West Coast Virgins - Day 1 - Travel Day

[georgemac]

12th March 2015 - Travel day.
All went great. Could not fault anything. Arrived at airport, parked up in short term car park, decent price, non refundable, £86 for 14 days, that's £10 more than long stay or off airport. Expensive compared to Glasgow?
Straight forward check in, through security and settled in BA lounge with a coffee.
Flight on time, no problems at Heathrow. Browsed some shops, headed to South galleries lounge, asked and was told flight would depart from gate B38 so headed on transit and into lounge there. I had my first and a few wines. Flight on time and great and we both got a decent kip, good meal, enjoyed a film, bubble in 747 Club World cabin is great.
Perhaps 20 minute wait at immigration, cases on carousel when we got out. Went for taxi, told guy where we were going, hotel 5 or 10 minutes from airport. He asked if they had shuttle, I said I did not want to wait. He said it will cost you $25, ok I said. 10 speechless minutes we were at hotel and as he said $25 lighter. I gave him $29, but my wife said meter showed tip was included in $25. Not a nice welcome to San Fran. Pretty miserable taxi driver!

Villa Montes
Straightforward check in. Small size hotel. Nice room, great bed, clean, nice decor. Room has safe, microwave and refrigerator. Car parking garage good. Free coffee cookies at reception. Good free continental breakfast, self serve unattended. Nice staff. Free wine some evenings, one we arrived, never tried it.
Close to airport, can be noisy with planes taking off, and railroad trains hooting in distance, only heard this one night.
Hotel was booked direct through Choice Hotels and paid in advance – cost was $278 for 2 nights.

[georgemac]

Photobucket links removed - will try and update later

[Pussycat Doll]

Great photos! Pussycat

[abiknox]

Ooh that flight looks comfy!

[daytonababe]

Ah just found your trip report looking forward to reading it all :-)

[Cloverlady]

Love travel day reports!

What a misery guts taxi driver!