Help with hotel choice in San Francisco

I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Any personal experience or suggestions are welcome!

wrote:
I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Any personal experience or suggestions are welcome!

The Serrano is a boutique hotel, meaning smaller, more "personal", but
the facilities are not as modern as the Grand Hyatt. Both of these
hotels require a fair amount of walking to the Moscone Center. So
depends on how late your conference runs, the Grand Hyatt area is a
little safer than the Serrano area.

On 16 Jan 2007 08:35:45 -0800, wrote:

I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Any personal experience or suggestions are welcome!

The Serrano is a mid-sized boutique hotel. We've stayed there -- it's decent and
interesting. The daily wine gathering is actually enjoyable, to our surprise.
The "area," in the same block as the Hotel Monaco, is completely safe, with the
caveat that you don't want to go wandering south down Taylor through the
Tenderloin to get to Moscone -- just walk up O'Farrel to Fourth. It's a great
location, two blocks from Union Square, handy to Chinatown and the walk up to
North Beach, easy to head west on Geary to get to all the interesting
restaurants, pubs, and shops on Polk St., handy to the shopping on Market St, as
well as very close to the bar at the Monaco and the little restaurant Rue Lepic
(two of our favorites).

The Hyatt Regency is in the Embarcadero area, on the other side of the financial
district. It's very large, very modern, very nice -- and we'd never stay there,
because it's dull, and the area is uninteresting. It's also almost three times
as far from Moscone.

Views, schmiews -- you're in SF, man -- get out and enjoy it! You want views,
go climb the Coit Tower. 8

-- Larry

pltrgyst wrote:
On 16 Jan 2007 08:35:45 -0800, wrote:

I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Any personal experience or suggestions are welcome!


The Hyatt Regency is in the Embarcadero area, on the other side of the financial
district. It's very large, very modern, very nice -- and we'd never stay there,
because it's dull, and the area is uninteresting. It's also almost three times
as far from Moscone.


OP is talking about the Grand Hyatt, not the Hyatt Regency. The Grand
Hyatt is very close to Union Square and has all the conveniences of the
Serrano you mentioned (close to shopping, restaurants, etc.).

Views, schmiews -- you're in SF, man -- get out and enjoy it! You want views,
go climb the Coit Tower. 8

-- Larry

wrote:
I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Yes, the Hyatt is in a safer area. I'd prefer the Hyatt as it's also
closer to North Beach and Chinatown.

How much are the hotels close to Moscone?

How much are the hotels close to Moscone?

Thanks for your post. The hotels close to Moscone were roughly the same
price but all of the ones I tried (many) are sold out during the
conference (Feb. 5-9).

On 16 Jan 2007 13:48:38 -0800, "PeterL" wrote:

The Hyatt Regency is in the Embarcadero area, on the other side of the financial
district. It's very large, very modern, very nice -- and we'd never stay there,
because it's dull, and the area is uninteresting. It's also almost three times
as far from Moscone.

OP is talking about the Grand Hyatt, not the Hyatt Regency. The Grand
Hyatt is very close to Union Square and has all the conveniences of the
Serrano you mentioned (close to shopping, restaurants, etc.).

Ooops, my bad on the location. Sorry.

Other comments still apply.

-- Larry (apparently Hyatt-ly challenged...must be Shana's fault.)

In article om, wrote:

I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Any personal experience or suggestions are welcome!

I stayed at the Grand Hyatt a couple of weeks back. Pretty good; decent sized
room, fairly quiet (16th floor, so not surprising), and a good restaurant and
bar (Grandviews) with great views S, W & N on the top (36th) floor. If you're
an AAA member (see another thread) you can get their free full breakfast deal
- a good one, as their breakfasts are excellent but not cheap (full buffet
$25, cinnamon bun french toast $15, etc.). See the "special offers" section of
their website; you'll need to phone them again to get this put on your
reservation. The only downside I found with the Hyatt was the large number of
noisy children. However, that was between xmas and new year; I imagine there'd
be fewer families there in Feb.

Another poster mentioned that a benefit of the Serrano is its location close
to the Hotel Monaco and its excellent Grand Cafe. I concur - both the bar and
the restaurant there are very good. However, it's not too far from the Hyatt,
either.

And after your visit to the Grand or to make up for the wine you might miss by
not staying at the Serrano: try to find The Hidden Vine, a very cute little
basement wine bar that looks like somebody's Victorian sitting room:
http://www.thehiddenvine.com .

Geoff

--
Actually, I do have spots.

"SMS" wrote in message
...
wrote:
I am attending a conference at the Moscone Center for a week in
February. I currently have reservations at both the Serrano Hotel
(http://www.serranohotel.com/) and the Grand Hyatt
(http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com). I am able to get both of them for
roughly the same rate ($159 and $169, respectively). Could someone who
knows San Francisco or who has stayed at these hotels help me decide
where I should stay? What I like about the Serrano is that they have a
sauna, daily complimentary wine, Aveda products and free internet. I
like the Hyatt because it seems to be in a better/safer area, the rooms
are large (312 sq ft), they have good views, and I believe my room
would be quieter.

Yes, the Hyatt is in a safer area. I'd prefer the Hyatt as it's also
closer to North Beach and Chinatown.

How much are the hotels close to Moscone?

The two hotels about 3 blocks apart. There is more than one Hyatt in SF.
The Grand is a 1/2 block from Union Square. Serrano Hotel is maybe 3 blocks
from Union Sq. Walking to Moscone, the Grand is maybe 2 blocks closer.
Some conferences have bus shuttles. Take a little time to sightsee. An
Irish coffee at the Buena Vista by Marina Green. A nice beer at the Beach
Chalet in Golden Gate park at the beach. Check out the Mosaic downstairs.
Great dinner, North Beach Restaurant.

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 04:37:49 GMT, "Calif Bill" wrote:

Great dinner, North Beach Restaurant.

Better dinner, less formal, much more fun -- Rose Pistola, 100 yards away. 8

-- Larry