Re: PgWest Locations

On May 21, 2010, at 2:01 PM, Joshua D. Drake wrote:

> Hello,
>
> As I hope most of you know, I am the primary organizer of PostgreSQL
> Conference West. The top two contenders this year for a location are
> Seattle and the Bay area. We are leaning toward the Bay due to the high
> PG population and density of tech companies (thus potential sponsors).
>
> The current plan is to hold the conference Nov 3-4-5-6.
>
> We have been shedding through a list of 50 potentials and have narrowed
> it down to the following 5.
>
> Hotel Monaco
> 501 Geary St. SF
> http://www.monaco-sf.com/
>
> Hotel Kabuki
> 1625 Post Street
> San Francisco, CA 94115
> http://www.hotelkabuki.com
>
> Crowne Plaza Hotel
> 1221 Chess Drive
> Foster City, CA 94404
> http://www.eventscp.com
>
> Dolce hayes mansion
> San Jose
> http://www.dolce-hayes-mansion-hotel.com/
>
> Intercontinental SF
> http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/hotel-features/event-facilities/overview/sanfrancisco-markhopkins
> (To do this one, we have to move to the next week)
>
> We would love some feedback. I have spoken to Josh Berkus and he is
> favorable of the Hotel Kabuki. Any other thoughts? Is there a hotel you
> folks might have a particular passion for?

Haven't been to Monaco, but it has a reputation as being one of the "classic" boutique hotels up in the city.

Hotel Kabuki is lovely - and the location in japantown is great for easy to walk to, inexpensive food. Very friendly, helpful staff, and a good hotel lounge / bar with great food. I was staying for pleasure and didn't see any of their other facilities. (And, yes, japantown is quite safe to walk around.)

The Mark Hopkins is OK - I've been to a bunch of conferences there, and they're well geared up for it. Location is OK, facilities are good, but there's no real hotel bar there or any onsite food I'd want to touch (they have the Top of the Mark, which combines hideously overpriced with appallingly bad service - there's vastly better food and bars attached to the adjacent hotels, though). It's right at the top of a hill, so walking back to it from anywhere is... worth getting a cab.

>
> I am leaning toward the Crowne Plaza because it is very close to SFO but
> you guys certainly know the area better than us.

Many of the areas around SFO are not that wonderful, in terms of easy to walk to or public transport to food / entertainment. Suburban meh. There's easy public transport (BART) from the airport up to the city, and the city is much more walkable / public transport / cabable, 'cos it's denser.

San Jose, similar. If you're going to travel almost to San Francisco it's worth staying in the city itself.

Cheers,
Steve