Madrigal! I am also sad that I won't get to see you before you land in Australia, but will take smug comfort in having seen you in December.

Chicken/Waffles. Nature's perfect slashy pair.

Madrigal! Consider yourself virtual-tacklehugged. You're headed off to the land of koalas and Billyteas?

Holy - MADRIGAL!

(does the Missing Madrigal Dance)

OK, a question for everyone, posted up here with Abi's rec and permission:

I now have two complete and one incomplete proposals in hand, from three SF hotels: The Holiday Inn Civic Center, the Ramada Plaza (where Nicole stayed during Nilly!palooza, literally around the corner from the Holiday Inn), and the Miyako.

The Ramada, alas, is a no, I think. They don't have internet access in any of the rooms (only in the lobby). The proposed hospitality suite has no fridge and no AV, and may not be negotiable. And they want $119 a night for a double-bedded two bed room.

The Miyako is a hotel I dearly love, and have some history with, but as much as I'm loving Margaret (their events person), Lily Ruiz, their catering person, is being an asshat. I have the partial bid from them - waiting back on the issues we're not seeing eye to eye on. I don't know if the "sorry, this isn't negotiable" stance she's taking is a dealbreaker, but I'm leaning that way. Why offer a hotel a lot of money if they're going to be obstructive and then act as if they're doing you a favour?

Sod that. I love the Miyako (gorgeous, comfy and eclectic, in a brilliant neighbourhood, and steeped in history), and the rate is decent - they're offering $109 a night. But we aren't looking hopeful about things like our own food, rather than their food, in the hospitality suite. Prom, yes. Hospitality suite, no. That's OURS.

Which brings me to the Holiday Inn, and right now, my personal inclination is to stop right there. There simply doesn't seem to be a downside.

The price is superb ($99 for a room wit two double beds, with a handful of four-bedded rooms available a a jaw-dropping $119 a night). The ballroom is three huge rooms with sliding doors, opened up; we get a choice of the full bar with bartender and buffet table inside, or at the poolside - or both, because they're perfectly happy to begin the evening with drinks at poolside and then move everything indoors for us, as part of the deal, no extra charge. They'd bring in a portable full dance floor, gratis; $1800 worth of bar and their catering and the ballroom is comped.

The hospitality suite has two TVs and DVD players; they'd bring in a fridge, again gratis. If we want more room in the hospitality suite, they're happy to take out beds (it's a two-bedroom suite with a living room) and replace beds with extra seating. Every room has high speed net access, and it's included in the price. They have ADA-compliant rooms and anything erika and her mom needed would be handled by their VIP people.

The level of personal attention and one on one care here is stellar. The price is unbeatable value for San Francisco. The location is three minutes walk either north or south to damned near every bus line in the City - on 8th between Market and Mission.

I have their written proposal in hand. So my question is: how many more does everyone need to see for comparison, and if this one is unbeatable for the SF bid - do we need more at all?

Your thoughts, please. I asked Abi first in email, and her tendency is the same as mine - if none of the others are coming close, why overload?

I say stick with the one, Deb.

I've stayed in the Miyako, and share your love, but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

The Holiday Inn does sound perfect, and I doubt very highly that we would get anything close to that, so why drive yourself nuts trying to?

I agree with Perkins.

Perkins and I are as one. Yay! I would like to smack the Miyako's catering person with a rock. What a stupid way to run a railroad: saying things like "I'll have to think about whether I can allow that".

edit: and JenP. More yay!

I'd say keep it simple, Deb. If you want to call the asshat at the Miyako and tell her that you've got a fabulous offer in hand and see if that gets her moving, then fine. But keeping in mind that you might be dealing with the asshat for many months to come? Why trouble yourself?

That sounds like a great deal, at the Holiday Inn, Deb.

That close to Market Street you have access to both Muni and BART which gets you everywhere.

It's a wee bit scuzzy at 8th and Market, skanky skid row at 6th and Mission, and quite lovely at 4th and Mission where you have The Metreon (IMAX, Where The Wild Things Are, Comics & action figures at Things From Anothe Planet, the Bandai Store, The Jelly Belly Store). Also Yerba Buena Center: ice skating, bowling, Museum of Modern Art. The Cartoon Museum.

Up towards Lush you're on Powell street near the Virgin Megastore, the Disney Store, Sephora. You're a very quick ride on the vintage street cars to the Embarcadero and Ferry Building (all the yummy food) or down around towards the Giants baseball stadium. You could also take cable cars at Powell up to North Beach or Chinatown. BART and Muni trains are within blocks so you can readily shoot out to The Mission or The Haight or Berkeley (or an A's game, for that matter) should you be so inclined.

Heh. And David does my pimping work for me.

Yeep, there's a BART/Metro station right at the corner. I'll put everything together for city pimpage, hopefully at the weekend. Input on that, via email please so that we don't unfairly spam the thread, much obliged.

I also honestly think a nice truthful "possible downsides to (insert city)" would be a good thing, a sort of diclaimer at the end of all the "come here because (yay us! insert city)" pimpage. Abi? Amy? Susan? Do you agree?