Dennis
Reged: 04/05/04
Posts: 3146
Loc: Chicago
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We're planning a trip to San Francisco in September. We’ve never been and probably want to stay in the Union Square area. (I guess?) I’ve been researching hotels and am considering several including these:
Campton Place
Hotel Monaco
Prescott Hotel
Do any forum travelers have any suggestions on these or other S.F. hotels?
There are some restaurant suggestions in some past posts about San Francisco…any new suggestions/updates?
Also, we’ll take a trip to the wine country. I’ve been told that 1 day…maybe a day and a half is all you really need of touring wineries. Comments?
What's the weather like that time of year(first part of September)?
This forum’s wonderfully informed, well traveled members helped make our NYC trip last November more enjoyable with some great suggestions. Thanks in advance for any suggestions again!
Dennis
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15729
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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We stayed at the Sir Francis Drake when we were there for a buyers show...we liked it...Pucinis and Pennitis was very good as well as the Grand Cafe....all right there in Union Square...thats all I know.....oh yeah....and we did one long day in wine country...and then I got the ski bug so off to Tahoe we went
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karma is a beautiful thing at times
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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It's been a few, but we really liked the Fairmont on Nob Hill.
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Dennis
Reged: 04/05/04
Posts: 3146
Loc: Chicago
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Mike,
The "Drake" gets hammered on Trip Advisor and Travelocity. How long ago were you there?
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Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15729
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
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Dennis..hmmmm....thats too bad...I guess it was late nineties Im guessing...it was part of the "buyers show package"..they had a terrific Sunday brunch too....oh well...easy come easy go
do check out those two eateries though..they were good
Edited by Mike R (05/19/05 08:09 AM)
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dwl
Reged: 02/12/04
Posts: 59
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Here are some restaurant suggestions. We go to SF about 3-4 times a year, part business/part leisure.
Slanted Door -- my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the country.
Delfina -- great Italian
Zuni Cafe -- great oysters & seafood, brunch and a great burger
Aqua -- For a more formal dinner
Foreign Cinema -- great brunch, lunch or dinner in a rapidly changing neighborhood.
Those are some of my favorites...you guys will love SF. It is my fav US city. If I think of other restaurants, I will let you know.
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KevinS
Reged: 07/23/03
Posts: 3415
Loc: Boston
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It's been a few years, but I remember some of the rooms in the Prescott as being on the small side. If you stay at there you'll find Postrio, one of Wolfgang Puck's restaurants, right downstairs. I enjoyed dinner at Postrio so much that on my return from Napa a week later I dined there again and ordered the exact same meal.
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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Oh yes, Napa!
If I am ever banished from the clay hills of the south and can not seek refuge in the caribbean, plant me in Napa.
I LOVE with a capital L O V E that place. Small, quiet, quaint, friendly and full of wine. It reminds me of that scene in the movie Grapefield Of Dreams: Is this heaven? No, it's just a winery.
Yes, you must do Napa. MANDATORY.
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Dennis
Reged: 04/05/04
Posts: 3146
Loc: Chicago
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IV,
Any "shouldn't miss" wineries? Did "y'all" stay at a cool B&B or lodge?
I thought "corn squeazins" was your drink of choice?
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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Dennis: Robert Mondavi is a must do, partly in homage to the most important winemaker/innovator - Europeans included - in the last century. I also liked Beringer. Back In The Day, you could tour Inglenook, which is THE perfect winery. It has since been bought by Francis Ford Copolla of Hollywood fame who has enhanced the reputation of this most noble of California estates. I dont know if the Copolla people do tours, but if they do, they are a MUST stop.
We have not stayed at a B and B but I would highly recommend it. The towns/villages of Rutherford and St Helena are Oh My Gosh Gorgeous and the types of places you see on Travel Channel but assume really dont exist.
Napa has so many nice wineries that it can take a week or more just to scratch the surface. While I have not stayed in a B and B in my three trips there, I would LOVE to do so and just walk/sip my way around the village.
