Confusingly expensive hotels in San Francisco
May 15, 2015 5:48 AM Subscribe
So after a lifetime of wanting to visit the US, I've been invited to a conference in Pasadena in September, and so am tagging on a week of holiday at the end. I really want to go to San Francisco and explore the surrounding area, however looking at hotels, ones that are in guides or previous AskMeFi posts as being around $100-150 per night are coming up as $300-400 per night, so 4-5 nights of stay is around $1000.
Cheaper hotels are also several times what I would expect them to be. They all seem to have plenty of availability, and looking at listings I can't seem to work out what's causing this huge variation in price.
I'm looking at between 12th-16th September. My conference is 9th-11th and I'm due back at work in London on the 21st. I haven't booked my flights yet. I was hoping to not have to stay in hostels this holiday. AirBnB is a bit more fairly priced, but still a lot more than I was expecting it to be nearly 6 months out.
What am I missing? Will prices drop nearer to the time (I would be very surprised if so)? If San Francisco isn't going to be affordable during these dates, where else in California would be better, bearing in mind I don't have a driving licence?
Cheaper hotels are also several times what I would expect them to be. They all seem to have plenty of availability, and looking at listings I can't seem to work out what's causing this huge variation in price.
I'm looking at between 12th-16th September. My conference is 9th-11th and I'm due back at work in London on the 21st. I haven't booked my flights yet. I was hoping to not have to stay in hostels this holiday. AirBnB is a bit more fairly priced, but still a lot more than I was expecting it to be nearly 6 months out.
What am I missing? Will prices drop nearer to the time (I would be very surprised if so)? If San Francisco isn't going to be affordable during these dates, where else in California would be better, bearing in mind I don't have a driving licence?
Also, $100-$150 per night sounds like what I paid for a nice but tiny room in the city about 15 years ago.
posted by jon1270 at 6:05 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jon1270 at 6:05 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Dreamforce, one of the biggest conventions San Francisco hosts, starts on September 15th. Hotels within walking distance of the convention center will already be booked up for the last few dates of your trip, but not necessarily the earlier days. Regardless, hotels with availability will certainly be jacking up the price from the 14th through the 18th, so you'll want to avoid those dates. Perhaps you can stay in the Bay Area outside of San Francisco?
Otherwise, it may be worthwhile to check Priceline Express Deals, which is usually a decent way of finding the one hotel which has a decent rate even when everyone else is booked.
posted by eschatfische at 6:09 AM on May 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Otherwise, it may be worthwhile to check Priceline Express Deals, which is usually a decent way of finding the one hotel which has a decent rate even when everyone else is booked.
posted by eschatfische at 6:09 AM on May 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Your dates overlap with Dreamforce, the big SF-based Salesforce conference. 135,000 people were registered for the 2014 event, and it has a habit of booking out all of the accommodation in SF months in advance and pushing the price up. That alone might explain the price.
posted by terretu at 6:09 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by terretu at 6:09 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
You might try staying outside of SF close to BART and taking BART into the city.
posted by elmay at 6:20 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by elmay at 6:20 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If you don't drive, and you want to take your vacation week outside the LA area, you should be planning on flying wherever you go, and wherever you go should be transit-friendly. (Inter-city train - Amtrak - on the West Coast is ... unpredictable, to put it kindly. Inter-city buses are better, but the neighborhoods for them tend to be fairly sketchy, and most places you'd take them are going to eat up the bulk of a day.)
Can you switch it so that you take your vacation week *before* your conference? That alone would probably drop the prices $50/night in the city, and more if you're willing to stay out of the downtown SF area and BART/Muni/ferry in as needed. (Though keep in mind, Uber is dependable but is going to add up fast, especially if you have to cross the bay; that alone may eat through whatever you save on hotels. BART is not precisely cheap, but it's less expensive than Uber.)
