The Downtown Berkeley Inn is a bit of a misnomer for this place - more of a glorified motel, but sans the negative connotation of a motel. I stayed here for a weekend on business, and was pleasantly surprised by everything.
On first blush, the place is not luxurious or comforting. There is no real waiting area, the building is spartan in terms of design, and the small parking area wasn't exactly beckoning me in. When I went in the room the first time, I expected something much nicer from the advertised pictures on their website and such a high trip advisor rating. It's a pretty plain room, nice bed, very clean but again, spartan overall. The only wall decoration was the 42" flat screen TV.
In terms of my stay, with my hopes lowered, I had a pleasant experience. The location is stellar, one block from Downtown Berkeley, bars, movie theaters (I saw "There Will Be Blood" and was home 4 minutes from leaving the theater on foot), and good food. A gym down the street, the best comic book store on the west coast (Comic Relief), and a half dozen cafes within 5 min walking distance, what's not to love?
The staff was friendly, they were efficient cleaning my space and it was private enough for me. The TV was large and in charge, but DirecTV is a pain in the ... well, in my opinion anyway.
This hotel opened in 2007 (as I understand), and looks like it's brand new still. In 2 years when the grime's started building up, I don't think I'd stay here. For the time, it's definitely one of the best deals, best bang for you $, in Berkeley! As long as you don't expect luxury, this place won't disappoint.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
most likely
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, A romantic getaway, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, Great pool scene
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Shopping, Other