ssullivan

Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn San Francisco Civic Center? I'm booking a trip to SF over Labor Day weekend, and given the cheap $70 Internet rate and close proximity of the Civic Center BART/Muni station, I was considering it. I know the neighborhood isn't the best but we're mainly looking for something affordable, convenient, and comfortable. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't one of the properties to watch out for, and a search on FlyerTalk turned up nothing. Has anyone stayed there?

Gregg

I was in SF in February and stayed at the HI Express at Fisherman's Wharf. It was reasonably priced at the time ($90 a night), was in a decent neighborhood, was very clean and nicely decorated. You also got a free decent breakfast in the morning and free local calls.

If you're considering the Civic Center (assuming that's the convention center) to attend the convention, the Wharf HI Express was a block from a trolley stop that ended a few blocks from the convention center and I believe the train/BART stop was closeby too.

ssullivan

Thanks, Gregg. We're not attending a convention -- just a leisure trip. I saw the HI Express listed online but the rates for the dates we are going are considerably higher. The neighborhood around Fisherman's Warf is nicer, but since we're on a fairly tight budget for this trip, I'm not sure if paying the extra $45/night (based on the rates I found online for those dates) for three nights is going to be worth it if the Civic Center location is decent.

21A

Never been to the HI itself - but the area is really not that bad. You're right by Market Street and Muni and close to Civic Center proper, an upscale neighborhood with city hall, the opera house, symphony hall, new Asian Art Museum (btw, check that out if interested in art); it does get a bit rougher at and south of Market, but I wouldn't describe it as dangerous. (And a few blocks up Market, you get into another fancy shopping district, Union Square.) If that's your only concern, I say go for it.

RobertTheTraveler

The Holiday Inn is very close to transit. The combo BART-MUNI station is half a block away. The neighborhood can be a challenge sometimes, though.

Priceline can usually secure rates less than $70. $47 can get you the Hyatt Embarcadero. $55 the Marriott SOMA. You can almost always get a 4-star for under $60 in DT SF.

nixande

Complete address for easier searching
Holiday Inn
SAN FRANCISCO-CIVIC CENTER
50 EIGHTH ST / 8th, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 UNITED STATES

I have stayed here before and it seems there have been some changes with the management as I got "better" treatment this way.

First: Yes, it is in a funny location but for the price and if you do not want to go through priceline hassle, you just factor in a cab in the evening.

There are some homeless people around and it can be ugly on the outside, but basically this is a good enough hotel.

Some benefits:
Absolutly perfect for coming in through the airport as civic center bart station is directly there. Also access to several muni and bus lines, especially nr. 19going down to the warf side.

Free internet access with code.

Priority Members (at least with gold) get free breakfast - european style.

This is a tourist bus hotel, so it seems either very full or okay empty. Staff is attentive.

As a Plat I did receive an upgrade to their high floors - though they are nice, they are quite windy! This time I was very early there so I did get a room on the pool floor.

It does have a little excercise room and a laundry facility - not uninteresting if you are on a longer trip and need to wash.

Rooms are spacious, and some have a small in room safe. They are not very reliable if one knows the master code but a bit better than usual.

You have access to bigger safes down at the lobby, my laptop did fit in although it is a small one.

Starbucks is around the corner, as most coffees in hotels do taste ugly. Small gift shop with not so much around.

Different this time was that I received a call from "beverly" from guest services with a number to contact the manager directly if there would be any need. Have not had that before.

The restaurant in the evening and the lounge is nice and not that expensive, much better than the van ness for example.

This stays my default location for SFO if I do not find something cheaper, it is 'good enough' for my purposes.

voop

Hotel was OK as such, nothing remarkable: I came early and was allowed earlu check-in. Remarked how high the bed was, and was reminded by staff that "this *is* San Francisco" (!)

Hotel was actually quite fine, their restaurant so-so so I'd suggest not using it for anything-but-breakfast (free to PC gold or better), staff very friendly and easy access to transport. Civic Center can have some strange types from time to time, but I had no hazzle.

Room was normal, in-room safe which required extra charge (I think 1 USD/night) but which I insited (and got) comped...

Downsides: it's just not next to anything, in the sense that it's not near the waterfront, not near the Castro, not near downtown -- or rather, it's a good 10-20min walk to most of the stuff.