If not SF/the Bay Area, I would try to do Yosemite. You can get there by bus, and once you're there, you can take trams and ride bikes to get around the valley. Obviously a very different experience, but some of the most gorgeous scenery I've ever camped in (and there are various levels of camping and hotels depending on what you're up for, though the Ahwahnee is going to cost you as much as a hotel room in SoMa if not more).
On the other end of the spectrum, just over the Nevada border is Las Vegas ...
posted by Pandora Kouti at 6:29 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Can you switch it so that you take your vacation week *before* your conference? That alone would probably drop the prices $50/night in the city, and more if you're willing to stay out of the downtown SF area and BART/Muni/ferry in as needed. (Though keep in mind, Uber is dependable but is going to add up fast, especially if you have to cross the bay; that alone may eat through whatever you save on hotels. BART is not precisely cheap, but it's less expensive than Uber.)
If not SF/the Bay Area, I would try to do Yosemite. You can get there by bus, and once you're there, you can take trams and ride bikes to get around the valley. Obviously a very different experience, but some of the most gorgeous scenery I've ever camped in (and there are various levels of camping and hotels depending on what you're up for, though the Ahwahnee is going to cost you as much as a hotel room in SoMa if not more).
On the other end of the spectrum, just over the Nevada border is Las Vegas ...
posted by Pandora Kouti at 6:29 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also, $100-$150 per night sounds like what I paid for a nice but tiny room in the city about 15 years ago.
If that, yeah. SF prices are comparable to New York, and you would stay in a terrible, terrible place for that price in NYC.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:49 AM on May 15, 2015
If that, yeah. SF prices are comparable to New York, and you would stay in a terrible, terrible place for that price in NYC.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:49 AM on May 15, 2015
Best answer: Did you check Airbnb? Looks like this place is available, for example. Might be a few other options. Or you could stay in Airbnb in Berkeley and take BART over to explore.
posted by three_red_balloons at 6:52 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by three_red_balloons at 6:52 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
I stayed in a hostel in SF and got a weekly rate; you might look into that.
I'm sorry not to have anything more specific; my stay was a couple decades ago. You don't necessarily have to be a "youth" to stay in a hostel - I was in my 30s then.
posted by jaruwaan at 7:00 AM on May 15, 2015
I'm sorry not to have anything more specific; my stay was a couple decades ago. You don't necessarily have to be a "youth" to stay in a hostel - I was in my 30s then.
posted by jaruwaan at 7:00 AM on May 15, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I think the convention is the complicating factor, though I now know a few other places to look so will keep them in mind. Definitely going to look into Yosemite and maybe add a couple of extra days in LA to spread everything around, and also finally get that drivers licence so my next US trip can be a bit more adventurous.
posted by litereally at 7:05 AM on May 15, 2015
posted by litereally at 7:05 AM on May 15, 2015
The motor inns are reasonable places to stay and still have pretty decent prices, I think. We stayed at Cow Hollow Motor Inn (and so did most of our family/friend) when we got married in the Presidio a decade ago. There's also Coventry Motor Inn and one or two others. Read reviews, of course, but we were happy with the accommodations, price, and location.
posted by JenMarie at 8:57 AM on May 15, 2015
posted by JenMarie at 8:57 AM on May 15, 2015
If you want a big city, try Chicago or NYC. They can be en route back to England. Definitely absolutely not L.A., especially if you don't drive a car. If a nice city of any size will do, Sacramento is pretty great.
posted by aniola at 9:14 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 9:14 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you do stay in LA, there are a few places that are walkable enough to enjoy without a car. Santa Monica is one, especially if you like the beach, and the weather should be ideal at that time of year. You could rent a bike and ride up to Malibu or down to Venice from there. I used to live in Silverlake/Los Feliz and (as long as you're not too far up in the hills) those are both easy to explore on foot as well. San Francisco would have more options for entertainment/sights in a smaller area, but certain parts of LA can be nice.
posted by three_red_balloons at 9:37 AM on May 15, 2015
posted by three_red_balloons at 9:37 AM on May 15, 2015
In case you're still looking at SF, we've had good experiences in the past finding reasonable prices on Bed and Breakfast San Francisco and BnBFinder.
