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Beck's Motor Lodge
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Castro
2222 Market Street
(between 15th St & 16th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 621-8212
2222 Market Street
(between 15th St & 16th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 621-8212
- Price Range:
-
$$
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13 reviews for Beck's Motor Lodge
We went to SF for a quick weekend getaway and needed a somewhat cheap place to stay at. We wanted to stay right in Castro so Becks was our choice.
Location wise its perfect if you plan to explore Castro nightlife. We got stuck with a smoking room with 2 queen beds. The walls are paper thin so pray that your neighbors arent crazy and obnoxious.
After reading all the creepy reviews on yelp I was expecting it to be the worst motel experience ever. Turns out it was fine, minus the somewhat weird front desk lady (who was actually really nice) and some shady guys lurking around. But all in all I cant complain much. Free parking, free wife, basic room, right in the heart of Castro. It could've been cheaper (we paid 124 total for a Sat night).
Oh, and I showered with my flip flops on and also brought an old bed sheet to cover THEIR sheets before sleeping. Sheets mightve been a bit overboard, but showering with flip flops is a must.
So the location is perfect, especially for us. We love brunch at Lime, we love the food at Barracuda, and we love being walking distance from the rest of the Castro.
That's about all that there is good to say. Our room smelled like a litterbox. I mean, literally. That not-well-tended-to litterbox-in-the-garage smell. Tiny television set that lost cable reception about every three seconds; became pixellated then shut off, then back on, repeat.
Oh, and not that this is the hotel's fault... but as I walked out the door at 6:45am on a Saturday morning to go get coffee, I walked past a room with the drapes wide open, lights on bright, and two guys boinking on the bed. Not hot ones. You know. Like, regular ones. Ew.
Only once have I had occasion to visit Beck's Motor Lodge when a friend from up north came down unannounced and called me from there. I was pretty excited because at that time, and for about 12 years my phone number was one digit off from Beck's Motor Lodge. I also have reason to believe the phone number in one of the rooms was misprinted or smudged because I would get calls for people in that room. It only happened four or five times a year and it was always very random.
The first time it happened:
"Hello?"
"Room 318 please."
"Excuse me?"
"ROOM 318 PLEASE!"
"Woah, lady maybe you need to chill the fuck out." -Click
She didn't call back. But other, more polite callers would call back. Sometimes they'd be pretty upset because they didn't dial wrong, my number was the number they had for Beck's. So after I learned what was up I looked up their number and became a sort of proxy for Beck's Motor Lodge. I saw it as a bit of a challenge because I never knew when one these calls would come in and sometimes I wanted to have a little fun. More often than not I would just say something like, oh this is the number for reservations only if you want the operator to connect you to a room you need to call 621-8212. After about three years I actually got a call from someone looking to make reservations so I just told him that this was for housekeeping only now use the old switchboard number.
I've since ditched my old landline for a full-time cell phone but the one thing I miss more than anything else was the odd, familiar feeling I'd get whenever I walked past Beck's. I still have fond memories of the random, all-hours phone calls I'd get looking for people in room 318. That woman from Turkey who barely spoke English but thanked me profusely when I gave her Beck's number. The guy who called me back even after I gave him the real number who just wanted to know what I was up to. When I was watching the President give some speech on TV and whoever was calling was watching the same speech and for a moment I had this stereo sensation with a stranger in some unknown part of the country. I never did check out room 318.
I guess I should say that the room I did see looked pretty average but if you want to stay near the Castro I don't know of any hotel of similar size that close.
This place is very convenient, true. The staff SUCK. They are rude, unhelpful, and they don't care an iota about customer service.
The place actually reminds me of JAIL! You have to buzz in and out to gain access to the guest rooms, which are as low quality as you can get. If you are familiar with Caswell, those rooms are "SO cheap, I should have brought my OWN sheets!" I only rate it high priced because, although the rates are on the high end of reasonable, the rest of the package will cost you...
Avoid if possible.
Our room was smelly. No really, it was stank and nothing could be done to help it except for maybe burning the place down. The windows didn't open and I didn't want to leave the door open for any period of time. We bought a little travel soy candle at one of the shops on Castro, but that only helped if you were right next to it.
Importantly, the bathroom was clean. The free off-street parking was a plus. And it was conveniently located in walking distance from the Castro and Mission districts.
The blanket on the bed had seen better days I'm sure, cigarette holes telling the story of the guests of other rooms it had stayed in. There was a little coffee maker and a mini fridge in the room, though no hair dryer. Drag. There was also a mini ironing board, but no iron.
The convenience was nice, but I'm sure how ever much was spent on the room was too much.
I will never stay here again - it is just too skeezy. I felt so sorry for all the straight tourist couples that clearly didn't know the history behind this motel.
