Grant Plaza Hotel

This is a handy base for exploring San Francisco, right in Chinatown, which is worth a look on its own. Downtown and the cable car starting points are walkable, and Fisherman's Wharf is about a half hour on foot. The staff were kind and professional, and I'd stay again. A few things to know: it's noisy at all hours, so bring earplugs. Parking is expensive and a bit of a walk away. There are few amenities, no temperature control, and no fridge or microwave. If all you need is a bed and a shower, it's an affordable option in a great location.

The one bright spot was getting to check in two hours early for free. Otherwise, the room smelled odd and there's no way to open the windows for fresh air. The TV was old, with 480p resolution, and there was no mini fridge. Expect very little. The hotel has just one elevator, and it only fits three people, despite having more than 80 guests.

The staff were welcoming and quick to respond, and the price felt fair for the location. This vintage-feeling hotel sits by Chinatown, with upscale shopping and places like Macy's, Target, and Ross for Less nearby. Through the Dragon Gate there are quirky tourist shops to browse. The rooms are clean and a good size for one or two people traveling light. They have a proper closet, luggage bench, desk shelves, plenty of bathroom space, secure wifi, and lots of plugs. Shampoo and body wash come in shower dispensers, and the soaps smell lovely. Coffee is downstairs at 6 am rather than in the room, and there's a cute coffee shop next door. The bed was painfully hard, enough to make my hips hurt the morning after the first night. Luckily I found two thick blankets in the closet and folded them over the mattress, which fixed it. The room had an old-house smell, like my grandparents' place in the 1970s, but peppermint or lavender pillow spray could probably take care of that. There are no temperature controls, though the screened windows open. Bring a sleep mask: light slips through the gaps around the old doors despite the blackout curtains, and the bathroom night lights are very bright. Closing the bathroom door worked for me. Despite the building's age, it was mostly quiet. I heard a hair dryer now and then, but barely needed the earplugs I'd brought.

I couldn't cancel after arriving, and the stay was awful. The rooms were tiny, dirty, and had old bathrooms. There was dust all over the curtains and windows. There's no AC or fan, and the air in the room felt unbreathable. What I got didn't match the photos. They also charged $30 cash for cleaning on arrival. The receptionist, a Chinese guy, spoke broken English. The stay was really expensive, and parking cost another $40 for one day. His map was just a strange sketch, so finding the garage was hard. When I got there, it wasn't open around the clock: it closed at 23:00, and you couldn't get your car until 7:00. That won't work if you have an early flight. I'd suggest booking somewhere in Oakland instead, such as Best Western, where it's cheaper and parking is available.