Frequently asked questions:

Hopefully within the pages of this website you will find most of what you need or would like to know about CASTRO SUITES in terms of booking information, where we are, what's around us etc. If we've missed anything, please do let us know! Below you will find a selection of frequently asked questions in case you simply don't have the time to browse around the web pages of this site looking for the info!

HINT: Each of the following 'questions' is a link to the parahraph on this page containing the answer to the question. Click the link to reach the answer!

What size are the apartments ?
Do all the apartments have their own kitchen / bathroom etc ?
Is there a shower ?
Are towels and bed linen included ?
Is there a fridge / microwave / oven / toaster etc ?
Is there a washing machine ?
Is breakfast included ?
Are there any supermarkets nearby ?
What is available nearby for breakfast / lunch / dinner / drinking / night clubs etc ?
Do you allow pets ?
Is smoking permitted in the apartments ?
Do the apartments have a telephone line / internet connection ?
How far are you from the airport / the tram / downtown ?
How much does a taxi cost from the airport ?
What's the Castro district like ?
Where is the Castro District ?
How do we check availability ?
How do we make a booking ?
Is there a minimum stay ?
What’s the check-in procedure ?
Do we need a car ?
Is there any parking at the apartments ?
What’s parking like in town ?
If we drive, are there any local driving / parking peculiarities ?
Can you recommend places to visit for day trip from the apartments ?

General information about our vacation apartments:

What size are the apartments? Castro Suites offers 1 bedroom apartments / flats of approx 650 square feet / 60m² each. Do all the apartments have their own kitchen / bathroom etc ? Each flat / apartment comes with ensuite bathroom, a separate lounge with dining area and fully fitted kitchen. The lounge also includes a sofa bed which can sleep a further 2 persons. Is smoking allowed? Smoking is not permitted inside the apartments, although each has either a private patio or balcony where guests may smoke. Are pets allowed? Pets are not encouraged, however if yours is particularly well behaved – please ask!

Is there phone / internet in the apartment? Each flat has its own telephone line and internet connection available on request.

Is there a fridge / microwave / toaster / oven / washing machine etc? Each apartment has its own private fully fitted kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen includes cooker, dishwasher, microwave, coffee maker and coffee grinder, toaster, blender, and even a clothes washer & dryer. We provide cookware, dishes, glassware, silverware & cutlery, serving pieces and baking pans, spices, oil/vinegar and other basic necessities. Please see our "rooms” page for a full description of the suites.

Is there a shower? Each apartment has a private bathroom (ensuite to the bedroom). The bathroom includes bath with powerful wall mounted shower. Are towels included? Towels and bed linen are included.

Is breakfast included? Are there nearby restaurants? The apartments are self catering, so breakfast is not included, however there are a range of superb restaurants and cafes nearby suitable for breakfast, lunch and dinner. See our “local info” guide for some of our favourites! Alternatively there are excellent local shops for fresh produce, bread, fruit etc, or a large Safeway supermarket is within a 10 minute walk.

Our location:

How far are you from the airport / the tram / downtown ? Airport information: Castro Suites is about 14 miles / 20km from San Francisco International Airport, which is approx a 20 minute drive. Oakland Airport is 40 minutes, San Jose Airport about 60 minutes. How much are taxis? Prices for a taxi will depend on how busy the traffic is, but as a guide the last one I caught from SFO cost approx $35. It is customary to add a 15~18% tip for taxis. Using public transport, you may take the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train service from SFO or Oakland, or the CALTRAINS service from San Jose. Further info, including links to the train operators’ websites, may be found on our “Location” page.

The nearest tram stop is about 1¼ blocks away from the suites; journey time on the tram to the down-town shopping malls and business areas is about 20 minutes. Great shops are available within a five minute walk from the apartments.

What is the castro District like? The Castro District is a lovely, quiet, upper-middle class residential neighborhood, but near-by are a few blocks of really interesting commercial shops, restaurants, etc... Further info and reading on Castro: Extract of an excellent article from SFGate.com:

"If only the Mexican land barons and European homesteaders who built the Castro district could see it -- and the price of its real estate -- today. What was once dairy farms and dirt roads is now one of the city's most vibrant and cohesive communities, saturated with stylish shops and bars so popular that patrons spill out onto the street. Irish, German, and Scandinavian immigrants came to the outskirts of San Francisco in search of cheap land, which became bona fide suburbs after 1887 when the Market Street Cable Railway linked Eureka Valley, as it was then called, with the rest of the city. Thanks to these homesteaders, who built large, handsome Victorian houses for their large families, today's residents have someplace to pour their money, and the vast majority of the neighborhood's classic homes have been lovingly and artfully restored..."

To read this article in full, follow this link for all the history you can swallow, along with further color on why San Francisco's Castro district is so great!

Information for motorists:

Do we need a car? Local transport facilities are so good, that around San Francisco a car is more of a luxury than a necessity. What about parking? If you choose to drive, there is limited pavement parking available. Take care to read the signs carefully, as parking hours are controlled and each stretch of pavement is supposed to be car free at least once a week for street cleaning. If you fail to find street parking, there is nrearby garage parking for a fee, or for longer stays, a temporary street parking permit may be purchased from our DMV. It's about $15.00 for 14 days.

Are there any local rules that drivers should be aware of? Throughout San Francisco, if you’re parked on a slope your wheel must point in to the curb to avoid accidents in case of brake failure. Penalties are issued for non compliance. Also – throughout San Francisco – pedestrians have right of way at all junctions – period.

If you can’t find street parking, there is a local pay car park within a few minutes walk.

If you’re driving in to the center for theatre etc, our advice would be to take a tram or taxi. It’s cheap and convenient.

Can you recommend any day trips from the castro? Within easy reach, in no particular order, are:

Stinson beach (1 hour)
Muir woods (30 minutes)
Alcatraz island (10 minute ferryboat ride from Fisherman’s Wharf)
Napa Valley (1 hour)
Yosemite national park (4 to 5 hours)

See our “local info” pages for further trip recommendations

Booking information: How do we check availability? To check availability, please submit the short form on our Reservations page. To make a booking, please in addition fill out the and submit the long form on our Reservations page. Is there a minimum stay? Minimum stay is for two nights, three on some holiday weekends. See Reservations page for further information.

What’s the check-in procedure? One of us will be present to greet you, or, if necessary, we will arrange with you, in advance, where to pick up the keys to the holiday apartment. We will show you around the apartment and supply you with information about the city, should you so desire it. A short registration card needs to be completed, which requires a photo i.d. (passport or driver's license) and the credit card you used to make the deposit, for verification, as well as for payment of the balance due, please.