Exploring San Francisco From Union Square Boutique Hotels

So, you're ready to go on vacation and explore the city Tony Bennett made famous? In a nutshell, here's what you can expect from San Francisco, that old lady of the sea: contradictions. You'll behold a bewildering mix of old and new, young and old, hip and horrid. Sure, there are the iconic landmarks: the Golden Gate, Chinatown, North Beach, SF MOMA, but in the end what will stick with you, burrowing it's way into your marrow, is its spirit.

When it comes to hotels and motels and whatnot, the city can give and the city can take away. You'll find rooms to match any budget -- as long as most of those budgets are used to six-figure salaries. The Union Square boutique hotels alone stand out as being reasonably priced and thoughtfully appointed. Families that enjoy five-figure salaries are assured rooms that aren't more expensive than their mortgages or so seedy they need vaccines to sleep a night.

If a hotel or motel doesn't fit your grand San Francisco scheme, you may like to check out the Victorian-style lodges along Golden Gate Park. Mind you, the park enjoys a rather sordid reputation for being a homeless camp during the night, but there are some areas that are relatively safe for tourists. Lodges or not, you should keep in mind that no matter where you stay, you will be paying a 14% room tax. Yes, welcome to the Golden State.

Granted, you may be tempted to stay outside of the city. To be sure, some of these out-of-town hotels will lure you with specials. Oakland, Berkeley, even South San Francisco all vie for the almighty tourist dollar. But, be forewarned! You may save on the room, but you end up stuck in the abysmal traffic jams of people trying to get in and out of the city. Also, if you're driving, tack on $20 for parking -- every time you park!

Staying in the city itself is your best bet. This will allow you to save on parking and soak up the optimal amount of local color. From any hotel in the city you can easily access the traps, like Chinatown, North Beach Fisherman's Wharf, and so on. Sure, you can walk, but the key benefit of staying in the city are the wonderful public transport systems BART (rail) and MUNI (bus).

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

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The very best Union Square boutique hotels are right around the virtual corner. Mouse click, come see, or take a virtual tour today!

by: Errol Grange

Total views: 1 Word Count: 400 Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 Time: 9:57 AM - 0 comments

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