FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - San Francisco Area Starwood Hotels (General Discussion 2008 Onward)
Old Feb 12, 2008, 10:03 pm
  #4  
Elited
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AP*E SPG*G
Posts: 157
*wood Stay w/Toddler Advice

Hi.

My spouse, 2.5yr old toddler and I are planning our first ever trip to SF at the end of March and I am hoping to use my ~20k Starpoints towards three nights in SF proper. I'm an SPG Gold member.

I've browsed this and the many other SF threads I could find but haven't really found anything directed towards someone staying with small children (or just one in our case).

Speaking with the SPG Call Centre and looking online, I found that C&P at the Palace is available as well as at the Sheraton FW but I've seen variable and some negative comments about these two properties which is scaring me away. There are some 'standard' redemption options available at just about all the properties in the city though so I might be able to cover two of the three nights like that and pay for the third with my somewhat favourable corp rate (seems to be about 10% lower than a normal 'best available' rate - often a fraction less than a AAA rate which I've also checked).

Here's the main factors I'm trying to consider:
* We'd plan to have our toddler sleep on a roll-away but many of the d/t SF hotels seem to have limited rooms where this is possible due to fire regs. Of course, a suite-type room would be best but I think it is out of our budget or not available to start with. Therefore size of the room is important of course.
* We need something quiet for our toddler to sleep at night so I'm thinking I need to avoid the older rooms ('thin walls') as well as older buildings (low rise) which seem more likely to be prone to street noise.
* Ideally, access to a heated indoor pool would be great for our daughter to work off the 'nighttime nutties' if she was otherwise cooped up after dinner every night but most of the SPG properties don't seem to have this
* We will have to factor in parking every day as we are there with our rental car as part of a coastal trip. I know parking can be ~$50/night in some of these places.
* We would plan to spend much of our time in SF going to the Golden Gate park areas, the Presidio park area, aquarium, and possibly a museum or two. Hence I figured staying in the d/t core would be advisable versus something near SFO or elsewhere.

Right now I'm leaning towards booking at the newly-minted Westin Market Street as the reviews seem mainly quite positive and it is newly reno'd and the rates seem about mid-range and there are some redemption options. There also seems to be a chance at a 'Tower' room in the St Francis which I have read decent things about. The Meridien which sounds great doesn't seem to have a redemption room that allows a rollaway, and there are similar issues in some other locations.

Any pointers on maximizing my hard-earned points and properties tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
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