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scenes lend the place a crude charm. Rates normally fall $89 to $99 for a room
with two double beds, although when things are quiet, you can pull deals as low
as $69 from its website, and that includes a light continental breakfast.
Downstairs, there's an Internet cafe that doesn't see much action, possibly because
in-room coffee is free, as are in-room Web access and in-room safes. The building
is not new, but bathrooms (all private) are scrubbed clean. So why so cheap? Partly
because it's basic and partly because if you head west out its front door, the neigh-
borhood turns sketchy. East, though, to Union Square, you'll find all the cheap
transit options you could want. I like the staff here, too—they're young and help-
ful and don't get into the transactional huff that plagues many other hotel work-
ers of this price range.
$-$$
Each of the 65 rooms at
Hotel Bijou
55
(111 Mason St., at Eddy;
%
415/
771-1200; www.hotelbijou.com; AE, MC, V)
is named for a movie that was shot in
San Francisco
(After the Thin Man, 48 Hours),
and they're brightly decorated. The
playful cinematic theme carries over into an off-lobby makeshift screening room, Le
Petit Theatre Bijou, where DVDs are shown nightly to rows of antique cinema seats
(not that most guests will want to sit around watching movies). Another cute touch:
Current cinema timetables from around town are posted in the lobby, and if some-
thing's being shot on location in town, the front desk will help guests sign up as
extras. Though the building is on the older side, it's not creaky, and all room doors
are opened by modern key cards. Linens are on the worn side, and the hotel's loca-
tion on the fringe of the Tenderloin is unappealing, but on the flip side of those neg-
atives, it's very near the action of Union Square and many transportation options,
which is what tips the scales in its favor. Rooms vary in size but do tend to have large
closets, plenty of electrical outlets, and at least one soft lounging chair. A pastry
breakfast is included. In sum, the place is invitingly gimmicky and a good value—
$99 is a typical price, but $89 is possible with negotiation or during quieter peri-
ods. Earplugs are provided but hardly necessary; room numbers ending in 00
through 03 face Mason Street, which some may find noisy, while those facing the
back tend toward the dark side.
$-$$
For the price, it's surprising to receive perks such as thick robes, iPod dock-
ing stations, a little exercise room, and flat-screen TVs the way you do at the
Hotel
Mark Twain
5
(345 Taylor St., at Ellis;
%
415/673-2332; www.hotelmarktwain.
com; AE, MC, V).
And what is the rate? About $109 usually for a standard queen
room, although during downtimes it's possible to find one for $69, a fab deal—
check Hotels.com, where you can also purchase a continental breakfast option for
two for another $10. This 1928 building, solidly built but without air-condition-
ing, is eight stories tall, and the street it's on isn't very busy. The shady area of the
Tenderloin kicks in just west, but that can't undermine the thoughtful things the
management is doing to make a stay here a more refined experience.
$-$$
The acceptable
Baldwin Hotel
5
(321 Grant Ave., between Bush and
Sutter;
%
415/781-2220; www.baldwinhotel.com; MC, V)
is simple and without
an outgoing personality, but it's marvelously central and refreshingly well-run for
a cheapie. Rooms have ceiling fans but not AC (not that you need AC in
this town), closets (a rarity elsewhere), super-soft duvets, and spotless white tile
