Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DEALS & HIDDEN COSTS
San Francisco is the birthplace of the boutique hotel, offering stylish rooms for a price:
$150-plus for most midrange rooms, plus 16% hotel tax (hostels exempt) and $35 to $50
for overnight parking. For last-minute vacancies and deals, check
Lonely Planet
(
ht-
tp://hotels.lonelyplanet.com
)
and San Francisco-based accommodations specialists
HotelTonight
(
www.hoteltonight.com
)
,
Airbnb
(
www.airbnb.com
),
Bed & Breakfast SF
(
www.bbsf.com
),
Hipmunk
(
www.hipmunk.com
) and
Hotwire
(
www.hotwire.com
).
Union Square & the Tenderloin
Hotel des Arts
HOTEL
with bath $129-199, without bath $99; ; Montgomery, Montgomery)
A budget hotel for art freaks, with jaw-dropping murals by underground artists - it's like
sleeping inside a painting. Rooms with private bath require seven-night stays. Bring
earplugs.
Pacific Tradewinds Hostel
HOSTEL
mento St; dm $35; ; 1, California St, Montgomery)
San Francisco's smartest-looking all-dorm hostel has a blue-and-white nautical theme,
fully equipped kitchen, spotless glass-brick showers, no lockout time and great staff. No
elevator means hauling bags up three flights.
Hotel Carlton
DESIGN HOTEL
$175-245; ; 2, 3, 19, 38, 47, 49)
World travelers fit right into this freshly renovated hotel off the beaten track - a 10-minute
walk to Union Square. Spotless rooms have an upbeat, worldly vibe, with colorful bed-
spreads and tapestry pillows. Rooftop solar panels help keep the hotel carbon neutral;
downstairs is a top-notch Middle Eastern restaurant.
