Good Hotel

The Good Hotel offers no frills but all the basics, at a very affordable rate. Its only drawback is its location.

The Good Hotel is a renovated property, just south of Market Street on Seventh Street. Rooms are located in a multi-story "tower" or the "courtyard," a block of old-fashioned, motel-style rooms. We stayed in an interior tower room, which was clean, comfortable and quiet.

The Good Hotel has a strong, eco-friendly "green" focus that doesn't end with the color of the wallpaper and carpet, using recycled fabrics, carpet, glass and wood. Soap is in a dispenser instead of wasteful bars and bottles. Whimsical touches include colorful cuckoo clocks set to the time in international destinations and an ever-changing wall decked in photos of visitors, made in the free photo booth in the lobby.

People who stay at the Good Hotel have few complaints about the property, but their reaction to its location varies widely. Savvy travelers who understand that people living on the street are part of most urban scenes and who have the street smarts to deal with their presence like the place. Others feel uncomfortable, especially after dark and may be better off elsewhere.

To give a better idea of what to expect, the Good Hotel is a block away from Market Street, where you can catch a tram or bus to get to the rest of town. On foot, it's two long blocks from there to one of the city's nicest shopping centers. On the way, you may find people sleeping in doorways and you may be asked for a handout.

We think it's a great value in a convenient enough location and have added it to our short list of places to stay in San Francisco on a budget.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer received complimentary accommodation. It has not influenced this review, but About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more info, see our ethics policy.