SAN FRANCISCO — The Good Hotel is a good hotel. Its rooms are small and spare but contemporary-cool, and they have everything you need: a bathroom, a safe, TV, free wireless, an iPod dock and clever art. Some rooms are even air-conditioned.
It's a good hotel. It's just in a not-so-good location, far enough from tourist attractions, shops and most restaurants that you'll need to take cabs or buses — or borrow one of the hotel's free bikes.
That's why the Good Hotel is a good bargain. Put this same hotel in Union Square and you'd pay closer to $200. But at Mission and Seventh streets south of the Tenderloin (the area best known for panhandling and hollering), it's $89 most weeknights.
San Francisco has always offered great hotel deals, but with California's current shaky economy, it's easy to find a room for less than $100. You might have to give up an amenity or two: location, air conditioning, sometimes a bathroom ... but many times, you will be able to find something both affordable and acceptable here, unless you're into spas and turn-down service.
The least expensive rooms typically have queen beds, but sometimes you luck out and get a king. Here are some of my favorite cheap hotels:
The Good Hotel. The Good is favored by hipsters, who typically take the nearby Bay Area Rapid Transit train to the Mission District, a few miles away. It has iMacs in the lobby for guests to use free, and there's a photo booth in the lobby next to the elevator, which is plastered with photos of guests making faces. Its restaurant is known for its breakfast calzones. It's at 112 Seventh St. 415-621-7001, www.jdvhotels.com.
The Carlton. Not to be confused with the Ritz Carlton, the Carlton is uphill from the Good in a neighborhood just north of the Tenderloin but not quite Nob Hill (locals call it TenderNob). It's a safe, 15-minute downhill walk to the Union Square area from here. Rooms are smallish but colorful and contemporary with free wireless, coffee maker, safe and TV. There's no air conditioning. (It's typically needed only during a handful of fall days.) There is an elevator. It's pet-friendly, and its Saha Arabic restaurant is popular with locals as well as visitors. Rooms (all have bathrooms) start at $95 on www.jdvhotels.com. It's at 1975 Sutter St., 415-673-0242.
Hotel Vertigo. A block closer to Union Square than the Carlton is the Vertigo, which until recently was the York and long ago was the Empire, the hotel featured in the movie "Vertigo" — thus the current incarnation. The Vertigo has updated most of its rooms (not huge, but you can walk around) in orange, white and taupe, and they have plush beds, exceedingly fluffy robes, room safes, free wireless, TV and refrigerators. No air conditioning. There's an elevator, and the staff is delightful. Rooms (all have bathrooms) start at $93 at www.hotelvertigosf.com. It's at 940 Sutter St. 415-885-6800.
Hotel Diva. This hotel has both a great location and air conditioning, and yet its rooms start at $99. Just a couple of blocks from Union Square, it was recently redone with cool Design Within Reach furnishings and comfy beds. All rooms have bathrooms, along with free wireless, TV, iPod docks, safe, robes, a fridge and a coffee maker. There are a few free computers throughout the hotel in case you didn't bring yours. There's an elevator, and a Starbucks adjoins the lobby. It's at 440 Geary St. 415-885-0200, www.hoteldiva.com.
Hotel Beresford. This place reminds me of a little English hotel with its tiny reception area, cozy White Horse Tavern and friendly staff. Its small, Victorian-themed rooms have bathrooms, TV and fridges. No air conditioning. Internet access is only in the lobby, but there's an elevator, and the location, three blocks from Union Square, is great for the rates, which start at $89. They throw in continental breakfast. It's at 635 Sutter St. 415-673-9900, www.beresford.com.
Elements. Fun and boisterous with a lot of hipster energy, Elements is like a big college dorm, but with some private rooms — perfect for the Mission district. Private rooms have bathrooms. There's no TV or air conditioning, but the price is right: $60. Or you can grab a bed (extra-long twins) in a dorm room for $22 to $27. In either case, you get a free continental breakfast, and there's an elevator. Rooftop restaurant Medjool offers good Mediterranean noshes and a great view. There's free wireless throughout the building, and you can also use one of the three free Internet stations on each floor (if you can find one vacant). Bring ear plugs and enjoy. It's at 2516 Mission St. 415-647-4100, www.elementshotel.com.
Hotel Des Arts. A few blocks east of Union Square, in a good location near the gates to Chinatown, the Des Arts offers rooms with TVs and free wireless. Some have fridges. No air conditioning. Many rooms are decorated by emerging artists, some emerging in a more aesthetically pleasing way than others. The tiny elevator's gate will grab your fingers if you're not careful. The rates start at $59 for shared bath, $79 for a room with its own bath and $89 if you want a closet. Continental breakfast is included. It's at 447 Bush St. 800-956-4322, www.sfhoteldesarts.com.
San Remo Hotel. It's hard to stay cheaply in North Beach, but it's one of the best places to be, with garlic from the Italian restaurants always in the air. At the San Remo, a Victorian building built in 1906, you won't have a bathroom, a phone, a TV, wireless, air conditioning or an elevator, but for $75 you'll have a charming little room with a double bed and a bathroom down the hall that is incessantly cleaned. In the hotel is the city's oldest Italian restaurant, Fior d'Italia, not cheap but delightful. Stop by the bar for a friendly glass of wine and a nosh.
And if you want the cheapest penthouse in town, it's here: $199 buys a little boathouse-like rooftop room, and it even has a bathroom. Best of all, you can have friends over on your rooftop deck. The San Remo is at 2237 Mason St. 415-776-8688, www.sanremohotel.com.
Helen Anders writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: handers(at)statesman.com.