posted by treefort at 9:46 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by treefort at 9:46 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
That conference so overwhelms SF hotels that they're chartering a huge cruise ship to get extra rooms. My guess is it's the single most expensive week to stay in SF. You're getting good advice on alternatives, though.
posted by wnissen at 10:04 AM on May 15, 2015
posted by wnissen at 10:04 AM on May 15, 2015
Best answer: literally, please don't give up on the San Francisco Bay Area, which is wonderful! Between local MeFites and AirBnB, I bet you can find places to stay. I often rent out the master bedroom and bath in my East Bay apartment (near Bart) to graduate students at Berkeley, for example, but won't have anyone staying here in September. I'd be thrilled to have a fake-blood enthusiast on the premises. Another MeFite I know lives in the always-entertaining Castro district of SF and has a guest room she might be willing to let out. MeMail me if you'd like more info; please don't let those tech conventioneers chase you out of town.
posted by Bella Donna at 10:32 AM on May 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 10:32 AM on May 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
If it's feasible for you, I'd look at flying in to SF to spend time there before your conference, then staying in Southern California for more vacation afterwards. There are definitely areas of LA that are accessible without a car, and September usually has great beach weather. Here's last September's LA weather.
San Franciso and LA are very different and (IMO, having lived in both) worth visiting.
posted by insectosaurus at 10:52 AM on May 15, 2015
San Franciso and LA are very different and (IMO, having lived in both) worth visiting.
posted by insectosaurus at 10:52 AM on May 15, 2015
Response by poster: Oh man! I wish I could expand my holiday or move it around but I'm off to south east Asia at the end of September for my actual holiday, this is very much a snatched opportunity as someone else is paying for the flights there and back.
I'll definitely be flying into SF from LA, I've learned from all the years on the internet that America is bigger than my European mind realises and that trains aren't so much a 'thing'. Are the super touristy parts of LA also impossible to do without a car? If say, I just wanted to look at the Hollywood sign or walk down Rodeo Drive?
Thank you so much Bella Donna, I've MeMailed you!
posted by litereally at 11:09 AM on May 15, 2015
I'll definitely be flying into SF from LA, I've learned from all the years on the internet that America is bigger than my European mind realises and that trains aren't so much a 'thing'. Are the super touristy parts of LA also impossible to do without a car? If say, I just wanted to look at the Hollywood sign or walk down Rodeo Drive?
Thank you so much Bella Donna, I've MeMailed you!
posted by litereally at 11:09 AM on May 15, 2015
the super touristy parts of LA
I took a Grey Line bus tour of Hollywood and it included some of Beverly Hills (including Rodeo) and a bit or downtown LA as well as at least one farmer's market. You can see the sign from many places on the tour. It lasted most of a single day and was probably about $90, but that was almost ten years ago now.
posted by soelo at 11:53 AM on May 15, 2015
I took a Grey Line bus tour of Hollywood and it included some of Beverly Hills (including Rodeo) and a bit or downtown LA as well as at least one farmer's market. You can see the sign from many places on the tour. It lasted most of a single day and was probably about $90, but that was almost ten years ago now.
posted by soelo at 11:53 AM on May 15, 2015
Ditto on not giving up on us yet. Have you looked at the Hotel San Remo? I just casually looked up some random dates in September for them and they're about $150/night. We stayed there out of habit long before we moved to SF for that very reason. And the place is great, quirky, loaded with used books--it's cheaper because there are shared bathrooms and the fixtures are all older (like small corner sinks in the the rooms). But there are also huge claw foot tubs in the shared bathrooms that we totally love (and they're in private lockable cabins within the shared bathrooms). Most people we've recommended the place to say it feels "like an old European hotel." It's a little gem.
Also check into Beck's Motor Lodge (I haven't looked at current prices today but we stayed here a couple times, too. Very simple and plain but the location is killer.)
