Readread
VIP Member
It's sad because there's a lot of nice things to see in San Francisco but it's just so intimidating when walking about!
One day I want to stay in Hotel Coronado! The beach is such a dream!
Cecil Hotel/ Skid Row
- Thread starter Maxiwill
- Start date
It's sad because there's a lot of nice things to see in San Francisco but it's just so intimidating when walking about!
One day I want to stay in Hotel Coronado! The beach is such a dream!
O
openbook1
Guest
I feel like there should be a California thread. If you haven't been to Moo Time Cremery in Coronado check it out next time you're there. Amazing ice cream!
So I've actually stayed at the Cecil 
completely by accident, it was cheap whilst travelling and I didn't see the stories about the hotel until after we had booked. Decided to stay there anyway as our budget was tight, and it really isn't that bad 
the documentary hypes it up completely.
Skid Row is nearby, but about a 10 minute walk in the direction tourists generally won't be going. We only ever went left out of the hotel and down that road is a subway station and a bit of a further walk and you are in nicer parts with lots of shops etc. If you turned right out of the hotel and walked for a while you'd reach Skid Row, but nothing you'd want to go and see is that way.
As someone else on this thread said, San Francisco is MUCH worse. We were there before we travelled to LA, and we felt a lot safer in LA. I'd go back to LA, I'd even stay in the Cecil again but I wouldn't go back to San Fran.
completely by accident, it was cheap whilst travelling and I didn't see the stories about the hotel until after we had booked. Decided to stay there anyway as our budget was tight, and it really isn't that bad the documentary hypes it up completely.Skid Row is nearby, but about a 10 minute walk in the direction tourists generally won't be going. We only ever went left out of the hotel and down that road is a subway station and a bit of a further walk and you are in nicer parts with lots of shops etc. If you turned right out of the hotel and walked for a while you'd reach Skid Row, but nothing you'd want to go and see is that way.
As someone else on this thread said, San Francisco is MUCH worse. We were there before we travelled to LA, and we felt a lot safer in LA. I'd go back to LA, I'd even stay in the Cecil again
but I wouldn't go back to San Fran.
CherryAcid
VIP Member
I love San Fran, yes theres a lot of homeless but the dodgy areas are easy to avoid. The homeless people I did encounter however were friendly enough. Just avoid the Tenderloin area and all is good, I only say I felt a little uneasy was when I accidently walked through the Tenderloin to get somewhere, nothing happened though. I went back with a friend and he felt a bit uneasy but as I knew what to expect I was fine. I went to LA alone too and Hollywood was so sleazy, I didnt venture there at night, I felt fine everywhere else. I can see Venice putting people off but all I got were old hippies cat calling haha
I'd love a Cali thread!!!
San Francisco is amazing, please dont let the homeless put you off!!
Im sad at you guys not liking San FranciscoSo I've actually stayed at the Cecil
Skid Row is nearby, but about a 10 minute walk in the direction tourists generally won't be going. We only ever went left out of the hotel and down that road is a subway station and a bit of a further walk and you are in nicer parts with lots of shops etc. If you turned right out of the hotel and walked for a while you'd reach Skid Row, but nothing you'd want to go and see is that way.
As someone else on this thread said, San Francisco is MUCH worse. We were there before we travelled to LA, and we felt a lot safer in LA. I'd go back to LA, I'd even stay in the Cecil again
Last edited:
Wow loving all your replies and hearing about your experiences in california. I've never been to America but I've been in some states 
@rlouisep9 wow I'm obsessed with your reply! I have lots of questions if you dont mind
did u stay after elisa lam? Was it mainly tourists staying there? Were you in stay on main? Also is there a bar or restaurant or anything there? Also wondering if there was many staff there?
Guys that creepy websleuth that got someone to go to the grave, I'm nearly sure he said he was a dental student, I was watching it thinking omg imagine sitting in the dentist chair with him over you I would freak
@justheretoread99 That sounds like an experience that would put hairs on your chest! Waa there many other tourists in your hotel or around that area?
I read that they are literally begging people not to volunteer on thanksgiving or Xmas as there is almost more volunteers than residents there on those days and no one goes near the place the rest of the year!
