Is it really better than a hostel?: The Grant Plaza Hotel, San Francisco
One of the biggest problems with finding an affordable hotel in
San Francisco is separating the seedy from the respectable. Even once you have done that, is the hotel going to be glorified hostel or is it going to be comparable to chain hotels. In the case of the Grant Plaza Hotel, the website and summaries make it seem like a nice place. However, the wonderful lobby is misleading.
While the staff is very friendly and the
Chinatown location are great plusses, the hotel still leaves a great deal to be desired. The rooms are sterile feeling and very basic. The bathrooms follow that mold. Smaller rooms are understandable, but the lay out just doesn’t make sense. It is a chore to get around the room and to the closet. The “great location” becomes a detriment if you want to experience the city’s nightlife. The bus stops that are a safe walk away during the day are not always so safe at night when you are a lone traveler. One of the biggest issues the Grant Plaza Hotel has is that many times the rooms are not ready by check in time, leaving jet lagged customers to wait even longer.
When you are looking for something better than a hostel, but cheaper than the Hyatt theGrant Plaza may look like an attractive option. However, the elegance ends at the lobby and the great location can be not so great in the end.
References: The Grant Plaza Hotel– Customer Beware