San Francisco - centre of town (almost)
 

OK, so it's not exactly a rock bottom 'budget' option, but if you're on a bike and want to stay in the centre of the city and do a bit of sightseeing, I can certainly recommend the Motel6 on the corner of Geary and Larkin - It is one of the few city centre hotels that has it's own carpark (underground) and it's only a short walk (3 blocks) from Union Square and Chinatown etc.

I booked on line and got a spacious double room for $80 (that's £40!) a night, and that was over a long weekend - I thought that was great value for the centre of SF?

Infact I was so impressed, I stopped there again on my way back south a few weeks later!

JennyMo xxx

PS. There is a great coffee shop/internet cafe a couple of doors down towards Union Square, and a funky little motorcycle shop right opposite! x

PPS. Motel6 are a great chain of motels if you need a clean/comfy/warm room with space for hanging your washing etc (infact some have laundry rooms on site)... I used quite a few in the US, and they were typically around $40 a night (cheaper than a B&B in the UK!) unless it's in the centre of a major city like SF...

Thanks
 

Good info JMo. I'll be in San Fran from Monday March-17 to Wednesday March-19 and I'll be looking for a decent stopover. This venue sounds absolutely perfect, with good access to the cable car network too.

You are right. When I first took my bike to the US in 2002, I stayed in the Days Inn chain of motels but when I returned in 2006, their prices seemed to have risen. I then used Motel 6 which as you say are very clean and at a budget price. One thing I did find was that some Motel 6 motels are owned by the company with their own staff, and I could get a 'Senior Rate' at these. With the franchised Motel 6s, whether or not I got a discount was down to the owner. Only once or two did I try a Mom & Pop motel* and they were fine also.

*A motel not belonging to one of the big chains.

The highest I paid was on the outskirts of Washington DC, a Comfort Inn in Arlington. About £100 a night during the week but dropping like a stone at weekends. At least the hotel bus would drop me off at the nearest Metro station and collect me late at night.