Before we moved here, we stayed at an awesome guy's house in Bernal Heights though AirBNB--he lives there, will probably make you breakfast and/or leave you a bottle of wine in your room, is right on the 23 Muni bus line, etc. His place was right around $100/night. I just checked and he's booked, but woah there are a lot of listings in this neighborhood now. We're enough "off the beaten path" that rates aren't as high as in the Mission (etc.), but... that's silly, we're right next door to everything and there are bus lines everywhere. Plus we have a big hill as the neighborhood centerpiece that offers my favorite view of the city, and Cortland--the main commercial boulevard of the neighborhood--is bustling with food and shops and bars.
We also lived in LA for a decade. It's going to be tough for you to get around across an appreciable distance without a car. If you're staying on the westside and want to do beach stuff, it's easy to use the local bus system (Big Blue Bus), and the Expo Line / other LA Metro buses to get to places like West Hollywood, but it's going to eat up time. Buses take ages to cross the city and cabs are expenses (a taxi from LAX to West Hollywood, for instance, can easily run you $60--80). If you're staying downtown, it's easy to get to Silverlake, Echo Park, and even as far west as Culver City now that the Expo Line is up. But you'll still need taxis / bus transfers to go very far away from most transit lines.
Welcome to California!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:53 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
Also check into Beck's Motor Lodge (I haven't looked at current prices today but we stayed here a couple times, too. Very simple and plain but the location is killer.)
Before we moved here, we stayed at an awesome guy's house in Bernal Heights though AirBNB--he lives there, will probably make you breakfast and/or leave you a bottle of wine in your room, is right on the 23 Muni bus line, etc. His place was right around $100/night. I just checked and he's booked, but woah there are a lot of listings in this neighborhood now. We're enough "off the beaten path" that rates aren't as high as in the Mission (etc.), but... that's silly, we're right next door to everything and there are bus lines everywhere. Plus we have a big hill as the neighborhood centerpiece that offers my favorite view of the city, and Cortland--the main commercial boulevard of the neighborhood--is bustling with food and shops and bars.
We also lived in LA for a decade. It's going to be tough for you to get around across an appreciable distance without a car. If you're staying on the westside and want to do beach stuff, it's easy to use the local bus system (Big Blue Bus), and the Expo Line / other LA Metro buses to get to places like West Hollywood, but it's going to eat up time. Buses take ages to cross the city and cabs are expenses (a taxi from LAX to West Hollywood, for instance, can easily run you $60--80). If you're staying downtown, it's easy to get to Silverlake, Echo Park, and even as far west as Culver City now that the Expo Line is up. But you'll still need taxis / bus transfers to go very far away from most transit lines.
Welcome to California!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:53 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The super touristy parts of LA are (IMO) very easy to do without a car for the most part. LA has an underground metro system that's functional and easy to use, but it only goes to a very small portion of the overall city. The metro connects Pasadena, downtown, Hollywood, and some other places as well - so if you're staying in one of those places, it's pretty easy to get to the others.
I think you'd need to take either a bus or an Uber/Lyft/taxi to go up to the Hollywood sign, Rodeo drive, or to the beach. You can see the Hollywood sign from quite a lot of LA though, if you don't feel the need to get up close to it. I think taking an Uber (or cab, etc) is worth it most of the time - the buses are slow, and with the exception of a few major streets, they don't come very often.
posted by insectosaurus at 12:01 PM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think you'd need to take either a bus or an Uber/Lyft/taxi to go up to the Hollywood sign, Rodeo drive, or to the beach. You can see the Hollywood sign from quite a lot of LA though, if you don't feel the need to get up close to it. I think taking an Uber (or cab, etc) is worth it most of the time - the buses are slow, and with the exception of a few major streets, they don't come very often.
posted by insectosaurus at 12:01 PM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hotel prices vary GREATLY depending on day booked, events nearby, and so on. As an SF resident who had worked in the travel industry let me offer a few bits of advice.
Consider calling the hotel directly. They may be able to offer you a better rate than what's on the booking engine sites. And I don't mean the national reservation line, but the front desk directly. You can google them easily.