But, it's a good place to stay.

nixande

and being remarkable cheaper than the rest, you have a lot of cab money over.

although it does lie very close to public transportation - you are down at market / powell in just a few minutes.

mikew99

I would have a tough time considering paying $70 for the HI CC when you could probably Priceline a much better hotel in a much better area for $15 more per night. If your plans are solid, that's a better way to go. (Or, you could try to Priceline a hotel in the same area for much less.) Caveat: I have stayed in SF many times, but never over Labor Day weekend, so prices for those dates might be different from what I'm used to seing.)

Boraxo

As a native, there is no way I could recommend for anyone to stay here due to the crappy neighborhood. You will be much better off at HI on VanNess or HI and HIX at Fisherman's Wharf. If the rates are too high there simply to to priceline and get an even better 4* room for $80/nt.

nixande

That all are nice suggestion but they are very uncomfortable.

It depends on personal favorites of course.

But having a day by day changable reservation through the system as reliable booking for a hotel I have a feeling about is more more important to me to have something somewhere through priceline at perhaps a rate.

I value my time much more over having to gues around the prices and the hotels. All hotels I chose are supposed to have a superiour aka direct connection with the kind of public transportation I need, power plugs and have free wireless. And be clean and have a safe.

Of course I prefer to stay in nicer hotels, but having nobody to pay for such extravaganzas I rather do not spend money on things I do not appreciate anyhow.

The Civic Center hotel is in a dogdy area. But it is perfectly fine to go those 50 steps from the hotel entry to Market street and go on your biz from there. By night, you do return by cab and not walk there. Easy as that. It is not as scary as it sounds btw.

Buying the van ness versus the civic center on normal rates on my last trip including less good public transport options would in comparison have been around 500 $ for a seven day trip, meaning I would have least to earn a thousand to offset that.

Going through priceline would mean guessing, betting, adapting and in the end most likely get a property which does not cater to my need the way I want them to be. 80$ a night plus priceline plus the work around it for a fixed thing on 'better' things I am not interested in is less attractive than a 109$ best flexible with full points at the civic center.

But that is my personal choice, especially since I rarely spend time at the hotel other than to sleep.

I rather save that money up and splurge in other cases at better hotels when this is worth the price and I can make use of those better options.

Boraxo

I am glad to hear that HI Civic was the best solution for your needs. However, I think it would a be a poor choice for the vast majority of FTers for all of the reasons previously stated. If price is the issue then you are almost guaranteed a better location and a nicer room for a lower price on priceline. The fact that you get no points and can't select the exact location is outweighed by the far superior accomodations and far superior location for a 4* USE and 4* USW, not to mention 3* FishWharf priceline zones.

As for transit options, a property in any of these zones will be far more convenient for 90% of the tourists and businessmen. The HI Civic is convenient only to the Civic Center area (if you have business there) possibly the federal building, and a few of the theatres. Yes, it is close to market street transit but the other hotels require NO transit to get to many places because they are walking distance. And our MUNI buseses and streetcars are notoriously slow and unreliable.

Most business people who require flexible rates realize that you have to allocate >$109/nt to get a decent room in a decent area in SF or in most of the elite cities in the US. And if a refundable rate is a non-negotiable criterion, then you could always book a cheaper room at one of the many nicer botique properties and then priceline it on the day of your reservation.

nixande

Again:
Priceline is work I am not willing to invest. It is no reliable result - you can gt good results but you need to know how to do that and basically by T&C I am not even allowed to use priceline with a non US credit card iirc.

It is also not true that "business people" always want and need to spend so much money on hotel rooms. They can if they want - especially if the company pays - but don't need to.

I prefer reliable options. Which in case for SFO would be The Mosser hotel for example for something cheaper and nicer, directly near market street.

And I found the Civic center to be absolut acceptable for all my travelling needs towards Silicon Valley as well as into the rest of the down (which many times means Moscone / Soma).

I give this review also for the reason that many people dismiss this property of its so called uselessness and how scary it is. It may be to you, but not to everyone.

Btw - the fact that they serve decent Brötchen for breakfast and have things which belong onto a breakfast table is reason alone *g*

Cheetah_SA

So, one year later... sorry for resurrecting the thread, but I have a very specific question. I will be in SF for one night in June specifically to see an opera. This location looks super convenient both to the BART and the Opera House. But unless I can walk from the hotel to the opera and back (at 11 in the evening) I might as well stay in a more salubrious area. Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Thumper

I really like the Van Ness location.

Pleanty of shopping, and 24 hours if you must.

Well insulated building, killer views on upper floors.

PC guests as recently as February got a small bottle of Brandy
sent up.