I'm afraid I'm not sure how reasonably priced it is (it was part of a package), but it was very nice and close to Union Square and the shopping areas. Fishermans Wharf was a 10 minute tram ride away.
PS...I would recommend a helicopter flight over (& under) the Golden Gate Bridge. Fantastic!
We recently stayed at Americas Best Value Inn Golden Gate Bridge (you can find it on Expedia). It's out along Lombard Street towards the Golden Gate. It's not much to look at and could do with a lick of paint but therooms were clean and the Manager was very helpful - he let us into our room when we arrived at 8am in the morning for instance. It's a nice walk along the sea front to Fisherman's Wharf or there's a bus. Finally the next street along conatins loads of shops and restaurants which are used by locals rather than tourists so are much nicer to use than some of the rip off places in the more touristy spots.
Lombard is the very very bendy zig zag road that you see cars going down - no trams. As it is on so many hills all the roads have the up - flat - up effect that you see.
Please read reviews of the hotels on tripadvisor.com before you book anything
Good advice . . . . but it's a "free-style" holiday anyway, as I'm going to see my daughter who lives in LA, & every time I go I like to see different parts of the state !
Last time, we stayed in Santa Barbara & Vegas (OK, I know that's in Neveda !) along with LA itself.
We're only thinking of spending two nites in SF (as it seems that the hotels there are sooooo expensive !) do you think that'd be enough ?