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sunrise. In fact, there's not a hotel in town, expensive or cheap, with a better view,
and it's a treat to be able to sleep in one of the city's most historic maritime areas.
You'll also get free parking (but don't leave anything valuable inside the car) and
a free morning yoga class (how San Francisco!). However, that's the hostel's main
draw; despite its quality, it's otherwise much too far away from most sights to be
convenient, and not everyone will feel comfortable with how deserted Fort Mason
is after dark.
$
Small and friendly, with none of the grotty party atmosphere that dominates
other hostels (are you listening, Green Tortoise?),
Pacific Tradewinds
555
(680
Sacramento St., at Kearny;
%
415/433-7970; www.sanfranciscohostel.org; AE,
MC, V)
has a truly helpful staff. Metal bunks are sturdy, linens are clean, and, praise
be, so is the well-stocked kitchen. The hostel is the ideal size for friendly intimacy;
not so big that you feel like a number, but not so small that you feel scrutinized.
Beds are $26 in mixed-gender dorms. The neighborhood is slightly bland, but it's
safe and it's close to North Beach and Chinatown, where things are more eclectic.
$
The choice for those who want to stay around Union Square in a place with
some personality, the independent
Adelaide Hostel
(5 Isadora Duncan Lane, off
Taylor between Geary and Post;
%
877/359-1915 or 415/359-1915; www.
adelaidehostel.com; AE, DC, DISC, MC, V),
tucked down a quiet side alley on the
acceptable end of the Tenderloin, is attractive and cozy. There's a free continental
breakfast, free Wi-Fi (why is it that even cheap hostels give free Wi-Fi, when the
fancy hotels charge $15 a day?), and a giant homey lounge full of soft couches,
antique lamps, and a thoughtful aura. Whereas some hostels encourage long-term
dropouts to overstay their welcomes, this one never feels grotty or hopeless.
Reception is 24 hours (manned by a flaky staff ), and each night, a three-course
dinner (soup, salad, and a main course) is cooked (in the equipped kitchen that
all guests can use) for an incredible $5 a head, only for guests. Dorms (in 4-, 6-,
and 10-bed flavors) start at $23, and private rooms (single or double; they're in
the Dakota Hotel around the corner so they aren't part of the charm) go for $60.
The hostel can also hook you up with $45 shuttle-bus rides to Los Angeles. This
place books up quickly.
$
The location of the famous
Green Tortoise
555
(494 Broadway, at Kearny;
%
800/867-8647 or 415/834-1000; www.greentortoise.com; AE, MC, V),
in a
well-loved old building and famous for spawning a celebrated backpackers' tour
company, is both a blessing and a curse. Because it's in the middle of North Beach
and on the fringe of Chinatown, two fascinating neighborhoods, you'll find lots
of appealing things to eat and see. But it's not particularly near many rapid-tran-
sit lines, so you'll be walking and taking buses a lot. Also, its stretch of Broadway
is full of strip joints, but don't let that worry you—it's unsavory but safe, and in
free-spirited North Beach, titillation is permitted to exist for diversity's sake, not
because the 'hood has gone to seed. Complete with wooden bunks and mural-
slathered walls, it captures the anything-goes character of North Beach, down to
frequent parties (which should inform you of the ideal clientele). For $25 to $29
a dorm bed (depending on the season), lots comes free, including breakfast, a
cooked dinner three times a week, a sauna, and Internet. There's a fully equipped
