Loading...

Priceline Hotel: 2.5* San Francisco (Fishermans Wharf) Radisson


neilk
By neilk,
in

Recommended Posts

Hi Guys,

I am totally new to this so pardon me for the stup*d questions please. I actually am from Melbourne, Australia so never traveled to SF before.

I am flying in from LA on the 30th and I need 3 night's accommodation (30 March - 2nd April). I have to visit a few locations.

- Davis Street / California Street block

- Spear Street / Mission Street block

- Oakland (close to BART I am told)

Hotels

I was looking through priceline and correct me if I am wrong - the Financial District, SOMA, USE and USW can be considered. Also, from my research, my strategy would be to start with a bid say on the Financial district and keep adding the other areas if the bid gets rejected. One area at a time means, I don't have to wait for the 24 hours to rebid.

Star Rating

I need some help in understanding the star rating that I need to bid on. I know that this is very subjective but I am looking for something decent with a bed, ironing board, tv/cable, AC and internet connection (business area at the least) with no cost. Something that is close so I can run down get a coffee, a subway sandwich or a quick dinner. So restaurant in the hotel is not so important. I say that as here in Australia, the restaurants in the hotel are typically 3 times as expensive as normal food outside so I rather eat out.

Per Night Rate

I am hoping to get something around 50-60$ inclusive of taxes. No idea if that is feasible but I hope with a 3 star upscale (again not sure of the amenities that I would get with it) or a 3 star it's possible.

Flights

Generally - I book in advance in Australia to get cheaper fares so I assume that is the case on the LA-SF link too? I tried priceline, Orbitz, Expedia etc and I am getting close to 200$ return fare. I would like to leave LA on the 30th in the afternoon (after 3 pm) and leave SF either on the 1st (night) or 2nd morning which ever is cheaper. Do you think instead of bidding on hotels and buying tickets it would be cheaper to go via a package? I researched and my immediate calcs suggest ~375-400 but I do have to compromise on travel times which is do-able but not ideal

Internal Travel

It would be great if you experienced guys can give me a quick run down of the public transport. Whilst the 2 visit landmarks may end up walking distance from the hotel, Oakland could be done via BART? I won't be driving - the only reason is I will need some time get used to driving wrong side of the road!!

I wouldn't mind doing a bit of look around. So from what I know, there are buses, trams and rail (BART). Is there a combo pass that I can use for all the 3. I think the trams have a 3 day unlimited pass for 20$? Please let me know the idea way of minimizing travel spend.

Any other information about SF and things to do around downtown would be appreciated. It's not that I have to go via priceline so other suggestions are just as fine.

Sorry about the long post and repeat reference to $$ but I am traveling on a budget so please help!!!

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment

I'll give one of the San Francisco locals (or those who travel to and/or know the area best) a chance to answer... if no body answers within 24 hours feel free to reply to this thread to put it back in the queue.

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

Welcome to the board, neilk.

I'll focus on the hotel part of your trip. Since you'll be using BART a lot you'll want to be near a BART station.

I am hoping to get something around 50-60$ inclusive of taxes. No idea if that is feasible but I hope with a 3 star upscale (again not sure of the amenities that I would get with it) or a 3 star it's possible.
We discuss bids in pre-tax terms here, so we'll need to know the highest you're willing to bid pre-tax. A $45 bid comes to $59.31 after tax and PRICELINE fee.

I doubt you'll win a 3* Downtown for $45, but maybe a 2.5*.

My suggestion is to bid for a 2.5* in USE and USW zones. The 2.5* Whitcomb in Civic Center zone is just a few steps from Civic Center BART station and would also be very convenient for you, but there's no way to guarantee that Whitcomb is the hotel you'll win on PRICELINE. Civic Center is a large zone and some of the other hotels in Civic Center (e.g. Opal) are quite a distance from BART. So Civic Center might be a good alternative if you can't win something in USE or USW within budget, but I'd try for USE or USW first.

Please affirm whether you'd like to bid up to $45 (or some other number), pretax, for a 2.5* in USE and USW zones and someone can offer a strategy.

I know that this is very subjective but I am looking for something decent with a bed, ironing board, tv/cable, AC and internet connection (business area at the least) with no cost.
You won't need AC in SF in March/April, and many hotels don't have it. You might need heat though.

