San Francisco Hotels

[margord]

On a cruise out of San Francisco.  Any recommendations for hotels close to the Piers but in a good neighborhood.  I would like to be able to walk around the pier where the seals are located and other attractions, but want to make sure the neighborhood is safe, at least during the day.

 

Marilee

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

San Francisco is very compact city and easy to get around in.  Uber/Lyft is every where.  I'm not a big fan of the pier area.  We much prefer to stay near Union Square.  St. Francis and the two Hilton properties are our choice, depending on price.  These days walking around SF in a "safe neighborhood" is dependent on your comfort level.  

Edited March 4, 2022 by ATSEAMYLIFE

[princeton123211]

On 2/10/2022 at 8:16 AM, margord said:

Any recommendations for hotels close to the Piers but in a good neighborhood.

We're big fans of Nob Hill-- the grande dame Fairmont Hotel, Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, and Huntington Hotel are all good options there. Ritz Carlton is just down the street. Can walk to pretty much anywhere given how central it is but might want to take an Uber when you head back as the hill leading up is very steep on foot. 

 

If you like tiki bars the Tonga Room in the basement of the Fairmont is a must. 

Edited March 4, 2022 by princeton123211

[rkacruiser]

35 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

Can walk to pretty much anywhere given how central it is but might want to take an Uber when you head back as the hill leading up is very steep on foot. 

 

This is true even near the Fisherman's Wharf area.  I chose a Marriott Hotel because of its location to the Wharf area as well as Ghirardelli Square.  The Square was at the top of a hill while my hotel was at the bottom.

[Bruin Steve]

This thread is actually the second of two very similar posts by the OP four weeks ago...At that time, most replies were posted to the first thread, seen here:

 

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Bruin Steve

[Anyislandwilldo]

On 3/4/2022 at 1:22 PM, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

San Francisco is very compact city and easy to get around in.  Uber/Lyft is every where.  I'm not a big fan of the pier area.  We much prefer to stay near Union Square.  St. Francis and the two Hilton properties are our choice, depending on price.  These days walking around SF in a "safe neighborhood" is dependent on your comfort level.  

Is SF a safe area for 2 women to walk alone?  On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst, how would you rate the safety of walking around?  I understand that everyone has their own opinion but I would appreciate your input.  Thanks.

[Bruin Steve]

1 hour ago, Anyislandwilldo said:

Is SF a safe area for 2 women to walk alone?  On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst, how would you rate the safety of walking around?  I understand that everyone has their own opinion but I would appreciate your input.  Thanks.

I will throw in my two cents here:

It's a big city.  As with any big city, there are some better areas...and some worse.  Whenever you travel in any city as a tourist, be aware of your surroundings...Secure your personal items from the possibility of pickpockets.  This goes for San Francisco...or anywhere.  You will see many homeless people. Most are harmless.

My older daughter lived for many years in San Francisco up until a couple of years ago, first in SOMA (the area south of Market St.) then for several years in the Marina District (the neighborhood just to the West of Fisherman's Wharf).  She walked virtually everywhere, day and night, often alone.  It is not unusual for locals to walk.  It can be very difficult to drive there--or to find parking.  Also remember the City is built on a number of very steep hills--so, forget any safety concerns, the issue with walking some places is that the walk itself is difficult.  But remember, public transportation is very good--BART, buses, cable cars, taxis and Uber.

Fisherman's Wharf, the Marina, North Beach, Chinatown, the Financial District are all good walkable areas.  (Nob Hill is very nice, but very steep, so you'll rely on the cable car or Uber to get around).  Aside from the normal precautions, I'd say all of the above are fairly safe, IMHO.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

The tourist areas of SF are a 3. There is plenty of unpleasant stuff around, not necessarily dangerous.

[Philob]

As mentioned above the tourist areas are relatively safe to walk around. The latest BIG issue around SF tourist areas is the smash n' grab of cars. Please do not leave anything in your car, including phone chargers, cables, sunglasses, coffee cups. Leave everything in your hotel until you leave town. There's a case or two where the driver was still in the car and the crooks smashed the hatch window to grab the backpack. 

 

A TV crew a whiles back doing a report on car smash n' grabs filmed one in progress right in front of them. Not to be out done, the crooks are now robbing TV vans.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

On a scale of 1-10 I would rate the city overall as a 4.  Some areas are a -2 especially at night, but I doubt you would go there for any legit reason.  You will be fine in the tourist areas during normal hours.  Anyplace/any city can be a risk at 0300 hours.  If walking, stay with a group and don't carry a purse or flashy jewelry.  Be prepared to see strange behavior even in the highly tourist areas in the middle of the day.  It's a shame what the City has become.  We live 90 minutes away and would go several times a year for a long weekend.  We haven't been since late 2019 and have no plans to return.  There are many greater places to go.    

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

On 4/8/2022 at 5:25 PM, Philob said:

A TV crew a whiles back doing a report on car smash n' grabs filmed one in progress right in front of them. Not to be out done, the crooks are now robbing TV vans.

Not to mention the retired police officer working security for a news crew was shot and killed a few weeks ago by thugs attempting to rob the TV crew.