allybunnie Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Hi!!Hubby & I are going to SF last 2 weeks of Sept...well actually flying into SF...heading out to Yosemite for a week or so...then coming back into SF last week of Sept....1st time visitor, so looking for info /advice about where to bid/stay etc....would rally prefer to try & eventually bid at least 3.5 to 4* hotels....1. Hoping to drop rental car off when we get back to SF & use "public" trans to get around city...seems crazy to pay huge $$ to park a rental car at hotel, when I can only assume there is plenty of ways to explore the city via cable cars etc?????2. Have no clue about SF at all....can anyone recommend an area to focus our sights on to stay which would allow us to explore city & be in a great section of town to base out of???3. What would b our best option to get back to airport when we need to fly home, as we wont have the car anymore...flying a red-eye on a friday night out of SF at approx 9:00 PM4.Is Napa a must see area or shud we spend the last 5 or so days exploring SF when we come back from Yosemite???any thoughts or info are appreciated!!!! - Thanx...Allie Link to comment
austin_res Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 1. Hoping to drop rental car off when we get back to SF & use "public" trans to get around city...seems crazy to pay huge $$ to park a rental car at hotel, when I can only assume there is plenty of ways to explore the city via cable cars etc?????Yes, you can get around SF without a rental car. There are lots of public transportation options (cable cars, buses, trolleys) and SF is a very walkable city although going uphill is a challenge.2. Have no clue about SF at all....can anyone recommend an area to focus our sights on to stay which would allow us to explore city & be in a great section of town to base out of???Union Square (East and West), Embarcadero/Financial District, and Fisherman's Wharf are the most commonly bid zones for tourists. South of Market is also an option for visitors though some hotels in that zone are quite a bit south of the typical tourist sites. As to which zone is best, it depends on what you want to do. For me, I prefer the Embarcadero zone for its access to public transportation, proximity to most sites, and quality of the 4* hotels in that zone. Union Square East would be my second choice. Others also bid in Union Square West but some hotels there are close to the Tenderloin which I've heard is a not-so-nice area.3. What would b our best option to get back to airport when we need to fly home, as we wont have the car anymore...flying a red-eye on a friday night out of SF at approx 9:00 PMTake the BART subway. Or if you have lots of luggage, you may want to take a cab.I have not been to Napa but others may be able to offer advice on that. Enjoy your trip :) Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 austin_resExcellent!!! Thank you so much for your advice....I really appreciate the help!!! :) ...Allie Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Hi again....Running into a situation with car rentals out of SFO.....trying very hard NOT to rent from one of the "low budget" rental car companies for our rental car....the problem is that anything reputable has a huge price tag out of SFO...so here is my (hopefully) option????Looked at the BART website - seems they run from SFO to Oakland Colisseum area for about 9.00....then to get to OAK airport they have the "AIR BART" for another 2.00....is this a reasonable plan to go here to rent car instead?? Dont plan on having too much luggage 1 + carryon for each of us....PLUS the rates to rent the car from OAK with the rental car company we prefer are 1/2 the amount as from SFO....i know its probably a pain...BUT....at least I wud have the peace of mind with the rental car.....may be hop an airport shuttle bus from SFO to OAK is a reasonable option???? help..... :) Link to comment
slruud Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Some dates would be handy.Have you checked Hotwire for car rentals?Not a big deal, but AirBart is $3/person. Link to comment
Colfax Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 You can take BART from SFO to OAK to pick up your rental car but it's time consuming and a bit of work, as BART doesn't directly connect SFO and OAK. You'll have to take two BART trains then a shuttle from BART to OAK. How much money will you save on the car rental by picking up in OAK?Car rental rates are volatile and a lot could happen between now and late September. My feeling is you're likely to find a decent rental rate out of SFO closer to your travel dates. So reserve a car at OAK now if you like, but don't sweat it much because probably something acceptable will come along at SFO and you won't end up using that OAK reservation.3. What would b our best option to get back to airport when we need to fly home, as we wont have the car anymore...flying a red-eye on a friday night out of SF at approx 9:00 PMBART is $8.10 per person one way from Powell Street to SFO. A taxi is around $45-50. You can also take a shared shuttle, like SuperShuttle or Lori's, for about $15 or $16 per person. The concierge at your hotel can help you arrange a shuttle.Another possibility for the rental car is rent in downtown SF. All the rental companies have multiple downtown offices and any of those would be nearer to SFO than OAK airport. Rather than going direct to Yosemite on Day 1 maybe you could spend your first night in downtown SF and pick up a rental car downtown the next morning? Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Hi all...Thanx for everyone helping me...I really appreciate the feedback... :o ....as for the dates....they are the same as the 1st post...more specifically 9/26 - 30...according to the SF convention calendar, that is right after a huge dental convention, hence our decision to head to Yosemite 1st & then come back to the city....have checked hotwire, but will get stuck with a rental company not interested in using....If we get ourselves out to OAK airport, the same rental car from Enterprise is $300.00 cheaper!!!! :) ...I do like the idea of reserving now in OAK & seeing if the SFO rates come down closer to travel dates....as far as the transport, yes i do see how you mean it is going to take 3 barts to transfer over... :) ...i am guessing that a 30.00 for two shuttle like Lori's would be the easiest & probably work the best...I dont see an office listed for Enterprise listed in downtown SF tho...I will look again....TY Allie Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 OMG!!! Thanx Colfax....just rechecked Enterprise web site & they DO have offices downtown!!!! The price is drastically cheaper & it says "they pick you up"....never used that option as we have always rented from an airport location....I am VERY grateful for your suggestion!!!!We havent even started trying to find hotels yet, but based on austin_res suggested areas I am assuming we are going to try for the Embarcadero?Financial for the most 4* options....or possibly Union Sq East...I see an Enterprise office for Union Sq...will have to try & figure out which one is Embarcadero....EXCELLENT!!!! no need to drag our butts out to OAK for the car!!!! U r all the BEST!!!!... :) Link to comment
Gallus50 Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Going to Oakland would be huge hassle. Not worth it. Lots of time before September. Prices for car rental will go up and down loads of times before them. USE, USW, FD/EMB or FW are probably best for your visit. Fishermans Wharf is more touristy, but that is why many people find it appealing. Napa is gorgeous, but it depends on how much you like wine and food. It can be expensive and you don't want to drink much and then drive, so you should probably stay overnight. Colfax won't steer you wrong in So or Nor Cal. Link to comment
Colfax Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 Gallus50,Thanks for the good word. I do steer people wrong sometimes though...remember that Extended Stay in Oakland? lolallybunnie,Did you want to spend your first night in downtown SF before heading to Yosemite, or are you only going downtown to pick up a rental car? If you don't intend to spend the night downtown it would be more convenient to rent from an Enterprise near SFO, but not directly at the airport. (If you rent off airport you don't have to pay the substantial airport taxes.)The Enterprise on Carolan Ave in Burlingame is the nearest one to SFO. They're not allowed to pick you up on airport property but you could take a cab there for less than two BART fares to Downtown will cost. For pricing info there search Enterprise on "Burlingame", not "San Francisco".ORGet a Priceline 4* hotel at SFO your first night (for a lot less than 4* costs downtown). Take free shuttle to hotel. Then have Enterprise Burlingame pick you up at your hotel the next morning to get your car. They can pick up at airport hotels but not at the airport. (If interested you should verify this with Enterprise yourself, as rules are always changing.)But again, nothing will be as convenient as renting right at the airport, so keep your eye out for falling prices.slruud,An offtopic aside...I finally tried Tadich's Grill that you're always talking about. It was great! Best cioppino I've ever had. With drinks and dessert my meal cost more than my hotel room that night...and worth every penny. Thanks for the suggestion. Link to comment
slruud Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 Colfax,We don't have much originality when eating out in The City. We'll try Sam's Grill once in a while, but always head back to Tadich Grill for basic seafood...sand dabs, petrale sole, and if I'm feeling neglected, the deviled crab casserole.Our favorite pizza place is Golden Boy Pizza at Columbus and Green. Great pizza by the slice and you see what's avilable by the large pans displayed in the window.Haven't really eaten there, but Tyler Florence's Wayfare Tavern on Sacramento seems to have a large following. We followed a former bartender from Tadichs over there and the food looks good, but after lunch at TG I'm not much in the mood for food.Glad you enjoyed it. Will need to get together sometime.SteveR Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Colfax...THANK YOU for all of your help....u r right...was kinda just goin "downtown" to spend night & rent the car....that sounds like a great plan to stay near SFO & get the car from Burlingame....now I just have to decide how long we should plan on staying in the Yosemite area....the prices to stay in the park are $$$pricey....getting better pricing to stay outside in maybe mariposa etc...but then will have to travel into the park daily....almost toying with the "curry village tent cabins" or "housekeeping tent cabins" for 2 nights or so to focus on the Yosemite valley...then move outside to somewhere nicer... :) ...like a nice rental cabin or something near the south entrance for 3-4 days.....then we are going to go back to SF for sure & stay probably in either Fin dist or USE for the final 3 - 4 days......Anyone know how many hrs it is from SF to Yosemite???my map says just over 200 miles, but some of it is back roads... :) ...Thanxs again for all of the GREAT help!!!...Allie Link to comment
