Choosing the right hotel is a huge issue for me. Stories of bed bugs and filthy rooms abound. The very thought makes me itch! Pictures do lie. The worst thing is to show up at a hotel after seeing the amazing but outdated pics on their website and find out that their reality is a far cry from my truth. So to eliminate the feeling of hotel dread I've devised the following rules:
- travel with my own portable bed. Torn, stained, cheap sheets make me want to avoid the bed/hotel altogether
- troll the independent reviews endlessly before settling on a hotel. Balancing good with evil commentary can help to minimise nasty surprises
- stick with 5 star hotels when the other options just don't measure up. If a feeling of continuing queasiness persists, spend the extra on a sure bet.
- never EVER stay in anything less than a 3 star and only settle for 3 stars if it's been misclassified and should be a 4.
So, although I been to San Francisco ( a fav spot) many times, I like to discover new gems and spent the weekend trolling the hotel reviews. I finally settled on the Courtyard by Marriott Fisherman's Wharf for surprisingly high level of customer satisfaction (reviews), location, free internet, and reasonable price. A Courtyard-really? Stay tuned...
