If you want easy walking distance then try the San Francisco Marriott downtown (it's on fourth street) It's a decent Marriott hotel. Ask for a room on a high floor with a view of the bay and go up to the top floor lounge one night and just enjoy the view. It's about a btwo blocks from Union Square downtown, and if you want something quick to eat there's a movie theatre across the stree that has a decent food court. IF you want something a little nicer, then go to the Renaissance Stanford Court at the top of knob hill. It has a European feel, but it's a nice hotel. I've found it to be nicer than the SFC Marriott. Just the walk up knob hill can be a killer at times when the cable car is full. There's another renaisance court downtown (Parc 55) but last time I stayed there it was a little shabby.

If I had the points to burn and SFC it had to be, I'd stay at the Stanford Court. If I wanted a nice weekend, I'd skip SFC all together and head straight for Marriott Sonoma Lodge, have dinner at their restaurant and make sure I asked for a lodge and then come back and fight the crowds in SFC.....but then you asked about SFC right? My vote goes to the Stanford Court.

Enjoy yourself.