Please help....college visit trip in SF area, need hotel ideas

[Zoemakes5]

We are taking a trip to the Bay Area to visit schools for my son. We will arrive on a Thursday night and leave on a Sunday. Looking for inexpensive, but safe lodging. DS would prefer a place with a jacuzzi/hot tub on premises, but it's not required.

We want to visit Stanford, San Jose State, Berkeley and Sanoma.

During the time we're going (early June), the only day during our trip that Stanford and San Jose offer tours is Friday. We're doing one at 9:30 and one at 1:30. (Is that doable, by the way?) We may go back and wander around after the tours, if we feel we haven't seen anything. For that Thursday (and perhaps Friday) I think it's definitely best to be in that general area.

On Sat or Sunday we'll do Berkeley, as they have tours both days. We'll fit Sanoma in somewhere Sat or Sun, since we'll be on our own to tour.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I don't like searching "blind".

 

[mamacatnv]

I like the Four-Points Sheraton in Pleasanton - it has a pool, hot tub etc. as well as a restaurant and lounge.
It is centrally located to some degree to the schools you are looking at.

My Dad and My SIL along with several high school friends are San Jose State Alum!

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=712&EM=VTY_FP_712_pleasanton_overview

Happy college touring! My DS and I did a similar trip to Oregon to check out the schools in the Pacific NW, we had a great time.

 

[mamacatnv]

I stayed in a really cute place on the corner of El Camino and San Thomas Exp. (San Jose/Santa Clara) a couple of years ago - I'm trying to find the name of it

Okay, here it is - its name changed to Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Santa Clara.
The former name when I was there 1.5 years ago Was Hawthorn Inn and Suites
I was very pleasantly surprised by this hotel.

The proximity to SJSU will be nice and Stanford not so far. Since you will be going from one school to the next the hotel starting point would not be as big of a deal to me.
Sonoma and Berkley will be a bit of a hike from this hotel

If it were me, I'd stay "East Bay" like Pleasanton/Dublin and be somewhat centrally located unless you are planning multiple hotel stays.

If multiple start at the Holiday Inn in Santa Clara then move to Pleasanton/Dublin area

 

[The Original~Mad4mky]

I live near Stanford U--and prices around here can be too high for hotels/motels.

But--there is a chain of inns called Larkspur Landing (larkspur landing hotels) that are very nice and affordable.

There is one a little south of Stanford (and a little north of San Jose) in Sunnyvale.

Good luck.

Enjoy your trek up north here. Lovely weather we're having right now...