Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
72
Taking the Night Off
See the “Fast Facts” appendix at the end of this topic f or information on hiring
babysitters. When a hotel says it provides babysitting, it really means it has a list
of recommended agencies that provide bonded, screened caregivers. It's up to
you to make the arrangements, which ideally should be done in advanc e.
JW Marriott Hotel San Francisco
The JW Marriott has two key things going
for it. First off, rooms are big; deluxe rooms with two double beds hav e 400 square feet
of space—enough for a whole family
and
its luggage. S econd, when conv entions aren't
in town, you can often get them at a steep discount—down from $359 to $199. Not bad
for accommodations with the perks of a top-tier hotel, including lux e bathrooms (think
deep-soaking tubs, separate sho wers, and gleaming marble), L CD TVs, and city vie ws
from the higher rooms. Imagine this: you ask for a corner room with king-size bed, which
is more spacious and light-filled than r egular rooms with a king-siz e bed, but costs the
same. Then you interconnect to a room with two double beds. A t off-peak times, that's
a sweet setup at a luxur y hotel for $400 and change. I n fact, the r ooms with king-siz e
bed alone are so spacious (corner or not) that y ou could add a r ollaway and a crib , and
still won't trip over luggage on a nighttime trip to the bathr oom.
There's no doubt the JW Marriott is big. The walk from the elevator to your room—
with kids tired after a day of sightseeing—can be long. B ut at least the walk bor ders an
impressive, 18-story atrium. From the lobby, the hotel's uninhibited architecture is fur-
ther enhanced by bold red furniture, an elegant, modern fireplace, and a towering sculp-
ture of ladies dancing around a fountain. Guest room decor, which was newly redone in
2008, is uninspired, but that's a trivial matter when you consider the value for money if
you time your visit well (for example, when there aren't many business travelers in town).
Only in the hotel 's 800-square-foot Pacific suites is the carpeting just too much: The
dizzying circles look better suited to a hotel on the Vegas strip. Those suites, with a room
with king-size bed and a separate living r oom with a sofa (not all ar e sleeper sofas) nor-
mally go for $1,000, but can be had for half that if occupancy is low. Another option are
the one-room junior suites, where you can add two rollaways if you want.
500 Post St. (at M ason St.), San F rancisco, CA 94102.
&
800/605-6568
or 415/771-8600. F ax 415/398-
0267. www.jwmarriottunionsquare.com. 337 units, including 8 suites, all non-smoking. $299-$499 dou-
ble; from $670 suite. Kids under 12 stay free in parent's room. Rollaways at varying prices; cribs free. AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $42; o versized vehicles $48.
Amenities:
Restaurant; fitness c enter; con-
cierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning.
In room:
A/C, TV,
dataport, high-speed Internet access, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe, CD player.
4
EXPENSIVE
Galleria Park Hotel
Closer to the financial district than other hotels in the U nion
Square vicinity, this small, luxury property is quieter at night than many other downtown
hotels. Setting it apar t from its competitors ar e a unique r ooftop jogging track/gar den
that offers an out-of-the-way spot to let off some steam and an easy-access parking garage
underneath the hotel. If you have a car and need it quickly, the valet won't have to hike
a few blocks to fetch it. Beyond proximity to several convenient, casual eateries, the hotel
was slated to open its own restaurant in January 2009, which will offer “California fresh”
cuisine using local, organic, and seasonal ingr edients.