Sadly, I knew what to expect, but I stayed midweek and still had to pay $130 (with taxes). Just because the hotel name is Becks motorlodge does not mean I want to sleep with the wilderness. I don't need bears peepin' through my window at all hours of the night. That shiz just creeps me out.
Aside from that monkey business, the room condition is rank. It seriously smelled like piss in the hallways, piss in the stairways, and piss in my door way. I'm all for people who are into water sports, but that nastiness belongs in the tub or at the beach.
Also, while getting ready for bed I noticed a splattering of 'something' on the ceiling. Upon closer inspection, I was like "oh, hell no." There was blood on the ceiling! There was also a picture hanging over the bed and what I thought was an artist's mark in the lower right hand corner of the frame turned out to be what looked to me like a bed bug, but I think bed bugs are micro?
So, basically, I paid $130 to sleep in fear all night long. Check out was at eleven and the neighbors and housekeeping will definitely let you know that it's time to go. It was next to impossible to sleep in. f'ing early rising bitches. oh, i stayed in room 304, btw.
On its face, there were some redeeming qualities. mainly: location (across the street from 2223 market and down the street from baghdad cafe and there is a funeral home next door so you would expect things to be quiet), the price is decent for this location, but i'd rather pay the same price to stay at any one of the other hotels or B&Bs in the area and just pay a little more for parking, free onsite parking sounds great, but it is ungated and easily accessed from the street. if you need to pass a security gate just to get to your room then why wouldn't my car need one?
Like...Oh My God.
What kind of material was the bed spread made of?
Burlap?
What's up with the mildew smelly showers?
The loose hot water knob? Maybe its a ploy so you will shower without warm water. Keep costs down, for them, not us.
The nightly rate wasn't cheap, for a lil bit more we got a nice corner suite with a view at the Miyako Hotel in Japantown.
P.S. The towels are so stiff, they can stand on their own. Plop them up and do a little dance.
..forgot to say that, I gave it 2 stars because, it has free parking and its walking distance to the castro bars. thats the only benefit of staying there, u can drink up and go back to the room and crash. If you do decide to stay here because of the above mentioned pluses. Bring your own towels and a sleeping blanket. the end.
Regardless of what other people say, this is a basic Motel/Motor Lodge...very few places in SF have free parking...a BIG ++++. If you just want a place close to Castro or in the non-gay perspective anywhere in the city that is cost effective...this is a completely fine place to stay. I booked this place because I know I'm fine with it for a weekend of Castro fun, but then I have family joining me that I wasn't so sure would work well with this place so I booked a suite at the Grovesnor Suites. I've heard stories of all the weird stuff happening here at the Becks. Turns out I could have had them stay here... Completely fine
So, basically this was the only hotel available in SF 2 weekends ago... but I'm so glad that I stumbled upon it! With a very kitschy John Waters feel, this hotel was in a great location and was not bad for the price. I had a great stay in the Castro... and I also had some great looking neighbors who unfortunately were not naked (unlike another reviewer's experience). haha.
Overall, if you're looking for a place to crash that's not seedy, stay here. But if you're looking for a 5 star hotel experience this is definitely not the place for you.
If you're looking to party the night away in The Castro and safely pass out at the end of the night there's no better place. Affordable, safe, and easy. ONLY THING it was FREEZING and they have wall heaters that you need to light with a match but don't provide matches.. BRRRRRRR
The owners would desperately like to turn this into a family destination, but those pesky gays keep checking in to use the place like a bathhouse sans steam room. Late at night, half the doors are open and the second and third floor balconies are cruised my men looking for things that go bump in the night. Rooms have standard motel decor, prices are moderate by San Francisco standards, and there's the added plus of off-street parking. Not a place to book Mom and Dad, but if friends from West Hollywood are looking to stay close to the action, this will put them right in the thick of it. Those seeking sleep should request a third floor room facing the back.
When my mom came to visit me from her sheltered suburban home in So Cal, with much fanfare, she booked herself into Beck's, because the computer told her it is near my house. By the time I found out, it was too late to change the reservation. Only very minor hijinks ensued. Her room was on the third floor. I walked her up to it, and she whispers urgently "Um, Jude! That man there in the window is NAKED!" "Yes, Mom," I said, "He's looking for some company, but he's not interested in you." "Oh." she says, and then "OH!" immensely relieved, as the light dawns, "well, that's fine then!" I love my mom like crazy, but I'm sending her to the Metro next time.
Had some friends staying over for an extended weekend. OMG, yuck. The staff was horrible. If you're into staying in a dive, lurking around the hallways for sex and being mistreated then this is the place for you. Otherwise, look elsewhere.
