San Fran

[Spida]

I am going to San Fran the end of May any suggestions on decent priced hotels. We stayed at the Edwardian last time on Market it was the most disgusting hotel I have ever stayed at. What an awesome city though. Will be there for a week, anyone have any great ideas for two? I was thinking of going down to Monterey and Napa what is Russian River? I will be with someone special so anything we can do together would be great any suggestions.

 

Thanks so much.

Spida

[joel304]

Often, you can secure decent rates at nice hotels here. The top hotels (Mark Hopkins, Fairmont, etc.) often offer specials, whereas, the Ritz and Four Seasons rarely do. Try an expedia.com search and feel free to ask me any questions on hotels that interest you. A couple gay alternatives are:

 

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sanfrancisco/H33247.html

 

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sanfrancisco/H33249.html

 

The Russian River is a region in Napa. Wine country is a great way to spend the day.

 

Feel free to contact me with any questions. Also, I'd be willing to meet you guys for drinks if you're up for it (provided that you're not insane) when you're here. I'm not as awful to be around as my posts might lead you to believe

 

P.S. How old are you guys and what do you like to do? This would help me offer further recommendations.

[seaboy4hire]

Check out the Kimpton Group of hotels. They own the Hotel Monaco and a few others in SF. I have stayed at the Monaco and the Palomar and both hotels were great. Good sized rooms and staff that was always happy to help out. When I travel if they have a hotel in the area I try to stay there since I have never had any complaints in either SF or Chicago.

 

Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa [email protected]

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com

[+ deej]

http://www.renesonhotels.com/ operates a group of Best Westerns that are decent. Not great, but decent and clean. Free parking, which is a big plus in SF. (And they're around the corner from Raging Stallion Studios, so some of the talent may be staying there as well. ;-))

 

If you make it to the Russian River area, you MUST make the drive out to Goat Rock Beach. There's a spot after turning off the highway where accidents happen often because you make a blind turn and are suddenly assaulted with one of the most spectacular coastline views in CA. People stop in awe, and get rear-ended.

 

Actually, the drive on Hwy 1 from that area south to Tamales Bay is a pretty spectacular way to spend an afternoon on your way back to SF.

[LustinGuy]

Hey Spida- hope you're doing well.

 

I have had really good luck with Priceline in SF.

The Marriott, Grand Hyatt and Westin St Francis all come up frequetly and are all really nice.

[Luv2play]

Years ago I spent a whole day at Russian River with a friend when I was visiting SF. We rented a canoe and paddled down the river. I remember it was very shallow and one had to navigate the sandbars and one could get out of the canoe in about 3 feet of water and walk on the river bed easily (no danger of drowning!). There were all sorts of spots along the route where there were little sandy beaches surrounded by tall grass and scrub bushes. There were naked guys everywhere lying on these little open areas, usually singles or pairs, and quite a bit of action! We had a great time meeting people (it didn't hurt that my friend was gorgeous) and fooling around. My question is: does that sort of thing still happen or have they built condos along the whole river? :o

[+ Charlie]

My partner has stayed a few times recently at the Mosser on 4th St in SoMa, and liked it for its convenience to downtown at a very cheap rate (well under $100/night).

[joel304]

>My question is: does that sort of thing still happen or have they built condos along the whole river?<

 

I have no idea. Why can't a relaxing trip to Napa be just that? Everything turns into a porn here ... LOL

 

I fear that an "Easter Service Recommendations" thread would produce the "You can get a HJ in the last pew at St. ....."

 

Drink the wine in Napa. You'll have all the gay you can handle in the city. Trust me.

[joel304]

Personally, I'd avoid SOMA, Market entirely, and Union Square. I might look at the Financial District (Omni, Hyatt, Oriental) instead. The homeless situation drives me mad in the other locations. Staying on California Street allows you access to the cable car line and the underground.

[trilingual]

Unfortunately, the financial district hotels aren't exactly "reasonable."

 

A decent, perfectly acceptable hotel is the Renoir, at 7th & Market (http://www.renoirhotel.com) which is very conveniently located. The hotel is across the street from one of the entrances to the Civic Center Muni/BART station, two longish blocks to Powell Street (the cable car terminus and gateway to the Union Square shopping district), walking distance to the South of Market night life scene, a short ride on the Market Street streetcar line – or three Muni metro stations away – from Castro Street, etc. The hotel is VERY gay-friendly, and does a land-office business for the Gay Pride Parade, because it's one of the few affordable hotels that faces the parade route on Market Street. It's also just 4 blocks or so from the Opera House/Symphony Hall, and even closer to the new Asian Art Museum and the Orpheum and Golden Gate theaters, so if you're a culture vulture there's a lot to see and do nearby.

 

The hotel restaurant is the very gay-friendly Café do Brasil, which has American-style breakfasts and Brazilian food at lunch and dinner.

