Downtown San Mateo, California

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Hotel Tips

Not all online booking systems are fully integrated with hotel reservations systems so there is a chance that smaller hotels are hand entering your stay from a fax machine which leaves room for errors. Book directly with hotel to avoid any problems and ask for a price match if you find a better price online.

Ask to be shown a room before you check-in which signals the front desk agent to show the best room available to sell it right away. This can put you in the best room available at that time and gives you the ability to check for cleanliness, smells and sounds before transacting with the hotel.

Always find a reason to email the front desk manager in hotels that you plan to visit again. Tell them what they did right and express your plans to stay again and ask what opportunities there might be for frequent discounts or upgrades on your next visits. If you become friends with the manager, you just might get the friends and family rate some day.

Things To Do

San Mateo has that special dining venue and you are sure to find something to please with numerous meals served to satisfy each palette. A wide variety of restaurants and delis are available to choose from with a nice selection of entrees and especially desserts.

San Mateo is a great place to rent a bike and take it for a ride around downtown. There are many bike shops that sell bike and accessories as well as provide service and tuning on your ride. Don't forget your helmet and other protective gear such as reflective gear, headlight and horn.

San Mateo shopping is better than online shopping so that you can touch, feel, smell and taste as an experience with an item before deciding to purchase it for yourself or as a gift. Local merchants have hand selected their inventory to provide a unique selection for your downtown.

Why Do You Love Downtown?

Tammy Cooper
Downtowns are so cute and has a very relaxed inviting vibe that puts a smile on my face. In addition, downtown was so clean. It was fun visiting the unique shops and boutiques and everyone was very friendly. Our stroll around Lithia Park was beautiful and so peaceful. It truly is a gem. Lastly, we ate at 4 or 5 different restaurants that had great food and great service.

kristin Cutler
It's so cute and quaint.

Molly MacTaggart
Always love quaint, historic downtown areas, late April will be our first visit to Dillon.

Angela Corrigan
Convenient, friendly. Stayed at Kermit inn.

Judy Dechent
My daughter and her fiance are relocating from PA to Ashland. They leave next week. I've heard nothing but great things from them and look forward to visiting.