@rlouisep9 wow I'm obsessed with your reply! I have lots of questions if you dont mind
did u stay after elisa lam? Was it mainly tourists staying there? Were you in stay on main? Also is there a bar or restaurant or anything there? Also wondering if there was many staff there?
Guys that creepy websleuth that got someone to go to the grave, I'm nearly sure he said he was a dental student, I was watching it thinking omg imagine sitting in the dentist chair with him over you I would freak
@justheretoread99 That sounds like an experience that would put hairs on your chest! Waa there many other tourists in your hotel or around that area?
I read that they are literally begging people not to volunteer on thanksgiving or Xmas as there is almost more volunteers than residents there on those days and no one goes near the place the rest of the year!
Last edited:
@rlouisep9 wow I'm obsessed with your reply! I have lots of questions if you dont mind
did u stay after elisa lam? Was it mainly tourists staying there? Were you in stay on main? Also is there a bar or restaurant or anything there? Also wondering if there was many staff there?
Haha no worries! I stayed the same year after
in August 2013.The whole Stay on Main thing is a bit weird as I'm pretty sure it was just the exact same hotel and they booked people under either name. I booked under the Cecil hotel name (completely oblivious to anything) and I checked in at the main hotel but I'm sure when we were there we were referred to as being in Stay on Main, we were definitely on one of the floors they kept aside for the hotel part rather than the weirdos living there! We never saw anyone who didn't look like they were a tourist/fellow traveller or anything that concerned us.
There were always staff on reception and around the lobby (actually very helpful too haha) but I don't recall if there were more or less than an average place, it was a budget hotel either way so my expectations weren't exactly the highest
Not sure about a bar or restaurant, I don't remember seeing one so if there was a bar it was small. They had a breakfast area with tables and chairs out and we got buffet breakfast included. Everyone I saw there each morning looked like they were just like us, about to head out for a day of sightseeing etc!
The hotel was clean, room was perfectly fine and because we were only in LA for a few days we really didn't spend much time there, just sleep, shower, breakfast and head back out.
There was an ensuite toilet and sink to each room but the showers/bath were communal with a couple at the end of each floor. That was the creepiest because everytime we ran a tap we thought about the water tank... but other than that it really wasn't that bad. We were travelling as 2 20 year old girls and felt safe
FoksiOska
VIP Member
I loved San Francisco and felt really safe there but that may have been because I was with my male partner? I don't remember feeling unsafe anywhere but I do wonder if I would have noticed it more if I was alone or with female friends.I love San Fran, yes theres a lot of homeless but the dodgy areas are easy to avoid. The homeless people I did encounter however were friendly enough. Just avoid the Tenderloin area and all is good, I only say I felt a little uneasy was when I accidently walked through the Tenderloin to get somewhere, nothing happened though. I went back with a friend and he felt a bit uneasy but as I knew what to expect I was fine. I went to LA alone too and Hollywood was so sleazy, I didnt venture there at night, I felt fine everywhere else. I can see Venice putting people off but all I got were old hippies cat calling haha
I'd love a Cali thread!!!
San Francisco is amazing, please dont let the homeless put you off!!
Im sad at you guys not liking San Francisco
Having said that, a man took a tit right in the middle of the road right in front of us
Re. The Cecil Hotel (or should I say seesil) I found the documentary a bit
after a while, as though it could have been condensed down to three episodes
CherryAcid
VIP Member
See the first time I went I was alone but I think as I tend not to stay out too late when im solo I didnt feel unsafe. When i went with my male friend though he definitely felt uncomfortable with all the homeless as some of them are quite loud. Nothing happened but I felt his nerves.I loved San Francisco and felt really safe there but that may have been because I was with my male partner? I don't remember feeling unsafe anywhere but I do wonder if I would have noticed it more if I was alone or with female friends.
Having said that, a man took a tit right in the middle of the road right in front of us
Re. The Cecil Hotel (or should I say seesil) I found the documentary a bit
Dot_Cotton
Chatty Member
I knew of the mystery and had seen the lift footage before but didn’t know much more about it. But after watching the documentary it wasn’t actually that much of a mystery at all. They could have said about medication and how she had episodes before the 6th episode and that would have explained it. It could’ve been wrapped up in one. I didn’t actually get the relevance of skid row either. That could have just been it’s own documentary.