 

The Renoir isn't a luxe establishment, but it's clean and comfortable. It's very popular with European and other travelers who want someplace decent, convenient and affordable. According to yesterday paper in Rio, the hotel has just been bought by the Brazilian Othon chain. It'll probably try to attract Brazilian visitors, among others, and in these days of the expensive dollar, it'll have to keep its rates affordable to get their business. Check it out.

[+ Axiom2001]

Great suggestions and recommendations from my fellow cyberbuddies. In addition to those that have already been mentioned, do an hotwire.com search. I've stayed at great hotels in the Union Square area for under $100. But if you have an auto, plan to spend from $25 to almost $40 per night to park.

 

Also, check the archives as your question has been addressed previously. Type in hotels, San Francisco; use this particular forum to seek your information.

 

And lastly, if you want to enjoy the glorious scenery and drive and ambiance, I'd do Monterey, Carmel, and onward down Coast Highway 1 to Big Sur. Have lunch or dinner at Nepenthe's and consume the gorgeous views if it's a clear day. The late Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor put this venue on the map when they did a shooting there in their film "The Sandpiper."

 

I would not rule out going to the Rusian River area either. All three places-- San Francisco, Monterey and its environs, and The Russian River areas make for a fantastic vacation/holiday.

[+ deej]

>My question is: does that sort of thing still happen or have they

>built condos along the whole river?

 

Most of the riverfront is "protected" land so there isn't a lot of development right on the water. (And there isn't a LOT of development anywhere in the area.)

[joel304]

Tri,

 

I guess you're right. I did a search for a week in May on Expedia.com and hotels.com. Nothing great came up. Is this a busy month? The Monarch (mentioned previously) came up for $70, but I know nothing about this hotel. I just hate the Market, Union Square area because of the homeless. I've heard several visitors complaining about these areas as well. It's too bad.

[mattgunther]

I visited San Francisco a month ago and did an extensive search for hotels at the time. I stayed in the Union Square area at the Pan Pacific for $129/night and liked it. There were a few homeless people but it was close to everything and nice enough for me. The Argonaut http://www.argonauthotel.com is near Fisherman's Wharf. It is also about $120/night and worth checking out. I also looked at bed and breakfasts. There are a 2 near the castro that are supposed to be good: the Parker House http://www.parkerguesthouse.com and the Inn on Castro. The Inn on Castro http://www.innoncastro.com has aparatments for about $100/night.

 

If you want something less expensive there is a travel lodge at 790 Ellis Street (at Polk) that I've stayed and found perfectly adequate. There is also Beck's Motor Lodge which is in the Castro and the San Remo near Fisherman's Wharf.

 

For really low prices you can't beat the San Francisco International Youth Hostel. A perfect location on the bay and $30 a night but you will have to share a room.

 

As for suggestions on what to do: Walk across the golden gate bridge-- the view is spectular, go to City Hall and Alcatraz, explore Golden Gate park-- in particular the Arboretum, if you enjoy food have the american cavier sampler with Champange at Tsar Nicolai in the Ferry Building (suprisely inexpensive), if you have money to throw around and enjoy food try Gary Danko-- likely the best restaurant in SF. Many people also rave about Muir woods (giant redwoods).

[Epigonos]

There are homeless wandering around in the Union Square area but it is still a great location. It is near the theatre district and great shopping. Consider trying priceline.com for Union Square West. I like the boutique hotels in this area. They include hotels like the Prescot, the Diva, and the Ian Schrager. Rooms are small but most rooms in San Francisco are small. Start bidding at $100 a night and if that doesn't fly add another area that doesn't have boutique hotels and up your bid to $125. Good luck and while there I would highly recommend Steven Kesslar or Ricardo if you are looking for company.

[BigK]

There have been recent winning bids on Priceline for Union Square East and West for 3-4* hotels of between $65-80 per night.

[Moose1961]

I noticed that you mentioned the apartments at Inn on Castro.

 

Have you stayed at those or do you have personal experience? I'm staying there in 2 weeks and was wondering if I can get a heads up

[joel304]

7th and Market is a lousy area at night ... and often during the day ... you can do better! I had to wire money to my wacko brother at 11:00 last Friday at 8th and Market, and it was scary to say the least!

[Guest ChgoBoy]

>7th and Market is a lousy area at night ... and often during

>the day ... you can do better! I had to wire money to my

>wacko brother at 11:00 last Friday at 8th and Market, and it

>was scary to say the least!

 

 

Joel, sorry to hear you have a wacko brother. Is he a twin....Oh my! lol. Just an FYI, if you need to use western union again, you can do it online and avoid Market Street all together. I've included a link for your viewing pleasure....

