Review title
Budget Heaven
Review excerpt
If you are a "travel sissy" who insists on perfect accommodations, this is not the hotel for you. It is small, old, and (in some respects) far from up-to-date. On the other hand, if you don't mind "roughing it" a bit, this is the greatest hotel in the city, affordable beyond belief, and located in a great area.
First things first- the cheapest rooms have no toilet or shower. There are two toilet rooms and one shower/toilet combination per floor (4 floors). To be honest I never had a problem with either one, even when I showered twice in one morning. Your room has a sink, but the toilet and shower rooms do not. Some of the hotel rooms come with a private bathroom, but they cost more and you have to ask for one.
The hotel rooms are small, but comfy. My mattress, pillows, and blankets were very high quality. I slept better here than I have at many of the big chain motels. There is a TV with cable, a closet, the aforementioned sink, and a nightstand. You also get the nice extra touches that are often missing from budget places- a hairdryer, an iron and board, and an alarm clock.
The hotel is located near the southern Chinatown Gate. It's pretty safe at night and a far cry from most of the city's budget hotels, which are mostly located in the gritty Tenderloin neighborhood (you are best off retreating indoors after sundown over there). It's a short haul from the BART and close to several major bus lines. Parking could be a problem, but anyone crazy enough to bring a car into downtown SF deserves what they get.
The hotel staff are very friendly, and the people I met who were staying at the hotel were all very nice. The lobby serves as exhibit space for local artists. The staff puts out coffee, juice, and bagels every morning. They will also store your bags if you arrive before check-in time, or want to expore the city after check-out.
So yes, it's not a resort, but you're not paying resort prices, so why complain? Enjoy the art on the walls, the antique cage elevator, and the pleasant surroundings, knowing that other visitors to SF are paying more for valet parking than you are for an entire hotel room!