As you are going to a conference, I'm assuming Moscone? in that case ANYTHING within a mile or two are booked solid and prices are vastly inflated. You will want to consider booking near the airport and take the hotel shuttle van to BART (maybe even at the airport) and then BART into the city. Or even hotels that are further out and take public transit into the downtown area. It is easy enough to order a bus passport (7-day pass) for unlimited rides on the SF Transit "Muni" vehicles, bus and light rail, and even BART within city limits.
posted by kschang at 2:31 PM on May 15, 2015
Consider calling the hotel directly. They may be able to offer you a better rate than what's on the booking engine sites. And I don't mean the national reservation line, but the front desk directly. You can google them easily.
As you are going to a conference, I'm assuming Moscone? in that case ANYTHING within a mile or two are booked solid and prices are vastly inflated. You will want to consider booking near the airport and take the hotel shuttle van to BART (maybe even at the airport) and then BART into the city. Or even hotels that are further out and take public transit into the downtown area. It is easy enough to order a bus passport (7-day pass) for unlimited rides on the SF Transit "Muni" vehicles, bus and light rail, and even BART within city limits.
posted by kschang at 2:31 PM on May 15, 2015
I spent the first six months in LA without a driver's license and I still walk/take the bus as much as possible-- there is a lot of LA that is perfectly accessible if you don't mind walking or taking the (admittedly, often crowded) bus. The swanky parts of Rodeo Drive are right by at least one if not two very well-trafficked bus routes. If you go down Wilshire, you can even do Downtown straight to the ocean, with stops off at museums, shopping, and various exciting food options along the way. (It is slower than driving. Transferring bus routes will also add time.) The sign is pretty visible from a lot of areas, though if you wanted the better views there are some bus/taxi/Uber options. I think SF is also a great option, and it is a very different city, but depending on what you're interested in, LA can be great fun.
posted by jetlagaddict at 10:17 PM on May 15, 2015
posted by jetlagaddict at 10:17 PM on May 15, 2015
I love LA and wouldn't want to live elsewhere. But it's not a great city to visit on your own. SF is better. Chicago and NYC better still.
But I think this will be different in 10 years. We're doing great things with public transport, and the downtown is coming back!
posted by persona au gratin at 1:52 AM on May 16, 2015
But I think this will be different in 10 years. We're doing great things with public transport, and the downtown is coming back!
posted by persona au gratin at 1:52 AM on May 16, 2015
Hollywood is sketchy and touristy. Check out the Griffith Park Observatory, which is awesome and gives good views of the city. Also give Santa Monica a look. It's gorgeous and very walkable. Perhaps Los Feliz, too, which also will give you a look at the Hollywood sign.
I drive to all these places, though, and haven't tried to take public transport.
posted by persona au gratin at 1:57 AM on May 16, 2015
I drive to all these places, though, and haven't tried to take public transport.
posted by persona au gratin at 1:57 AM on May 16, 2015
Response by poster: I'm completely stunned by the generosity in this thread and the messages I've received. I'm so excited for coming to California! Thank you all. If you're ever in London and need a guide or just want to hang out please message me!
posted by litereally at 2:08 AM on May 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by litereally at 2:08 AM on May 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
SF is a very expensive city to sleep in. I'd also recommend Airbnb, but I stayed at the Mosser Hotel last summer (4th and Market) for a fairly reasonable price.
posted by bendy at 6:49 PM on May 17, 2015
posted by bendy at 6:49 PM on May 17, 2015
California is a super amazingly gorgeous place. Enjoy! And feel free to memail me. (I'm doing sightseeing myself right now!)
posted by persona au gratin at 10:22 PM on May 17, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 10:22 PM on May 17, 2015
And Pasadena is wonderful, too. I want to retire to there!
posted by persona au gratin at 10:24 PM on May 17, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 10:24 PM on May 17, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jon1270 at 6:03 AM on May 15, 2015 [2 favorites]