 

http://www.westernunion.com/index_consumer.asp?country=US

[joel304]

Thanks chief! That was the only onoe open at the hour. He's younger, cuter, and far less mature. He does,however, beat up people that call me names. And conveniently, he's in law school in Chicago. Being that he always needs money, I can sure think of an arrangement to be had!

[Guest ChgoBoy]

>Thanks chief! That was the only onoe open at the hour. He's

>younger, cuter, and far less mature. He does,however, beat up

>people that call me names. And conveniently, he's in law

>school in Chicago. Being that he always needs money, I can

>sure think of an arrangement to be had!

 

If He's REAL cute, maybe I could take him off your hands....

[nate_sf]

I concur with BigK about Union Square East on Priceline. I personally like this part of the city -- it's near the waterfront, including the new Ferry Building public market/food mall. The last time I had a spat with my boyfriend I checked myself into the Hyatt Regency through Priceline and got one of the nicest rooms I'd ever stayed in, for about $60, complete with a private balcony and spectacular view. After we kissed and made up, I didn't have the heart to tell him how much I'd enjoyed my stay!

 

Also, I don't know if you are into art, but there's a great exhibit at SFMOMA by a local artist named Robert Bechtle that I'd recommend checking out. Here's the link to the info page:

 

http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/exhib_detail.asp?id=180

 

Russian River is fun and worth checking out, and as others have mentioned is near the wine country. I particularly like Healdsburg, up the road from Santa Rosa... not as gay, though there is a new restaurant called "Bardiva" that is definitely Family.

 

Big Sur is also great... if you're pressed for time, I'd rush through Carmel and Monterey and head right down the coast to Big Sur. The coastline is spectacular, and there's a nice beach there too. Years ago I stayed at lodging inside the state park there... it was very basic, but reasonable compared to some of the high-end places there.

 

Have fun and let us know what you end up doing!

[PacNW]

Here's a tougher one. I may soon have to spend 4-5 weeks in SF (oh, twist my arm), taking some courses, at my expense. It'll be around the Union Square area. I know there are a lot of residence hotels there, but are they all just flophouses or is there something reputable? Should I look farther afield for something with a decent BART connection?

[Alan Hunter]

I have stayed in many Hotels in SF over the past 7 years. It amazed me that it took me all that time to find out about The Parker Guest House. http://www.parkerguesthouse.com This place is incredible. Gay owned and gay wonderful - it has everything you could want for. A 10 min walk from Castro, 3 min walk from Market St trams it is THE find on SF. I chose a Jr King Suite (US$199 per night) but I was sharing with my partner (http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/omarsydney.html) We were travelling with a mate who picked the Standard Queen with Private Hall Bath (US$139) and we were all delighted with the Hotel. Complimentary breakfast each morning in the sun filled kitchen was a great way to start the day. The fire in the evenings in the lounge was a welcome home each evening. The hotel is the former residence of the headmaster of the nearby school - it is a turn of the century home and has been lovingly restored. The rooms are bright airy and incredibly comfortable. The common areas, lounge, kitchen and garden (and a steamroom in the basement) are all exceptionally clean and cared for. The hosts (owners) were more than happy to refer us to local restaurants where we were able to "drop their names". Car parking is available -a must as we discovered after 2 tickets in 24 hours !! For escorts - we had no problems working from our rooms - although we were very discreet meeting guests up the road and discreetly escorting them to and from the hotel. Even though I am no longer working - just lurk here on Hooboy's site from time to time - I would not even think of staying anywhere else in SF. One downside - this place is often booked out so you must reserve way in advance. The larger suites usually go way ahead. But I suspect that that is probably the best endorsement a hotel can ask for. Damn - writing this has made my feet itchy! I think I will be emailing my travel agent next !!

 

Cheers ALAN HUNTER SYDNEY }(

[BobbyB]

As a former San Franciscan, I concur with most of the advise offered. However, before going to priceline.com, visit "www.biddingfortravel.com" first. It is a treasure trove of useful advise as how to successfully navigate the priceline.com experience. This was a Hooboy favorite and he was a master at it. (Read the FAQs)

 

Also, Russian River is a great wine region that turns out some very nice Chardonnays, and (for my money) is kicking a lot of people's butt in the Pinot Noir department, too. Russian River is not, however, in Napa County. It is in Sonoma. Granted, Napa is the more famous of the two and it is hands down gorgeous, but it is pricey and depending on where you go is sometimes snooty. Sonoma, on the other hand, is a lot more like the Napa experience of yesteryear. Much more warm and friendly...and turning out some very good wines. Be sure to check out Trentadeu - excellent stuff!

 

Bottom line is you'll probably have a great time no matter where you stay or where you go because all the places mentioned (Carmel, Big Sur, etc) are California at its best. Besides the good wines plan on experiencing world-class breads and awesome cheeses. I'm getting a boner just thinking about them.

 

Well, I think that's why...

 

- BobbyB ':9