TechCrunch Disrupt: Hotels & Where to Stay
13 Oct – 15 Oct 2026 Moscone West 10,000+ attendees
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TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 runs 13 to 15 October 2026 at Moscone West in San Francisco's SoMa district, pulling together more than 10,000 founders, investors and operators for 250+ sessions across six stages — capped by Startup Battlefield, where twenty finalists pitch live for $100,000 and the Disrupt Cup. Disrupt is the startup world's densest networking event: the expo floor teems with early-stage companies, VCs prowl with open calendars, and the side events spill across SoMa's bars and lofts every evening. Hotels around Moscone — Union Square, Yerba Buena and the SoMa corridor — feel the squeeze hardest, since October is also San Francisco's peak conference month and everyone wants to be within a ten-minute walk of both the venue and the after-hours circuit. The rates on this page are live and bookable, spanning walk-to-venue picks and better-value rooms a short Muni or BART hop away.
Popular areas for attendees: SoMa · Union Square · Yerba Buena.
- Hotels curated by walking distance to Moscone West and the SoMa side-event circuit
- Live 4-5 star rates across Union Square and Yerba Buena that update as October availability shrinks
- Free-cancellation rooms prioritised — hold your base early while pitch schedules and tickets settle
- Instant tax invoice at checkout, whether you expense to a startup or a fund
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 13 Oct – 15 Oct 2026
- Venue
- Moscone West
- City
- San Francisco, USA
- Airport
- SFO
- Attendance
- 10,000+
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Hotels ranked by walking distance.
Flexible bookings
Pay Weekly available on free cancellation rooms.
Rates shown for the event window, Mon, Oct 12 → Fri, Oct 16 (arrive the day before, leave the day after) — or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
On the map
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- The best hotels within walking distance of the venue
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Where to eat during TechCrunch Disrupt
Moscone crowds hit SoMa hard — the good rooms book out the week badges go live. These are where tech-conference regulars actually eat, from a three-star blowout five minutes from the halls to the burger across the street.
Benu
Contemporary Asian-American tasting menu
SoMa — 5 min walk from Moscone Center
Corey Lee's flagship — three Michelin stars for over a decade, steps from the convention halls. The definitive close-the-deal dinner during Dreamforce or RSA.
Tip: Reservations open on Tock about a month ahead; block 3 hours.
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Saison
Hearth-driven Californian
SoMa — 8 min ride from Moscone
Two Michelin stars in a brick warehouse with an open wood-fire kitchen — dramatic without being hushed, with a serious wine program for client dinners.
Tip: Ask for counter seating facing the hearth.
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Tadich Grill
Classic seafood grill · since 1849
Financial District — 10 min ride from Moscone
California's oldest restaurant — white-coated waiters, wood-paneled booths, and the cioppino SF's finance crowd has lunched on for generations.
Tip: No reservations — before noon or after 1:30pm; closed Sundays.
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House of Prime Rib
Prime rib · martinis · since 1949
Van Ness — 12 min taxi from Moscone
Prime rib carved from gleaming steel carts, martinis stirred tableside — the best team-celebration dinner in the city and a guaranteed hit with visiting colleagues.
Tip: Books out weeks ahead in conference season.
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Super Duper Burgers
Burgers · shakes
Mission St — 3 min walk from Moscone
The fast, reliable badge-lanyard lunch literally across from Moscone West — burgers ground daily, organic shakes, free house pickles.
Tip: Order on the app to beat the 12:15 conference surge.
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Sightglass Coffee
Specialty coffee roastery
SoMa, 7th St — 5 min ride from Moscone West
SF's flagship third-wave roastery in a soaring two-story space — single-origin pour-overs and enough seating to prep slides between sessions.
Tip: Opens 6:30am weekdays — ideal for pre-keynote meetings.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: San Francisco
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after TechCrunch Disrupt — bookable experiences in San Francisco, same account, same checkout.
While you're in San Francisco
Between meetings in the Bay Area you can catch some of the biggest franchises in US sport, all within easy reach of downtown San Francisco.
San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
NFL game-day at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara is a classic American sports experience and an easy add-on to a Silicon Valley trip.
Find ticketsGolden State Warriors (NBA)
Chase Center sits right in Mission Bay, so you can walk from a downtown hotel to watch one of the NBA's marquee teams on a weeknight.
Find ticketsSan Francisco Giants (MLB)
Oracle Park's waterfront setting makes an evening Giants game one of the most scenic ways to unwind after a conference day.
Find ticketsChase Center concerts
Major world tours route through Chase Center, so there is often an arena show on during any given business trip.
