Holiday Inn San Francisco Golden Gateway, San Francisco

Advantages: Location, value for money, free parking
Disadvantages: Noise

...Having a day to kill in San Francisco (lucky me!) before catching an early morning flight, I needed a hotel, and decided to stay in town rather than near the airport. I searched on Expedia and found the Francisco Bay Inn. One of the features I was looking for was free parking, and the Francisco Bay offers it. There were cheaper options, but not when you add $10-$20 to park your car. Expedia gave me a rate of £39, prepaid, and I took it. Another advantage of the Francisco Bay is its location. This is also a disadvantage. It is on Lombard Street, near the corner of Van Ness, within easy walking distance of Fisherman's Wharf and other attractions. However, Lombard is a major, six-lane thoroughfare, part of Highway 101 as it wends its way to the Golden Gate Bridge. This means constant traffic noise, right through the night. Earplugs... Read review

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Advantages: Good value, comfortable, close to attractions, great location
Disadvantages: Basic, but not necessarily a disadvantage (see review)

...The Castle Inn is a small B&B/motel and one of the best kept accommodation secrets in San Francisco. My wife and I stayed there for our belated honeymoon for just over a week in April this year, encouraged by all the great reviews we had seen on various websites. Whilst it can't compete with the likes of the Sheratons and upper-end Holiday Inns in the luxury stakes, it has plenty of its own plus points setting it apart from the more well known hotels. The first thing you'll notice on arrival at the Castle Inn is its location - on Broadway in the Russian Hill district, it's set away from the main tourist hubs. Instead, you're right in with the locals and treated to a more natural SF, a world away from the city's most famous landmarks. Not that it's miles away from anywhere, mind - Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Amazing city, friendly people and so much to see.
Disadvantages: That I couldn't have stayed longer!

...San Francisco is a wonderful city, with everything you expect and more from such a well-known cosmopolitan city. I was extremely lucky enough to visit during the Easter holidays, and went on a tour starting in San Francisco, to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It was an amazing experience, and I am so grateful that I had the chance to visit these amazing cities. Out of the 3, I think San Francisco was my favourite, what with it being the most amazingly relaxed city, and getting the right balance between keeping it's history and original charm,and introducing a modern element, with so much to see and do. I didn't go to sleep the night I was leaving Swansea, at 2 in the morning. I was going to get the bus to Heathrow airport. We flew with British Airways direct to San Francisco, and despite the plane journey being somewhat of a nightmare... Read review

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