Most hotels in downtown SF charge for internet access. There's usually a business center in the lobby (might be free, might not). And there are a few coffeshops near Union Square where you can buy internet access by the minute at lower rates than the hotel business centers charge.

Link to comment
Flights

Generally - I book in advance in Australia to get cheaper fares so I assume that is the case on the LA-SF link too? I tried priceline, Orbitz, Expedia etc and I am getting close to 200$ return fare. I would like to leave LA on the 30th in the afternoon (after 3 pm) and leave SF either on the 1st (night) or 2nd morning which ever is cheaper.

For SFO-LAX roundtrip check Southwest Airlines. Southwest rates don't appear on Orbitz or Expedia. You've got to look on Southwest's website.

Link to comment

Thanks a lot for that! I will check out SouthWest.

I have been reading reviews on Holiday Inn Civic Centre and generally it's documented that the it's unsafe area. Well 'unsafe' may be a bold word.

I have also been in touch with couple of guys who consistently bid 50$ (not sure pre or post tax) on zones 10 and 11 and get Hyatt. May be that is not possible? Also how is the Fisherman's Wharf area?

Regards,

Link to comment
I have also been in touch with couple of guys who consistently bid 50$ (not sure pre or post tax) on zones 10 and 11 and get Hyatt.
Please use zone names (and not numbers) as it saves time for others reading your thread to look up which zone you're referring to. As well, as PRICELINE adds/removes/changes zones the numbers associated with them change, so it can create confusion in the future.
Also how is the Fisherman's Wharf area?
It's touristy... not near a BART station but has a lot of cable car access which can get you to other parts of the city as well as to a BART station.

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
Please use zone names (and not numbers) as it saves time for others reading your thread to look up which zone you're referring to. As well, as PRICELINE adds/removes/changes zones the numbers associated with them change, so it can create confusion in the future.

It's touristy... not near a BART station but has a lot of cable car access which can get you to other parts of the city as well as to a BART station.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Thanks,

1. Union Square East

2. Union Square West - Nob Hill

Link to comment

neilk - Colfax visits SF all the time, typically on a budget. He is very wise in the ways of SF and will almost never steer you wrong. (OK, he steered me wrong once, but nobody's perfect!) Anyway, in a nutshell -

For easy BART and Muni access, the best zones are USE, USW and FD/Embarcadero. SOMA is a possibility, though it is a big zone and you may or may not be close to BART.

Hotel rates are at the lowest they've been in years, but $60 inclusive of taxes seems unfeasible for a 3*. You could try, but it is more likely that you would get a 2.5* for that price. ON HW, there are some 3* hotels for about $70 to $78 in USE and USW, so it might be possible. Just go ahead and try. 2.5* hotels are ok. But if you get down to 2*, you might be able to book conventionally and choose what you want for that price.

I do not recommend Civic Center area. It can be seedy, especially near Market St. The area near the California Cable car line is not bad, and you could get the HI Golden Gateway, but then you'd have to take the CC to BART down at Embarcadero. Not the simplest thing, but doable.

Don't know about packages. I save more $$ booking things individually, typically.

For airfare, check the United and Southwest sites specifically. They may have some last minute deals and they fly a lot on the West Coast.

Perhaps a muni 3 day pass to get around. They don't cost that much and are also good on cable cars, which is the best way to get to Fisherman's Wharf. Muni pass is not good on BART, thought, which has become somewhat expensive. Also visit Chinatown, Haight Ashbury if you like that hippie vibe, North Beach for atmosphere, Italian food and pastries, the Ferry Building for great foodstuff and the ferry to Sausalito for views and a cool town once you get there.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

BTW - How ya' goin? Have relatives in OZ, but up north in Brisbane. Well, technically Ipswich....

Link to comment

Thanks a lot for your detailed response. much appreciated. Ya going great mate ...QLD is I believe, the best state in Australia but I am sure I will disappoint a few Australians by saying that LOL

Just one last question - I have been reading Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf going for ~60$. Would that be correct?

What is the difference between a 3 star upscale and 3 star?