HowlOwl
VIP Member
One thing that seems to be a mystery is, what did the original outside sign say before “daily”? It looks so unbalanced with the faded missing letters.
I‘ve watched the first episode so far. The building itself and its history is interesting, and the comments on here by people who have visited the area.
I‘ve watched the first episode so far. The building itself and its history is interesting, and the comments on here by people who have visited the area.
CherryAcid
VIP Member
I kept wondering that, I did wonder if it maybe said hourly? So hourly,daily, weekly rates.
Omg yes this really bothered me as well
J
justheretoread99
Guest
We stopped in “hotel” that was actually more of a motel, which I thought was quite odd for downtown LA. It was surrounded by small business so wasn’t touristy at all. We didn’t see another soul in our accommodation just the same 1 guy who worked there. He checked us in in the morning, manned the breakfast bar, maintenance during the day and did security at night
It was like a typical American horror movie. But we loved the experience none the less.That’s a shame to hear there are more volunteers than residents. It really is such a heartbreakingly sad but equally terrifying area. Definitely worth a visit. I think the Netflix series doesn’t even show half of what the area is actually like.
HowlOwl
VIP Member
There’s a tiny clip of old footage, it’s at 21 min 06 in episode 2, and it reads: “Low Monthly Weekly Rates” so Daily replaces Monthly on the more recent sign. Not sure why they didn’t spread the lettering out more evenly though.Omg yes this really bothered me as well
It’s amazing how people lived there for decades.
fluffybaffling
Active member
I was so scared in San Fran. We were verbally abused by homeless people, one was shouting about stealing my husbands rucksack, directly to him! Luckily, stuff like that doesn’t scare him so he gave it him back and he went away! one day we walked past I think a soup kitchen/ homeless shelter or something similar. there were hundreds of homeless queuing outside, I honestly had never felt so scared in my life!
We stayed in downtown LA and didn’t see half as much poverty despite being about half an hours walk away from Skid Row, that I’d only found out about from this programme
there was some druggies in a Burger King, but apart from that, on the whole found it better there. Although I agree, it is a pretty dirty place!
SloaneRanger
Chatty Member
What made you worry about the water tank when running the taps if you were oblivious to what happened at the hotel?Haha no worries! I stayed the same year after
The whole Stay on Main thing is a bit weird as I'm pretty sure it was just the exact same hotel and they booked people under either name. I booked under the Cecil hotel name (completely oblivious to anything) and I checked in at the main hotel but I'm sure when we were there we were referred to as being in Stay on Main, we were definitely on one of the floors they kept aside for the hotel part rather than the weirdos living there! We never saw anyone who didn't look like they were a tourist/fellow traveller or anything that concerned us.
There were always staff on reception and around the lobby (actually very helpful too haha) but I don't recall if there were more or less than an average place, it was a budget hotel either way so my expectations weren't exactly the highest
Not sure about a bar or restaurant, I don't remember seeing one so if there was a bar it was small. They had a breakfast area with tables and chairs out and we got buffet breakfast included. Everyone I saw there each morning looked like they were just like us, about to head out for a day of sightseeing etc!
The hotel was clean, room was perfectly fine and because we were only in LA for a few days we really didn't spend much time there, just sleep, shower, breakfast and head back out.
There was an ensuite toilet and sink to each room but the showers/bath were communal with a couple at the end of each floor. That was the creepiest because everytime we ran a tap we thought about the water tank... but other than that it really wasn't that bad. We were travelling as 2 20 year old girls and felt safe
Oh I forgot to say in that post (mentioned it in an earlier one), I googled it a couple of weeks after we had booked and had a chat with my friend about whether we should still go but as we were on a tight budget we decided to
I was really disappointed with the documentary. Like others have said it could have been condensed into much less episodes, it is just a sad story about the poor girl’s mental health, it was obvious as soon as they mentioned her being Bipolar what had happened. They just dragged it out.
The part in episode 2 about the guests drinking the brown water was the most shocking part.
The part in episode 2 about the guests drinking the brown water was the most shocking part.