Hotel Review: The Grant Plaza Hotel: San Francisco

Good Location…not so great everything else

The Grant Plaza Hotel is a more budget minded boutique hotel located in Chinatown in San Francisco. When you read the Orbitz reviews and look at the website, it seems like a pretty nice place. However, looks can be deceiving.

It isn’t that The Grant Plaza Hotel is the worst hotel in San Francisco, but what they charge isn’t comparable to the amenities. The hotel has a prime location in the heart of Chinatown (Grant and California). This makes Union Square and the bus lines a short walk away. The lobby is beautiful and elegant. It has internet access in the lobby, and lockers to store your luggage in. The staff is very helpful. If you want an authentic Chinese meal, or want to know which shops have the best deals, they will gladly help you. However, that isn’t quite enough to prompt a return visit.

The lobby may be beautiful, but the rooms are bare bones basic. Yes, no one was expecting four star accommodations, but cold and sterile are not welcoming qualities. The bathrooms are huge, but not exactly functional. One little metal shelf is not exactly counter space. The television reception is fuzzy at best on the few channels you do get.

The location that is perfect during the day becomes a detriment at night. There is not much to do in the neighborhood around the hotel at night. The bus stops that would be your gateway to SOMA, the Haight or any other nightlife destination would be quite a hike. Even Ruby Skye is a little too far for a lone traveler to walk. Maybe if there is a group of you it would be safe, but walking around any city at night by yourself is not always the best move.

Another issue the Grant Plaza has is that they do not always have their rooms ready on time. Imagine that your flight came into San Francisco at 11:20. By the time you claim your luggage and take the shuttle to the hotel it is 12:30. It is too early to check in, so you put your bags in a locker and spend some time in Union Square. After you eat lunch at your favorite diner, you return to the hotel at a little past the check in time. The man at the front desk says your room isn’t ready yet. You are tired from the cross country flight. Not to mention, you woke up at 3:30 your time to get to the airport on time. All you want to do is get checked in and settled. Maybe you even want to take a shower. You wait for over an hour before they give you a key. When you finally get up to your room, the bed isn’t made and the bathroom has not been cleaned. Yes, this is a nightmare.

When booking a hotel online, be sure to read reviews carefully before you book. Also remember that the best deal may be too good to be true. Sure the Grant Plaza will work in a pinch, but there are many other less expensive hotels out there.

Hotel Review: Adante Hotel: San Francisco

A Great Deal

I was happy with my stay at the Adante Hotel in Downtown San Francisco. Small rooms? Sure, but most European Style Hotels have smaller rooms. Despite the claims of paper thin walls at the Adante Hotel I heard nothing from my neighbors in my whole stay. Sketchy neighborhood? Not really. I traveled alone and I never felt unsafe.

However, I did take a cab late (After Midnight) at night as to not be waiting at or walking from bus stops alone. During the day its perfectly fine. Going west of that block while alone, at night might not be ideal, but walking to and from Union Square is not big deal.

Remember what you are paying in comparision to the other budget hotels in the area. It isn’t a five star and it doesn’t bill itself as such. These are all things one needs to keep in mind. My only complaint, if you can even call it that, is that housekeeping makes it rounds rather early. My advice is if you go out to enjoy the night life, make sure you put your DND sign up before crawling into bed.

I have stayed in several “budget” hotels in San Francisco. Most of them were adequate, but very sterile and unwelcoming. This was not the case here.

The staff has always been super helpful and nice. Even before my stay I called with questions, and they were very happy to answer them. They helped me figure out MUNI route and find bus stops and other little things that made my stay much better. I am returning to the Adante on my next trip out there and I am looking forward to another positive experience.

San Francisco Shopping Tip: Shopping Tour of SF

Shopping Fun

San Francisco is wonderful city to visit. It has a rich history, great architecture and a diverse culture. Another thing the city has is some great places to shop. Some of the places are more common, others are a little off the beaten path, but still worth the trip.

