I'm planning a birthday trip for my wife in October. We'd like a hotel with a view and nice sized rooms, without being overly pricey (below $300/night preferably). On a prior visit we stayed at the Huntington and had a very nice room, although a bit lacking in view. Alas, I've heard the Huntington is not as good as it used to be. Any recent experiences?

Browsing web sites, the Fairmont seems to have rooms with great views. So does the Intercontinental, although I can't find room sizes on their web site.

Any suggestions?

richarddd, consider this place in Sausalito: http://www.innabovetide.com. I've never stayed there, but I often ride past it on my bike rides. It looks like a really neat place. The Sausalito ferry terminal (see schedule at http://www.innabovetide.com/sfferryschedule.htm) is a few very scenic blocks away. The 30 min. ride across the Bay itself is very scenic; tourists pay to travel the same route on cruise boats. If you were to miss the last ferry at night, just take a $25-30 cab ride across the GG Bridge.

Sausalito is usually right at the edge of the fog coming through the GG Strait. It can be sunny and 10 degrees warmer than on the Bridge (which is just a mile south).

Edited to add: October is an excellent time to visit. This an other hotels will usually have lower rates, the crowds are smaller and the weather is often the best of the year. For any hotel you call, check for internet specials, AAA discount and Entertainment Card rates.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'd prefer something in SF itself

I have stayed in both hotels. SOME rooms have nice view, not all!
My room at Mark Hopkins Interconti was very small. I did not complain, had a special (low) price booked at Expedia.
My room at Fairmont was very simple. After I had booked, before I arrived, I joint on the web the President's Club and got some nice vouchers.

The Hilton, high up in the tower, has very nice views (and the executive lounge has outstanding views). Rooms are smallish, but I bet you could negotiate one of the suites for under $300 if you call. The hotel is not luxurious, but it is very decent.

The Mandarin Oriental should have outstanding views. It may exceed your price range

The St. Francis has good views from way up the tower.

The W has decent views if your room is high enough.

Excellent views. I stayed here a few years ago. My room came with binoculars!! ^

[QUOTE=Eastbay1K]
The St. Francis has good views from way up the tower.
QUOTE]

http://www.michaelanthonyrambo.com/p...oldengate1.jpg

This was what I had to wake up to every morning for a week in early August 2003.
We were on the floor below the presidential suite/conference rooms.
It wasn't terribly expensive neither.
IIRC like low $200s.

We had a nice view, and a very spacious room, at the PanPacific a few years back.

The Hyatt Embarcadero has good views as well to the North and East over the Bay. I'm not sure about GG bridge,as I had an east-facing room. (Note that this hotel is at the eastern end of California St. and is not the Grand Hyatt. Many travelers and travel agents seem to confuse the two.) Very convenient if you decide to take BART in from or out to either SFO or OAK.

Hilton SF. Get an executive room and ask for a west view. Aewsome view of the city and the gate. One of the nicest hotel views i've had in a regular premuim hotel.

Last year my wife and I stayed at the Renaissance, I had just returned from Japan and we decided to stay in the city for the evening. Had a room up about 38 floors and it was the evening of a huge thunder and lightening storm. The view (that night anyway) was awsome. On a normal evening, if your room faces the right direction, you've got a good view. Location is decent, right off Union Square.

Bruce

I've stayed at the Renaissance on Nob Hill (Stanford Court I think) several times, which I don't think is the one that BruceEG is referring to. I did not like the one I stayed at. All of the rooms I had faced into the courtyard, which is where the taxi's and valets operate. About 5AM each morning, the whistles started blowing for taxis.^ I would have preferred hearing a rooster.

You are correct - we stayed at the hotel by Union Square, not the one on Nob Hill (and from your post I'll do the same next time!)

Bruce