Colfax Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 slruud,Sometime we'll be in SF the same weekend and it would be fun to meet. Like you, I keep going back to the same restaurants over and over. I don't want to say their names here because someone might get the idea I was recommending. I've learned that if I like someplace--a hotel or restaurant--most other people probably don't. A return trip to Tadich's is a safe bet for sure.allybunnie,Did you want to arrange your SF hotels now or are you going to wait til closer to your trip? Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Colfax - I have just finalized the Yosemite part of the trip....will get together the days need in SF, along with some current pricing to get bidding strategy.....last time I looked retail/conventional pricing for the days we are looking to be in SF for a 4* in Financial dist were PRICEY!!! 200 - 300 p/n... :) Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Hi again...just a few more questions before I finalize the dates for a bidding strategy....After looking at the hotels around SFO that we could possibly win when we arrive on Sunday, it seems as tho they are kinda "isolated", as in when we got there, we would not have any options of getting dinner except for @ the hotel... :) ...for all my SFO helpers, is that true?...if so, we were thinking of this as a plan B....take the Bart up to Powell station which is 2 blocks from the in town Enterprise office @ Union Sq that is open on Sunday (Burlingame isnt, very few of the in town offices are), pick up the car & then travel east out of SF to (according to Enterprise office suggestions to Oakland, Concord, Stockton, Modesto), & stay the night out there & on Monday we can get up & continue on to Yosemite.....The obvious CONS on this are that I dont want to "bid" & lock myself into a hotel in advance for that night in the event that our flight gets delayed & we dont get to Enterprise by the 4pm close time....we have a non stop from the east coast due to arrive @ 12:45...but that still only leaves us a "3 hr cushion"...I would have to bid that day & try & get something...i know...its risky & stressful...right?The PRO'S are that when we are done with the car & are coming back to SF, the Enterprise office is right near the Financial Dist/USE area, either zones would be ok w/ us to stay & Enterprise says they will drop us @ our hotel after we return the car.....We are open to any suggestions on this....we know nothing about the SFO area....I guess if there are choices to maybe get a bite to eat or something near those SFO hotels, we could bid in advance, not worry about what time the plane gets in & get up Monday & rent the car from Enterprise in Burlingame.... :) when we are done with the car we can back to SFO or the Bart station via cab or something, & then just take the BART up to Powell then......The last question is...we are splitting up our stay with two different areas /dates in & near SFO...when I ask for bidding strategy, should I start a new thread for either of the stays or do them all on this one???TY again .... Link to comment
Colfax Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Both scenarios--stay at airport or take BART downtown--are doable. Your trip isn't until September, so if you're unsure what you want there's lots of time to think about it. You can almost always get a room at the airport, even the day before or same day usually. No need to lock yourself into a noncancellable hotel reservation this soon if you don't want.The main thing to start, I think, is get a car reserved if you haven't already. If you're unsure between two locations reserve at both. You can always cancel one.After looking at the hotels around SFO that we could possibly win when we arrive on Sunday, it seems as tho they are kinda "isolated", as in when we got there, we would not have any options of getting dinner except for @ the hotel...The airport's not the most pedestrian friendly area but depending which hotel you win there's an Elephant Bar, Benihana, and a few others within walking distance or short cabride of any 4* in SFO-Burlingame zone. That Benihana overlooks the Bay and you can watch big planes take off and land over the water while you eat. The last question is...we are splitting up our stay with two different areas /dates in & near SFO...when I ask for bidding strategy, should I start a new thread for either of the stays or do them all on this one???A separate thread for each set of dates please, as your plans come together. Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Thanx Colfax....It does seem that the hotels arond SFO have GREAT prices.....plus the car rental from Burlingame is a little cheaper than from Union Sq...I have reserved At U Sq...but I will reserve @ Burlingame also...Great idea... :)...the agent a U Sq was pretty surprised the difference in price was 300.00 renting there vs SFO airport location!!! crazy.. :) !!!...we arent even too fussy about dinner....we will probably be pretty tired anyhow with travelin all day & the time change......I will start a new thread with the Fin/USE area part of trip first as that is definate....just getting some comparable conventional prices together for when I ask for bidding strategy....TY..... :o Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Looking for a bidding strategy for a 4* in the SF Financial Dist for 9/26 - 9/30 - this area was recommended to us from a couple of people from this forum - right now the conventional pricing for this area & these dates for the 4*'s are running a whopping approx $300.00 p/n :) .....not sure why....maybe because its NOT a weekend, & I checked the SF Convention website & there is no major conv then.....maybe because its so far in advance???? - I figure with lots of time on my side I could try & win something for hopefully no more than $150.00 p/n?? I know that is LOW, but I actually had luck one time low-balling a hotel once & was SURPRISED it came thru....(yes I did it thru here...)I can always adjust the $$ amounts higher, or if I continue to have no luck I will ask for a new strategy using Fin Dist & USW.....as far as I can see I still see 6 "rebid"zones available for use....Any thoughts/info/help appreciated!! Allie... :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread, it helps keep the board better organized as well as enables us to see what has already been tried/considered.Is USE and/or USW also acceptable (but not included due to expected cost) or is the Financial District the only acceptable zone?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Hi - for right now we would like to target ONLY Fin Dist to see how we make out....that is our 1st choice for areas to stay in....later, in a few weeks if unsuccesful, i might add USW, but will ask how to add that into our bidding strategy, as I have still not been able to get that strategy learned, using 2 zones... :) ...I am thinking the following strategy would be what i should try??? I can adjust the $$ amounts higher as/if needed..."At the 4* level in San Francisco you have SIX re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding"Select 4* FIN Dist...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150I'm sure its a long shot being the prices are $300 now p/n...but u dont know till u try???? :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 That strategy should be fine.Whether you only bid the Financial at this time is your choice, but i will point out an alternative where HOTWIRE has a 3.5* property in the USW-Nob Hill zone for $99/nite and it has a 95% recommended rating from previous guests. This offer shows:Boutique , Restaurant, Fitness, Smoke Free, Hi-Speed Internet, Business... and my best guess would be the Adagio or the Handlery Union Square (and a distant third guess of the Hotel Diva should it have been upgraded since last reported). Should these properties work for your needs, it may be worth the $50 savings for the drop in star rating... but this offer may not be available 5 months from now.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Thereuare - OK....I figured I would 1st try bidding on my original choice in Fin Dist....I really didnt think it would go thru due to the pricing I was seeing, but why not try....but declined up to 140.00Love the idea (& suggestion...TY... :) ) of savin the $50.00 to jump on the 3.5* Hotwire USW - Nob Hill....so....yup I did it!!... :) U were right, it was the Adagio...it has mixes reviews thru tripadvisor....some loved it, some not so much...my biggest concern is that because it is a Hotwire purchase, we will get a "hotwire" room.But then again, my thoughts are that if it gets a recommendation of 95%....they can't treat the hotwire peeps to badly...(I hope)anyhow...thanx for the tip & yes I used the HOTWIRE link..... If anyone has stayed here can u add a reply of how you liked it??? please??? Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Congratulations on your success!Glad to see you received one of the hotels you were hoping for and that you're pleased with the results. With the HOTWIRE user recommendation at 95% this doesn't sound like a property which discriminates against guests who book thru third party websites (opaque or otherwise).Thank you for sharing your results and using the HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your purchase.Enjoy your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Colfax Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Adagio's best price is $220 for your dates. You got a great deal, allybunnie....less than half price! Adagio also has Junior Suites for $245. If you're interested the hotel might let you upgrade to a suite for a fee, probably something like $25/night. Since you ended up purchasing this on Hotwire a moderator might move this thread to the board's Hotwire section.Have fun! Link to comment
allybunnie Posted March 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Colfax - Yes I do think it was a great deal.. :) ...many thanx to YOU for all of your help in planning this trip & Thereuare for givin me the heads up on the Adagio deal!!That sounds like a great idea of asking for the upgrade...I have never done this before...should I ask in advance or I am guessing I should wait until check in to ask.....MANY thanx again...Allie Link to comment
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