The most common place to go shopping is in Union Square. Here you can find more traditional stores like Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, The Gap, Banana Republic and H & M. You will also find a Betsey Johnson store and other little boutiques. You could spend a whole day exploring all the stores. While this is the most common shopping area there are many other neighborhoods with many other options.

Another place to shop is in the Haight. While this is sometimes relegated to a touristy area, there are many great places to buy clothing, accessories, and even music. AS you walk through the Upper Haight (Haight-Asbury area) you will find every thing from thrift stores to trendy boutiques to The Gap (much to the locals’ dismay). If you are looking for more mod/goth/alt culture items, you will have great luck at stores like NY Apparel and Daljeets. If you are a music junkie, Amoeba Records will be your Mecca. It is at the end of Haight Street just before you get to Golden Gate Park. It filled with CDs, records, DVDs, imports, out of print and other hard to find items.

No shopping trip in San Francisco would be complete without a stop in Chinatown. Chinatown is filled with great little shops. You can find great items for great deals. Of course you need to check the quality of the item before you buy. Some stores carry low caliber products, but many other stores carry items that are durable. If you want to avoid tourist traffic and shop where the locals shop, go up Stockton. You will avoid the foot traffic on Grant and you will find some great stores.

The Mission district is often over looked as a great place to shop. Valencia Street is home to many thrift stores and boutiques. You will also find many bookstores along this stretch of Valencia. One of those bookstores is called Borderlands. Borderlands specializes in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books. If you want an autographed copy of Christopher Moore’s newest book, this is where to find it. Borderlands also carries prints by Alan Clark and some great jewelry. The highlight of the store is their (hairless) store cat Ripley.

If you do not have car, don’t worry all of these locations are easily accessible by public transit (specifically MUNI). You can pay each fare as you go, or you can get a multi-day pass and save some money. It can take a day or two to get to all the stores, but it is well worth it.

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San Francisco Tip: Borderlands Bookstore

Great Bookstore in the Mission

Far from the bustling streets of Union Square in San Francisco, Borderlands Books has a home on Valencia Street. Their mission location specializes in science fiction, fantasy and horror books. You can find new books, imports, used books, out of print books, and other hard to find editions here.

The store isn’t very big, but the selection is amazing. You can find just about anything you are looking for in the sci-fa/fantasy/horror genre. If you do not live in San Francisco, you can even order from their official website

, and they will ship you the book. Borderlands also carries non-book items like prints by Alan Clark and jewelry. Be sure to check out the both of those dispels. You can find some beautiful artwork and silver jewelry for a decent price.

What if they do not have the book you are looking for? Let the staff know, and they will help you try and locate it elsewhere. That is another great thing about this store, the staff is very knowledgeable. They are great with helping you find the perfect book as a gift (or for yourself if you are not sure of what you are looking for). If you are buying a book online, and you have a question you can e-mail or call the store and they will answer your question in a timely manner.

If the store was not unique enough, the store cat makes it even more unique. Ripley is a Sphynx. Basically, she is just about hairless. Despite her strange appearance, she is part of the overall store experience. Whether she is greeting customers as the check out (sitting on the counter or the computer monitor) or trying to jump into your lap when you kneel down to get a book (and not wanting to leave so you can stand up), she is sweet and adorable.

Borderlands opened at its original location back in 1997, and it has been a great resource for sci-fi/fantasy/horror fans in San Francisco ever since. The store moved to its current location in 2001, and it has been a Mission favorite ever since. If you live in San Francisco, or you are just visiting, give the little book store at 866 Valencia Street a try! The store is open every day from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Be sure to check the website for special events. You never know when they will be having a book signing or other event on site.

San Francisco on a budget: How to Link

San Francisco is not a cheap city. However you can still have a great time without breaking the bank. Take a look at this article on www.ehow.com for  more help!

