cheap SF hotels "closed for renovations"

[David Steffens]

Just spent a few bucks on long distance calls to SF
trying to make a reservation for the summer usenix conference
at some of the less expensive hotels near the Hilton.
Seems they are all "closed this summer for renovations".

Well, I might expect that from one hotel, or two even,
but *three* is *very* suspicious.  And at the *height*
of the tourist season, no less.  More curious still
is the fact that I was only told about the "closings"
*after* I said *when* I wanted to book a reservation!

Well, as an aging 60's hippy, I have enough experience
with this kind of thing to know when I'm licked.
The last thing I need after a 6-hour flight from BOS to SFA
is to discover that my reservation has "mysteriously vanished".
So I have decided that the better part of valor is to cough up
the extra $15-20 a night for a sure thing at the Hilton.

Still, I'm left wondering if these sudden "closings" have more
to do with to the fact that the summer usenix conference
has been scheduled during Gay Pride Week than the fact
than three of SF's cheap hotels are in need of some renovation.

Note: hotels contacted were El Cortez, Mark Twain and Hotel Cecil.
-- 
{harvard,mit-eddie,think}!eplunix!das		David Allan Steffens
243 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114		Eaton-Peabody Laboratory
(617) 573-3748					Mass. Eye & Ear Infirmary