Place to sleep: The Mosser Hotel, San Francisco, California, United States

About this place:

The Hotel Mosser is similar to small budget hotels you'll find in Europe. The building is old and the rooms are tiny, but the decor is a fun, funky mix of antiques and hipster furnishings. Private or shared baths are available and you get a lot of bang for a little buck: cotton bathrobes, toiletries, cable tv, cd player/radio, video games/wi-fi (for a small fee) and location, location, location! A BART station is on the corner, Muni stops out front, Union Square is two blocks away, the Metreon entertainment center one block, MOMA a couple more.

San Francisco is one of the best restaurant cities in the world and the Mosser's bistro, Annabelle's, serves quality food at reasonable prices including raw oysters and over 20 wines by the glass.

If you're squeamish about urban life (beggars, the homeless, crowds and mass transit) this isn't the right location for you. But you'll encounter the same problems right across the street at the Marriott and pay four times what you'll pay at the Mosser.