Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel

This BEST WESTERN location is functional even though decor is a bit dated. The wood-paneling, gold trims, and draped-open curtains make an attempt at classing up the lobby, but the drop ceiling and shiny pleather furniture don't fit the scheme. There's a cozy library lounge between the lobby and the restaurant that incorporates more of the wood-paneled style, but laminate is all too obvious. Still, there’s ample room to relax with cushy clustered seating in neutral tones and an overall calm vibe to the surroundings.

The property is located on South Airport Boulevard, surrounded by office parks, fast food restaurants, and other mid-range and budget hotels. The South San Francisco Conference Center is a short walk to the north along the boulevard. It's also only a five-minute drive down the street to San Francisco International Airport. Depending on traffic, it's about 15 minutes to AT&T Park, and 25 minutes to downtown San Francisco, with well-known areas like The Castro, Mission District, and Chinatown.

Guest units here are a bit dated, with an almost gaudy burgundy and gold color palate. The rugs have a thatched lattice pattern in burgundy, brown, and cream that's "busy" at best. Burgundy and gold curtains echo pillows, duvets, and lamps. Old wooden dressers with brass fittings are mixed with newer work desks and roller chairs. The small bathrooms have standard shower/tub combos, with suites adding rainfall showerheads. Coffeemakers and mini-fridges are standard in all rooms.

This particular BEST WESTERN has more amenities than other typical chain properties; there's a heated outdoor pool and fitness center on-site. The large London Ballroom accounts for most of the 5,000 square feet of total event space available here, with its theater-style arrangement having a capacity of 400 people. The area can be broken up into four smaller halls, and there's a separate boardroom for up to 20 people. The Brass Elephant lounge and sports bar serves American standards with some Mexican dishes. The breakfast buffet is a typical spread of pastries, fruits, yogurt, cereal, and eggs. (Booking directly through BEST WESTERN includes breakfast in the rates, but otherwise it's not.) The bar's lounge area has a huge 12-foot projection TV for showing sporting events. A free airport shuttle operates nearly around the clock.