San Francisco Attraction Review:San Francisco Vampire Tour

No trip to San Francisco is complete without a few key things: seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, spending time in Chinatown, riding the cables cars and last but not least taking the Vampire Tour of San Francisco. Now before you ask, “the what???” you should know that the Vampire Tour is a great way to spend two hours on your Saturday or Friday night.

The San Francisco Vampire tour takes you around Nob Hill. You will start in Huntington Park and from there you will see the many land marks the neighborhood has to offer. You will take a look at Grace Cathedral, The Union Pacific Club, The Fairmount Hotel, and other locations in a way you never have before.

The tour is guided by Mina Harker (Kitty Burns), as she gives you the history of Nob Hill from the undead perspective. The neighborhood history is 100% factual, the rest is pure fun. The tour starts every Friday and Saturday night at 8:00 at the corner of California and Taylor streets. If you are coming from Union square, picking up the California line in China town might be a good idea. The walk up Taylor is a steep one! The tour costs $20.00, and it is money well spent.

When I took the tour, I was very impressed with the presentation. It was a great crash course in San Francisco history. It wasn’t boring, drawn out, or bland as other tours of the city. I keep hoping one of my return trips to the city will fall on a weekend so I can take the tour again. I would gladly hear all the stories again! Despite the name of the tour it is not scary or too dark. It isn’t just for goth kids and freaks. It is fun for everyone.

As the website http://www.sfvampiretour.com/ states, people are welcome to dress in costume (sadly all I had for my tour was bat barrettes). The website also brings up a good point about the weather. The tour goes on rain or shine (unless it is really raining hard), so be ready to face the elements. Also remember that San Francisco is not in southern California. It does get chilly there at night. Wearing shorts and a tank top on the tour would not be advisable.

If you are visiting San Francisco, or you are a local and you have never taken the tour, it really is something you must do. It gives you fun look at a neighborhood that transformed from a cemetery to the bustling neighborhood it is today.

San Francisco: Non Touristy How to and advice

I love San Francisco, and while there is nothing wrong with doing the usual tourist stuff, sometimes just enjoying the city can be a big reword. Click here to find how to find things off the beaten path.

Also here are some tips:

Sometimes being the traditional tourist can get old. When you visit a city, it is nice to see the popular sights, but sometimes it is nice to get off the beaten track. San Francisco is a beautiful city. It has many traditional touristy stops, but the lesser known gems can be just as fun.

If you need a nice relaxing afternoon, try spending some time in Huntington Park. The park is located on California Street between Taylor and The Flood Mansion/ Pacific Union Club at Mason. The park was originally a cemetery and then a mansion that was destroyed in the 1906 fire. On a sunny afternoon, you can sit there for hours, people-watch, and enjoy the sights in the park. The park is situated at the top of a hill looking down into the Union Square area. It is great view of the city. You also have great views of Grace Cathedral and the Fairmount Hotel.

Another must see is the San Francisco Vampire Tour. The tour meets up at Huntington Park (Taylor and California) on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00. “Mina Harker” will guide you through history of Nob Hill with a little bit of a twist. You can find more information on the tour at the official website .

Riding the cable car is one of those things every tourist wants to do. That means the lines for the cars going to Fisherman’s Wharf are insanely long. Plus if you do not pick it up at the starting point, there might not be room for you to get on later. However, they are not the only game in town. There is the California line. It starts in the Financial District and goes down California to Van Ness. The car goes through Chinatown, and past Huntington Park. You can still ride the cable car without the crowds!

If you are hungry, there are many places to eat in Union Square. One of the less promoted is the Pinecrest Diner. It is located at the corner at Geary and Mason. Pinecrest is the typical diner, complete with the brown Formica tables and vinyl seats. However, it has excellent food and the prices aren’t gouging. The diner also has a great window that faces out on to Mason. If you sit in one of the booths along that wall, you can people watch as you eat.

The Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf are great places to go, but sometimes a little break from the crowd is nice. Try some of these places, and do some searching on your own. You might find some other great gems in the city.

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