V-Flyer

Unable to get Reward flights from LHR we are having to fly from Manchester to San Francisco September 2017, any information on Upper lounge there please, The Escape Lounge looks less appealing than the V-Room, can you use either? What is the SFO Upper lounge like please are there any shower facilities for arrival or departure? Any information gratefully received as havent been to SFO for 20 years!
I assume using miles rather than money for a change will mean no chauffeur driven ground transfers either end?
Really wanted to fly into Las Vegas home SFO but no rewards available at the moment, I know I can change flights for a price but whats the best way to check for rewards flights to become available in order to do so?
Any advice on a hotel for a few days preferably Fishermans Wharf area or somewhere along the Trolley Bus routes would be appreciated too.

It's the Escape lounge only at MAN I'm afraid. The V-Room is only for Virgin Holidays customers. It's an average shared lounge, which will be very disappointing if you're used to the Clubhouse.

The SFO Clubhouse does have showers. It's not an arrivals lounge (although it's landside and Virgin America share it so you can pay $40 to use it if you've got a connecting flight in First Class or Main Cabin Select with them). There's some useful info here: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/tr ... class.html

You won't qualify for CDC transfers on a reward booking. Only flexible UC cash fares qualify. You can, however, add CDC transfers for an extra 17,500 miles per journey.

To check for reward seats, just do a dummy one-way booking for the route and date you want on the VS website, selecting "pay with miles". That'll throw up a calendar for the month, showing availability in each cabin. If you see UC availability on your desired flight, don't delay - call Flying Club immediately and grab it before someone else does. They'll normally hold it for up to 72 hours for you if you need a bit of time to decide.

Gumshoe has answered all your VS related questions.

Hotel wise there really isn't any need to stay in the FW area.

In July I stayed at the Zelos on Market and 4th. Close to bus and F line (the trolley service) stops and not that far from the Muni/Bart stations and the cable car turn around at Powell & Market

You haven't mentioned a budget for hotels. Obviously FW hotels have a premium price. The holiday inn express and suites is nice enough.
There is a large selection of hotels at the Market end cable car turnaround. I like the St Regis and the Marriott.
For something a little more budget there is the King George which is about 5 blocks from the Market cable car turnaround.
If you haven't been to SFO for 20 years BART probably hadn't opened their station at the airport. It is a breeze to walk from the terminal to BART and get into the centre of the city rather then risk the traffic!
The Virgin lounge at SFO is small and generally quiet. It is a little frustrating that it is landside as you can never be 100% on how busy security is or how well boarding is going, but generally security is less than 10 minutes through priority.
The SFO International terminal has been mightily transformed since you last went - it is very nice and modern. Passport queues are sometimes frustratingly long.

Stayed at the King George once, it was cheap and reasonable. Stayed at the Hilton Union Square the other few times I've been there...

Thats brilliant info thanks, will note it all, especially hotels as it would only for for a few nights before we go & stay with friends at their small vinyard then to Vegas for a couple of days. Plenty of Reward flights in Upper for the whole of September Man to SFO so will book & watch out for possibility to change if Vegas availability home comes up. Thanks again all