Bancroft Hotel
2680 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, Alamo,
The Bancroft is a beautiful hotel. The architecture reminds me of Europe and also some of the arts & crafts movement here. There is a lot of dark wood and old-world charm. The room that we stayed in was a reasonable size, facing Bancroft with a shared balcony. The only downside was the bathroom. It was very small, with a tiny tub - not big enough to take a bath. It took a while to get hot water, but it was plentiful when it did come. Linens and towels were clean, as were the carpets and drapes, etc. Again, it's charming but not luxurious. Perfect for visiting someone who's a student at Berkeley or a place to stay while seeing a Bears game. It was a bit noisy after football games as Bancroft is a main thoroughfare to get down from the stadium. Breakfast was well-stocked and very fresh, and the granola was fantastic. The staff are very friendly and willing to help out with whatever you need, and the location is central to plenty of restaurants and a brisk walk to BART. This is the first hotel we try to book whenever we know we're going to Berkeley.
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Coral Reef Inn and Suites
400 Park St, Alameda, Alamo,
I made a reservation a week in advance for a queen bed (it was my wife's birthday) and when I checked in they had given my room away. I waited 30 min. at front desk where the service was horrible. They finally "found" me a room with two horrible twin beds. I was awakened in the morning by hammering and power tools right above us, when I called the front desk they pretty much said "too bad, sorry." When I spoke to the manager he was the worst of all, I can't understand how a customer service oriented business like a hotel can stay in business with a manager like that....wow, really bad all the way around. I guess they just don't plan on any repeat business.
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Hilton Oakland Airport
1 Hegenberger Rd, Oakland, Alamo,
The beds are great! Really comfy. Also good quality shampoos and lotions. The restaurants are fine - something for everyone. Of course, the convenience is unsurpassed.
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Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
1175 University Ave, Berkeley, Alamo,
This was a typical (for me) Holiday Inn Express. It was convenient but not so close to heavy traffic that there was a lot of noise. Lots of free parking, well lit lot. Room was large and comfortable, and very clean. The bathroom fan didn't work. The neighborhood seemed a little dicey- my wife who is familiar with Berkeley seemed a bit surprised when I told her the address, but there were no problems.
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Hotel Durant
2600 Durant Ave, Berkeley, Alamo,
Although the hotel was fine, I noticed a small problem with my bill resulting from my charging breakfast to my room on two different days. The charges that I approved in the restaurant were not the charges that appeared on my hotel bill - guess which was higher. Although I'm only talking about a few bucks, I think this is an unethical practice. I called the manager and left a message but he never returned my call.
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