Oh I love that place. One of my favorite places on earth.
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JackR
Reged: 10/10/02
Posts: 976
Loc: North Shore
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We stayed at the St Francis in mid-october and it was lovely. Get a high floor. Also I would highly recommend the Forneau's oven restaurant which is in another hotel( I forget where) this was recommended to us by a premier restaurantuer who is now retired. Plan on the MOST enjoyable lamb chops you have EVER tasted. EVER!.
Also Skip wine country. Its just boing farm country with vineyards. WIne is Just wine/ especially young wine like at a vineyard
What to do instead? YOSEMITE. a 3.5 hour drive and plan two nights there. It is an unforgettable experience. Try to stay at the Ahwanee. They have very nice california wine there too and the view is beyond belief.
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carter
Reged: 02/17/04
Posts: 53
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Ditto on the St. Francis ... very nice hotle w/ an old school feel. There is a great French Bakery (OK, not SBH great, but ..) down the street and around the corner (towards China Town ... ask the concerge).
I say the wine country is a must. If you can get it (and it is not easy) tour Rafanelle. It is a small, family winery .. the tour is led by the daughter and touring the winery is the only way you can get on the list to buy limited bottles of their wine which is VERY good.
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bajajudy
Reged: 01/22/05
Posts: 160
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September is the best month to go to SF normally. When we lived in the area, it was the time of year that my tomatoes finally ripened. As for the hotels, I would look into some of the boutique hotels as they have been hurting and are more apt to have some sort of special rate. Since I lived there, hotels are not my specialty.
As for restuarants, go to http://www.sfgate.com and look for the 100 best restaurant archive. One of our all time favorites and one of Jimmy Buffett's, if you care about things like that,(he took us there 15 years ago) is Thang Lang on Judah. Their specialty is garlic roasted crabs and they are the best crabs you will ever eat. All of their food is good but their garlic noodles are also fabulous. Spring rolls and stuffed octopus are great too. I must say that I am not sure if that is the exact spelling. If you are interested, I can try to get more info for you.
Also, the crab that they serve along the wharf is excellent. They go through some many pounds a day that it is always fresh...with some sour dough bread of course.
Our favorite place for lunch is Swans Oyster Depot on Post. Very small lunch counter run by the brothers and cousins of the original owner. Being from Boston you will appreciate their clam chowder, I am sure. The crab and shrimp salads are also excellent. AND they have Heineken on draft.
The wine train is more fun than it sounds and serves an excellent lunch as well.
I would plan at least one night as who wants to drive back into the city after all that wine?!?!?!?
Yosemite will be beautiful that time of year. The Ahwanee is a must.
This is making me homesick....NOT!
Hope this helps. You will have a wonderful time, I am sure.
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http://www.bajabooksandmaps.com
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bajajudy
Reged: 01/22/05
Posts: 160
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Boy did I screw that up!!
Sorry Dennis for some reason I though it was Kevin's post. But the clam chowder is still real good. Cant think of a thing from Chicago that SF has but there are some real good steak houses on Van Ness; most of which have dress codes.
Sausilito at around sunset can be a real eye opener when the fog rolls in...literally.
Oh always take long pants and a jacket or sweater, if you start out in shorts and t-shirt and visa versa.
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http://www.bajabooksandmaps.com
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bajajudy
Reged: 01/22/05
Posts: 160
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Dont know if you are still interested but here is the address for the 100 best
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/03/CMTOP100.DTL
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http://www.bajabooksandmaps.com
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Dennis
Reged: 04/05/04
Posts: 3146
Loc: Chicago
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Thanks for the info...for the second year in a row; we may put off the September S.F. trip for something else. Last year it was NYC for Thanksgiving. This year it may be a mid-winter Caribbean trip (non St. Barths category). Since we moved from Texas to Chicago, we think we may need a mid-winter break along about the end of January. So that’s probably where that budgeted money will go.
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