The Green Tortoise

I found this place from the Rough Guides online accommodation directory, and boy, is it good! Although it's surrounded by strip clubs, it's in a good downtown spot, it's got great people, it's got free dinner 3 nights a week, it's got free Wi-Fi, and it's got bike racks inside! I tell you what: there are some things you can only find in California. Despite it being rainy when I got here, I think this really is the Sunshine State.

The Green Tortoise is also apparently quite famous for its adventure trips, which it arranges regularly to such places as the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and Baja California. I'm not here for the adventure, I'm here for a geek conference; but these trips sure do sound fun, so hopefully I can come back and check 'em out some day.

Oh yeah, and they also play Beer Pong here (Tues nights).

Rooms: quiet, nice, clean (I also managed to get a 3-person room).

People: very friendly, very Aussie, very chilled. A fair few hippies too.

Staff: friendly and helpful, and lots of them!

Location: downtown — slightly dodgy Chinatown area, but nice and central, and with a view of the bay.

Food: awesome! Free breakfast of bagels every day, and free dinner 3 nights a week!!

Internet: goddamn $#%&ing brilliant. Free 24/7 bank of Linux terminals running Firefox / Opera, plus free unlimited Wi-Fi for those with laptops! Man, I looove California.

Bicycle facilities: bike rack in the main hangout area, plus $10 a day off bike rentals at several nearby shops!