Still torn between Union and Wharf hotel!

Here is my dilema. We%26#39;ll be in SF for 8 nights in August. I have been there twice but the last time was over 15 years ago. DH has been there but not as a tourist and it will be son%26#39;s first time. Here are some of the things we will be doing:

Exploratorium, Chinatown, Golden Gate cruise, 2 Greyline day tours, Pier 39 touristy stuff, Ghirardelli, Alcatraz, Pacific Hts walk tour, MOMA, Wax Museum and a sprinkling of other walking tours and scenic/tourist spots. Now based on that and the fact that we are with our 11 yr old and we really do not plan to shop; would it be better to stay at Union or Wharf area or will it truly make a difference with either?

We booked Tuscan Inn at FW but we can also get similar rates at Sir Francis Drake if we want to. I like the ';looks'; of both places and the reviews were mostly good for both. I guess the only reason I have second thoughts is one of my friends who just did a girlfriend trip made a face when I told her about our FW stay.

Please chime in with any thoughts on both places pros and cons maybe!

Still torn between Union and Wharf hotel!

I think for a family trip and given what you want to do, the Wharf is just fine--I wouldn%26#39;t think of it for a girlfriend trip though.

Still torn between Union and Wharf hotel!

the association your friend may have made with Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf is that the restaurants and average merchants have a higher mark-up and, in my opinion, the quality doesn%26#39;t always mean ';amazing'; in both merchandise, food, atmosphere and service. The area screams of capitalism. If you want to be close to the bay on the north side of the city, other areas such as along Lombard Street, are also optimal and often more affordable services and restaurants are in convenient walking distance for the things you want to do. Plus, you can use public transit quite easily to get to where you%26#39;re going using the Transit Trip Planner: http://transit.511.org/tripplanner/index.aspx

Some other hotels on Lombard Street on the edge of Cow Hollow, in the Marina:

www.comfortinn.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelInfo鈥?/a>

http://www.lalunainn.com/rooms.htm

http://www.edwardii.com/

http://www.coventrymotorinn.com/

http://www.chelseamotorinn.com/

http://www.cowhollowmotorinn.com/

http://www.pacificheightsinn.com/door/

So FW area tends to be more expensive than Union Sq. area?

Maybe I%26#39;m being silly but I just want to make sure that the Wharf area around Tuscan Inn is not icky (dirty, smelly, warehouse-like).

Here%26#39;s another question, are both pretty easy to get from place to place as far as being a tourist?

TIA!

Not more expensive. Less value for money. The wharf is for tourists. Tacky tourist shops, fried restaurants, chains etc. August is the busiest month for S.F. , so the wharf will be very crowded. I agree that looking in Cow Hollow might be a great idea. You are walking distance to Exploritorium. Bus to the wharf and union square (these are safe, clean routes) and you can walk to the marina, chestnut street restaurants, Union street restaurants etc. It depends what you want. Also = The Sir Francis Drake is not great. It once might have been. Check out www.hotelres.com for san francisco deals. We have also booked great hotels for family on hotwire and priceline, by booking 4 plus stars in the Financial district. (between Union Square, chinatown, embarcadero) Remember S.F. is small and you can walk everywhere. I had two 10 year olds in the city yesterday. They enjoyed chinatown, yerba buena gardens, MOMA (especially the Elliasson exhibit) and walking on the bridge. Of course, it was warm and sunny being february. August will be grey and freezing.

Nonsense, August will not be ';grey and freezing';. June, maybe, and part of July.

The ';where to stay'; question always comes up.

My suggestion, in your case, would not be the Cow Hollow or Lombard motel complex, nor Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf, but somewhere on the Embarcadero. I am usually a Union Square addict, but in your case I think somewhere near the Ferry Building would be good.

Since I am not familiar with the hotels here, I now wait for my esteemed colleagues to jump in and help.

In terms of hotel, I honestly think the Tuscan Inn is a nicer place though I also haven%26#39;t seen any of the updated rooms that the Sir Francis Drake has done.

That said, I think with 8 days, you%26#39;ll have plenty of time to see it all. The only way to know for sure is to come and experience it. If you dislike the Wharf, you%26#39;ll know to choose another area next time. You%26#39;ll be fine.

Having just returned from SF (again) -- this time, staying in Japantown -- I%26#39;m convinced that the city is easy to commandeer, no matter where you stay. If you like the hotels that you%26#39;ve selected, stay 4 nights in one and 4 nights in the other. (Why not?). FW is touristy and the value isn%26#39;t there as far as the shops. If that bothers you, then stay at the other hotel for at least part of your stay or stay in FW and ';step past'; the local shopping and shop/eat elsewhere in the city.

Bottom line: it%26#39;s not a big deal.

BTW, I discovered a wonderful public transit route which I am certain the locals know about. For years, I%26#39;ve been relying on the cable car to transfer me from Union Square to FW but this time, I found myself on the ';F'; street car which not only serves Market Street and the Ferry Building but also ';goes around the edge of the city'; to go to FW. The street cars run much more often than the cable cars and are a lot more comfortable! We had city passes which included the daily transit pass and we jumped on and off the ';F'; and several other things (buses and, yes, even the Powell cable car once, for fun).

Have a great vacation.

HopSkipJump:

What a coincidence, I was just discussion doing the hotel switch over dinner with my DH and was surprised that he thought it might be a good idea. Now all I have to do it figure out which Union Sq. hotel to stay at.

I%26#39;ll have to think more about Sir Francis Drake and luckily I found out about two co-workers who have stayed there on business so I%26#39;ll have to ask them about the rooms, etc.

Thanks for your input!

I would stay with the Tuscan Inn-I stayed there a few years ago and it was very nice (the rooms were a bit on the small side though). You are right by Pier 39, the Golden Gate Cruise, Ghirardelli, Alcatraz and the Wax Museum and very easy to get to the other places you mention; you%26#39;re also within walking distance of two cable car routes. Sure the Wharf is ';touristy'; but you also have some fantastic views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge, lots of family-friendly places to eat-don%26#39;t miss the Boudin sourdough place! Your 11-year-old will love the sea lions on Pier 39! You%26#39;ll be in San Francisco long enough to see other parts of the city.

Have a great trip!