is the Curran Theatre?

 

 

 

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[Guest]

Not to get tautological, but it's in the Theater District, which is by one of SF's most dangerous neighborhoods, the Tenderloin. Union Square would be on the safer side. Just don't have a car, or you'll be very sorry if you have a hotel in Union Square.

[SmallTownJohn]

No problem, I was just interested in a play that might be performed there this summer & thought I'd ask:0)

 

 

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

[sdg]

so this interest in SF hotels. does that means you are considering a visit to california in the near future and if so will it be a working visit?

 

sdg

[+ Axiom2001]

Although I responded to this thread, I am baffled by the inordinate number of responses to this "hit"! Yes, SF is my favorite city, too, but there are oh so many helpful guides that one could have gone to.

 

I booked a hotel room on Hotwire.com in SF for two nights for this Friday and Saturday; I got the ParkHyatt for a mere 178.00 for two nights--including tax. Use the web. It's been great to me; during 2002 I have probably stayed ten times in the City- by- the- Bay at good rates as alluded to in previous responses to this thread!

 

Enjoy!

[swallows22]

Some help please. I am coming to the Northern Hemisphere later this year. I have gone to the Hotwire website and queried hotels. However, they will not tell you the name of the hotel until you book. Should I be suspect? Sounds like there are great deals, but why won't they tell you the name of the hotel until you book?

Also, how do you find out about Vancouver?

Thanks very much. Cheers!

[Guest Thunderbuns]

>Also, how do you find out about Vancouver?

>Thanks very much. Cheers!

 

What exactly do you want to know?

 

Thunderbuns

[Traveller]

I walked up Geary about 5 or 6 blocks away from the pretty square with the palm trees. And it wasn't exactly bumps, although close. Luckily we had a coke can to smoke it; and the bride never found out.

 

Later.

[Guest]

>Some help please. I am coming to the Northern Hemisphere

>later this year. I have gone to the Hotwire website and

>queried hotels. However, they will not tell you the name of

>the hotel until you book. Should I be suspect? Sounds like

>there are great deals, but why won't they tell you the name

>of the hotel until you book?

>Also, how do you find out about Vancouver?

>Thanks very much. Cheers!

 

Well, the hotel prices are very deeply discounted. In San Francisco, you'll typically pay 25-30% of the "rack rate" and 50-60% of a typically available "discount rate" such as you might find on http://www.hoteldiscounts.com. Hotwire works wonderfully for certain cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and Fort Lauderdale. It's lousy for some cities (such as Las Vegas), and so-so for others (such as Orlando). It can be hit or miss. I got a room at the Anchorage Hilton in late June for $49, at a time when their website was offering rooms for $299. I think the Hilton got a wind of their mistake, and a few days later hotwire was no longer offering that deal (I was able to keep my deal, of course).

Hotwire cannot let you know which hotel you'll be getting because otherwise the hotel couldn't sell its rooms any other way. The description of the amenities, the number of stars, and the neighborhood are accurate, though, so you probably won't be disappointed. Whenever I've made a reservation through Hotwire, I've been thrilled by the results. Of course, you won't get credit on the hotel's VIP program (i.e. Hilton HHonors), nor will you get miles. Given the savings, however, the trade-off seems more than worthwhile.

Hotwire also offers discounted air fares. For me, their conditions require too much flexibility (the only thing you can insist on is avoidance of red-eyes, i.e. flights which land after midnight). Besides, the benefits I get from loyalty to one airline are too substantial to dismiss (i.e. usually flying first-class, short check-in lines, special security lines, and so forth).

In the case of hotels, though, the benefits of the frequent traveler programs are fairly inconsequential to me, especially since you get the "free hotel nights" very quickly with the savings you get from hotwire. I contacted customer service at hotwire a few months ago asking them when they were going to expand outside the USA, and they said they were concentrating on this country for now. So I made my Vancouver reservation the old-fashioned way. I found a great deal at the Park Hill Hotel, which seems to be in the thick of the gay area. It was only CDN$102/night for one of their better rooms!! I don't know if the deal's still available.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Curran / Tenderloin

 

>No problem, I was just interested in a play that might be

>performed there this summer & thought I'd ask:0)

 

The Curran is a well-run establishment and they often have security, as do most of the other major theaters, outside before, during and after performances. It should be perfectly safe to attend a play there or at any other establishment. In Union Square, there used to be a service -- something STBS or something like that, the visitors center at Powell Street Muni Metro/Bart can clarify or advise -- that used to sell discounted tickets to numerous events when the theater did not sell out. You should try that before you engage a ticket broker or pay full price.

 

The eastern edge of the Tenderloin is the western end of Union Square. South of Union Square is 6th Street, which is/was San Francisco's equivilent of skid row. I would imagine you will not carry a great deal of cash around, always be alert in your environment and aware of who and what is around you. I found SF to be no more dangerous than Chicago, Atlanta or Manhattan.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[+ Axiom2001]

RE: Curran / Tenderloin

 

This response relates to the original: Try http://www.hotels.com. I went there today for the first time and found a really fine bargain for next Friday. There's a vast range of prices and locations.

 

I hope all of our responses have sufficed. Stay well in the City.

[+ Lucky]

PRICELINE!

I stayed at the Westin St. Francis in December for $59 a night. Last week (4-11/13) I stayed at the Park Hyatt for $59 a night. I got the same $179 rooms everyoneelse did.