| Grand Hyatt San Francisco Airport Added March 2020 | ||
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Is a new hotel connected to the terminal and Air Train at San Francisco Airport. Plane Spotting Hotels seem to be a popular theme right now in the USA and this hotel is no different. Airport facing rooms overlooking A terminal and the runways are even provided with a pair of binoculars which can be used free of charged or purchased for around $45. San Francisco has recently opened up two great roof terrace observation decks on the terminal which are only a short walk or ride on the air train from this hotel.
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| Location: | *** | Perfect location with easy terminal access, Air Train access and only a short walk away from the new viewing decks. |
| Spotting: | *** | Book an Airport facing room and you will not be disappointed. Club rooms give access to the lounge which also has runway views as well as free drinks and refreshments. The rooms overlook the A terminal where close encounters can be had with heavy traffic parking up below your window. All 4 runways are visible from this room although flight tracking software will be required to tie up landers on the far parallels.
The airport now has two viewing decks connected to the terminal, both of these locations are only a short walk via the Air Train from the hotel. |
| Photos: | *** | Good photos can be had of traffic parking up at the A terminal below the hotel. A 200-400 zoom lens should be able to capture aircraft lining up on 01L and 01R |
| Value: | *** | Twin rooms start at a typical price of £62 at weekends. This is great value considering the location. |
| Book: | To book the hotel please check out the prices on booking.com If the price at these links is good please book through them as we receive a small commission payment which helps us with the costs involved with maintaining this website. | |
| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page | |
Above : Great views can be had from the Grand Hyatt Airport Facing rooms.
Above One of the 2 new spotting decks at San Francisco airport which is only a short walk away from the Grand Hyatt hotel.
| Marriott San Francisco Waterfront Airport Hotel | ||
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is widely regarded by many spotters as the best hotel for spotting at San Francisco. The hotel is just 1 mile from the airport but very close to Runway 01R and is linked with the airport by a free shuttle bus. When reserving this hotel ensure you ask for a room on a high floor overlooking the airport to get some fantastic views. A North facing room will offer views of Runway 28 which the “heavies” tend to use. A room at the Northwest corner of the hotel will give you excellent views of Runway 01R as well as Runway 28. The views of arriving and departing aircraft from the hotel car park are described as incredible. Also right by the hotel is Bayshore Park which is reported as being an excellent spotting area.
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| Location: | *** | This hotel is in a fantastic location to see the vast majority of traffic at this busy airport with little or no problems. |
| Spotting: | *** | Rooms on a high floor facing the airport in the Northwest corner, are the best rooms to ask for. If you get one of these then you won’t be disappointed.
Report 1 : Staying at the Marriott san Francisco waterfront airport hotel at the moment in room 5089 on the 5th floor,this is a bay view room. You need this type of room to view all the action, you get fantastic views of all arriving and departing traffic, nothing will be missed but you need SBS or FR24 Rooms are really nice and clean, wifi is free but this hotel is not cheap, from the price of the room to a bottle of water its expensive. Breakfast buffet is around £30, eating in the hotel restaurant with a 3 course meal and you wont get any change out of £100. There is a bar which does snacks and you can get a burger for around £20, there is also a starbucks coffee shop on the ground floor. There is a garage but its a good half a mile down the road to get your drinks and snacks, a can of pepsi at the reception will cost you £4. All in all this really is a very nice hotel and what I would call a planespotters hotel with the great views you get of the traffic arriving over the bay but it comes with a heavy price, I would stay here again but would need to start saving the pennies now. Credit Andy Kelly |
| Photos: | ** | No reports of photo opportunities from the rooms however the car park offers great opportunities. |
| Value: | *** | Twin rooms start at a typical price of £62 at weekends. This is great value considering the location. |
| Book: | To book the hotel please check out the prices on booking.com If the price at these links is good please book through them as we receive a small commission payment which helps us with the costs involved with maintaining this website. | |
| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page! | |
Above : view from the park outside of the Marriott hotel. Runway facing rooms have the view shown below:
| Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel | ||
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is located approximately 1 mile from the airport and is linked to the airport by a free shuttle bus which only takes 5 minutes. The threshold of Runway 01R is very close indeed as is the nearby Bayshore Park area which is said to be very good for spotting.
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| Location: | *** | Very close to all the action on Runway 01R. |
| Spotting: | *** | Ask for a room facing the airport when booking this hotel. Otherwise views from the hotel car park are said to be very good. |
| Photos: | ** | Great opportunities for photos are to be had from the hotel car park. A 300mm lens may be needed. |
| Value: | *** | Fairly expensive . A twin room at a weekend costs about £90. |
| Book: | To book the hotel please check out the prices on booking.com If the price at these links is good please book through them as we receive a small commission payment which helps us with the costs involved with maintaining this website. |
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| Comment! | If you want to add or update anything, please use the comment form at the bottom of the page! | |
Above : The Westin offers great views towards the Northern Parallels, usually used for departures.
Holiday Inn Express SFO South
Is the budget alternate to the above expensive hotels coming in at around half the price. The Hotel is situated on the same part of the coastline as the Marriott but is around a mile further up the coast therefore airport views are distant.
The hotel is low rise with only 3 floors. A 3rd floor bayside view room is essential for views of aircraft from around a 2 mile final down to the threshold in the distance. Arrivals onto 28 can be read off with a good telescope, flight tracking is really required for anything lining up to depart the runways. In clear weather, Oakland departures can be seen across the bay.
To summarise, this hotel is a budget option and is ok for those wanting to only spot. Photograhers, or those who like to get closer to the action, may find one of the above more expensive hotels the better option if the budget allows.
The hotel is available to book through Booking.Com which offers great value
Vagabond Inn
Is about a 5 minute walk from the Marriott Waterfront and is therefore closer to the action than the Holiday Inn Express above. The Vagabond is more of a basic budget hotel and is low rise, however it offers the great advantage that Bay View rooms offer a balcony, making good quality photography an option from the comfort of the hotel with a good sized zoom lens. The famous Bayfront Park photography spot is only a 5 minute walk away if you want to get closer to the action.
Ask for a Bay View room for great views of the whole of the runway on the parallel 28L/28R. You can also see about half of the cross parallel runways 1L/1R, with departures climbing out from these runways tied up with a Flight Tracker.
The arrivals in front of you on the 28’s can be read off with a good telescope and also photographed with a 300-400 zoom. Distant views can be had of the bizz ramp although most of the aircraft are too far away to be read off.
On clear days, arrivals into Oakland can easily be seen on the other side of the bay. To book the hotel please check out the prices on HOTELS.COM If the price at these links is good please book through them as we receive a small commission payment which helps us with the costs involved with maintaining this website.