Cheers,

Link to comment

"Upscale" is the descriptive name give to a 3* hotel... there is no difference between "3*" and "3* Upscale"... they are the same rating.

If you enter "Fishermans Wharf" (without the quotes) in the QUICK SEARCH box in the blue banner at the top of the board you will see all related wins for hotels in this zone. However, keep in mind that rates are date specific and just because somebody won a hotel for their own stay at $60 doesn't mean that rate would be available for your own stay.

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
He is very wise in the ways of SF and will almost never steer you wrong.
Well thanks for that, Gallus50, but if I'm wise it's mostly to the 3* and less (aka "the dumps and dives"). Don't have as much experience with the 4*. Talk to BEAV and slruud and IBDP and some others here, including you, for the scoop on those.
(OK, he steered me wrong once, but nobody's perfect!)
You'll never let me forget. Anyhow that happened in Oakland...out of my territory.
Link to comment
Just one last question - I have been reading Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf going for ~60$. Would that be correct?

My sense is you still haven't decided whether to shoot for Fisherman's Wharf or someplace downtown, neilk.

Fisherman's Wharf is cleaner and quieter and you'll find fewer homeless and panhandlers there, compared to Union Square. But for someone relying on BART a lot, as you will (to and from the airport and for your side trip to Oakland), staying downtown is more convenient, because you can walk to BART from whichever hotel you win.

You can still navigate everything from FW, but staying there adds a step to all your transportation plans---you'll have to take another bus, or the cable car, or a cab from FW to BART. If you've got much luggage getting to FW on public transport is a nuisance but otherwise it's doable.

One thing FW and Downtown have in common is your $45 limit probably won't be enough for a 3* in either area, but maybe a 2.5*. There's no reason not to try lowball bids of $45 for 3* first though.

Have you done any actual bidding yet?

Please start your bids with this PRICELINE link.

Link to comment
Yes, I have tried the lowball bids. 4* 45$ for downtown SF.

Which zones did you bid, neilk? USE and USW?

There's nothing wrong with lowball bidding, but just so you're not wasting your time I'll mention it's been years since anyone's won a 4* in any downtown zone for less than $60. I think $62 or $63 has been the rock bottom lowest.

$55 wasn't enough for a 3* in Fisherman's Wharf but it might be enough for a 2.5*. (Radisson or Holiday Inn Express). If you're interested I'd start at $45 for a 2.5* in FW.

Thanks for using the board's PRICELINE link.

Link to comment

Hi,

Thanks for all the help here. I used your PRICELINE link to get this hotel.

Started with

40$ on 3* Fishermans

42$ on 3* USE

45$ on 3* USW

47$ on 2.5* Financial District

50$ on 2.5* SOMA

52$ on 2.5* Financial district

Accepted 52$ by Radisson at the Fishermans Wharf.

This is my first trip to the States and I hope I enjoy the stay!!!! I will post on how go with the experience. I hope the room is decent and the staff is helpful! I am freaking out a tad to be able to travel around downtown and east bay from FW. Is this area safe. Are there any DO's and DON'Ts?

From what I know Fishermans Wharf is a tourist area, so I hope there won't be issues heading out for a cup of coffee, dinner, lunch whatever.

I would like to thank you guys for the information. I will need another 3 days in SF later in April and Also 4 days in NYC.

Cheers.

Link to comment

Don't freak out about traveling from FW to East Bay. Easiest thing is to take F Market train to Embarcadero, then catch BART. No problem. Look up Muni website if you'd like, they have maps. Can also take ferry to Sausalito from Ferry Building.

There are loads of restaurants and cafes because it IS a tourist area. Coffee in SF is much better than coffee in Oz, so no worries there. (Not a stereotype, I speak from experience.) FW may feel safer than some parts of SF because there are fewer homeless, but keep your wits about you. No wallet in outside pocket of backpack where it can easily get picked! Front pants pocket is probably better, too, especially in crowded areas of Chinatown.

Have a great trip.

Link to comment
Need help with your own trip?

Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account
Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
QUICKQUOTE [X]
PRICELINE & HOTWIRE on one screen!
NOTE: Priceline searches for
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY
Room %roomN%:
Age of child:
FINDFAST[X]
×
×
  • Create New...