Find ticketsSan Francisco Fleet Week
The Blue Angels air shows over the Bay draw huge crowds and are free to watch from the waterfront if your trip falls in early October.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
Getting there
From San Francisco International (SFO)
- BART runs direct from SFO to Powell Street station in about 30 minutes for roughly $11 — Moscone West is then a two-block walk
- Taxis and rideshares take 25-45 minutes depending on 101 traffic and typically cost $45-70 to SoMa
- Rideshare pick-up at SFO is from the designated domestic garage areas, clearly signed
- Trains run frequently until around midnight; late arrivals should budget for a car instead
From Oakland (OAK) or by regional rail
- Oakland International connects to BART via an automated tram link; downtown San Francisco is about 45 minutes total and fares are similar to SFO
- OAK often has cheaper domestic fares than SFO — worth checking for US attendees
- Caltrain brings Peninsula and South Bay attendees into San Francisco (4th & King), a 15-20 minute walk or short Muni ride from Moscone West
- From Silicon Valley by car, allow a full hour-plus in morning traffic on 101
Getting around during TechCrunch Disrupt
Getting to Moscone West daily
- Moscone West sits at 4th and Howard — Powell Street BART/Muni station is two blocks north, and the Muni T-line's Yerba Buena/Moscone station is essentially outside the door
- Union Square and Yerba Buena hotels are a 5-15 minute walk; most attendees never need wheels
- Rideshare drop-offs on Howard Street bunch up before morning keynotes — being dropped a block away is often faster
- Badge queues form on 4th Street on day one; arriving before 8:30am beats the rush
Around San Francisco
- Tap a contactless card or phone on Muni and BART via Clipper; no paper tickets needed
- SoMa evening side events are mostly walkable from the venue, but distances toward the Mission or Marina justify a rideshare
- October traffic around SoMa thickens when conventions overlap — allow extra time for cross-town investor meetings
- Standard big-city awareness applies at night around parts of SoMa and Market Street; stick to busier corridors or share a ride
Visa & entry
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- Founders and investors from Visa Waiver Program countries — the UK, most of the EU, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and more — enter with an ESTA (about $40, two-year validity)
- Canadians need only a valid passport for short business visits
- Apply for the ESTA at least 72 hours before departure
eVisa / visa required
- Attendees from India, China, most of Africa, the Middle East and much of Latin America need a B-1 visitor visa with a consular interview
- Interview waits can run to months in high-demand countries — international Battlefield founders and exhibitors should apply immediately after acceptance
Documents to carry
- Disrupt ticket or exhibitor confirmation, plus any TechCrunch acceptance correspondence if you are pitching or exhibiting
- Hotel booking and return or onward flight details
- ESTA approval or visa information stored offline
US entry rules and fees change without much notice — confirm current requirements with a US embassy or official ESTA/CBP sources before booking.
First time at TechCrunch Disrupt?
- Arrive Monday 12 October to badge up early — the day-one queue outside Moscone West is the longest of the week
- Study the six-stage layout in advance; sessions run in parallel and Moscone West's three levels take time to navigate between
- Book investor and partner meetings through the event's networking app weeks ahead — good calendars are full before doors open
- Startup Battlefield finals pack the main stage; arrive well before the session start for a seat
- Union Square hotels a few blocks north routinely beat SoMa venue-adjacent pricing while staying inside a 10-minute walk
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- The expo floor's quietest, best hours are late on the final afternoon — exhibiting founders finally have time for substantive conversations
- More deals start at the SoMa side events and unofficial happy hours than on the show floor; track the community side-event lists published in the run-up
- Skip the venue lunch crush — Yerba Buena Gardens and the food spots along Mission and Howard turn over faster
- If you are pitching, rehearse in your hotel, not the venue — quiet corners inside Moscone West during show hours barely exist
TechCrunch Disrupt travel FAQs
Where should I stay for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026?
SoMa and Yerba Buena put you steps from Moscone West, while Union Square offers the deepest hotel stock within a 10-minute walk. Both keep you close to the evening side-event circuit that makes Disrupt worthwhile.
How much do hotels cost during TechCrunch Disrupt?
October is San Francisco's busiest conference month, and rates near Moscone climb well above normal — premiums of 50-100% on walkable hotels are common. Prices ease noticeably a BART stop or two away.
How early should I book hotels for Disrupt?
Two to four months out at minimum; earlier if a larger convention overlaps the same October window. Free-cancellation rates let you lock a walkable room before ticket plans are final.
Which airport do I fly into for TechCrunch Disrupt?
San Francisco International (SFO) — BART runs direct to Powell Street, two blocks from Moscone West, in about 30 minutes. Oakland (OAK) is a viable, often cheaper alternative with a similar BART journey.
Is TechCrunch Disrupt worth attending without a ticket to pitch?
Yes — most attendees come to network rather than pitch on stage. The expo floor, six stages of sessions and the dense SoMa side-event scene mean operators, investors and job-seekers all get value, provided they schedule meetings in advance.
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with TechCrunch Disrupt or its organizers. Dates and venues can change — verify with the official event site before booking travel.