What a terrible shame that this elegant building does not address the needs of people with disabilities. Yes, it says it is wheelchair accessible but that means only someone in a wheelchair can get into the building and use the elevator to access the upper floors. I was at an event there yesterday. I got into the building. Did not see a sign for where the wheelchair access is and you have to get up some steps to ring the bell to get in. I must have missed the sign. The reception for the event was held in the garden. There are steps there, with no handrails. The ground is uneven, the few seats available are too low for elderly people or for those who arthritis. There was a guest who used a wheelchair who couldn't access the garden at all. This place is not fully wheelchair accessible. I'd love to be a member and I can afford the fees but am excluded by the lack of regard and handrails read more

Came here for an offsite meeting and was very impressed with this charming hotel in fact I had no idea the Berkeley City Club existed. I've been coming to Berkeley as long as I can remember, in fact I use to live off university ave when i was a wee bit baby. Located off Durant Ave, you would totally miss just drive by this place without noticing it unless you really took a closer look. When you arrive to the location, you need to ring the bell and let them know what meeting you are there for. They tell you the location and buzz you in. The hotel itself was like you stepped into the a time machine. The architecture inside and out was just magnificent. I heard about the olympic size indoor pool but wasn't able to see it. BCC is part of the Historic Hotels of America and this hotel definitely has a lot of history. I would elaborate on it more but I need to finish another 40+ reviews before the end of the year. Check out their website: http://berkeleycityclub.com/ One interesting tid bit - This place use to be a women's club and there are 2 women who were grandfathered in the hotel therefore living there rent free (i think). read more

I can't believe anyone would give this any stars after the experience I just had there. The building is beautiful and I would recommend that anyone interested in architecture take a walk through and view the first two floors, but I would recommend that anyone looking for a place to stay find somewhere, ANYWHERE else to stay. The hotel is uncomfortable and out of date, but the worst problem is the staff. This property is so poorly managed that it is unbelievable! I spent the past two nights there while attending a conference at CAL. It was in awful experience, no coffee in the morning as they hadn't planned for the large number of guests. To regulate the heat in my room I had to use the window as the knob on the steam radiator was broken. Have you ever stayed in a hotel that lays out chocolate? Well, at the BCC there are earplugs on your pillow, I'm not joking - they have to or you'd never get a full nights sleep. The pipes are so bad that when the first guest wakes up and uses water the whole room SCREAMS! Awful! But, really the staff was the worst. I went downstairs to check out 7:45 am, hoping to walk for 20 minutes and make the conference at 8:30. Silly me, even though the hotel was sold out as the host hotel for the conference and we all needed to be there at the same time, there was only one person at the desk, and he was incredibly slow! I was in line for almost an hour! The manager was in her office but refused to come out and help. Numerous people knocked on her door, we all asked every staff member we could find, no one would help. I was a half hour late, many of the people behind me in line were more than an hour late. I will nEvER return, advise all to stay away! read more

OK, so I don't need to describe the gorgeous architecture, which others already have done. Several years ago the Aurora Theatre performed here and we saw a few of their productions. Their performance space was on the first floor, a large room w/ 2 rows of chairs around the perimeter, one on the floor level, the other about 6-8 inches taller behind it. If there was a third row I don't remember. It was a theatre in the round, an incredibly intimate performance space where you didn't have the privacy of darkness to hide your tears if you were moved. Tonight Nina and I had tickets for the Del Sol String Quartet as part of the Berkeley Chamber Performances. The performance space was on the second floor, a large auditorium w/ a stage. Rows of folding chairs were set up but the crowd was sufficiently large to require more chairs be brought in. The room was chilly enough for coats to be necessary but that wasn't a problem. The architectural details were a marvel to look at, the acoustics were excellent and the performance was terrific. I'll probably review it tomorrow. read more

Last night was an absolutely fabulous affair. The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Dinner at the Berkeley City Club. It was a Great Gatsby affair and the 1920 theme was perfect for the evening. People in costumes and swing music playing. Total class! There were men in tuxes at the door to greet the arriving guests. Their were hors-doeuvres being offered by servers in formal attire as well. The food was fantastic - I had tri-tip with a side of steamed vegetables while my wife enjoyed a simple rice and salmon dish. All very good. The bar was serving simple mixed drinks for $6 or "complex" mixed drinks for $8. Wine and beer were $4. Totally reasonable. And the location - WOW! We had the entire 2nd floor. The tables were set up for dinner in the "ballroom" (the room with the stage) and they were set around an open center which was later used as the dance floor. The library was set up with a silent auction (funds going to college scholarships). And there is an outdoor terrace that was absolutely fantastic. The terrace is actually set right above the pool and you are looking over the street and the garden at the heart of the City Club. The Terrace is open air and there was a bar at one end. So.. Location - great Logistics - great Food - Really good Parking - great (meaning easy, surprisingly) Service - great Bar service - great If you have an event that you are planning, this would be a spectacular place to host it. Highly recommended. read more

All in all, the Berkeley City Club is a great place to get married. My husband and I had our wedding there a few months ago and were generally very satisfied with our experience. For one, the building is absolutely gorgeous, and especially if the 1930s arts & crafts Julia Morgan style is your thing, there is no better venue. It does feel like a "little castle" as it has been aptly dubbed. We loved having access to the many rooms and really appreciated that we could have the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all at the same venue, but each in different unique spaces. There is also a treasure trove of places for pictures, with multiple little garden courtyards, beautiful stair cases, etc. We even had some pictures taken next to their unique swimming pool. The food was also excellent, and their head chef, Robert, was incredibly accommodating and good at preparing menus. There are a number of items to choose from, and we found it easy to accommodate the many vegetarians and children at our wedding. We were also pleasantly surprised at the honesty when it came to the alcohol pricing. We decided to do a consumption bar post dinner (basically pay only for the drinks that guests ordered as opposed to doing an hourly rate per guest). After the wedding, we were happy to find that the amount came to close to $1K less than what we anticipated. While it would have been easy for the BCC to say that the amount was simply what was estimated given how hard it is to keep track of that sort of thing, it was nice to find that they were honest about what was actually consumed. Our impression of the events coordination staff is a bit mixed. There was quite a bit of turnover throughout the planning period. At the start, the staff we interacted with were very unresponsive and we had to continually email and call to have our questions answered. We were also provided with some meal pricing information that later turned out to be inaccurate. That said, it seems as though they have recognized these weaknesses and recently brought on staff that are much more responsive. Ellyn, the final events coordinator we worked with, was very helpful and easy to work with. As far as reserving hotel rooms for guests at the BCC, I would advice against it. For one, the building is older and thus the rooms are quite small and out-dated. The hotel is lacking in amenities and does not have valet / room service to help with luggage and run things up to rooms if needed. We also received conflicting information about our room block. At one point, although we were informed us that we still had rooms available under our block, when guests tried to reserve,they were told that all the rooms were booked and there were none available at the promised wedding rate. Some guests were also told that parking was free (included in the price of the room) by some staff, which turned out to be untrue, just leading to confusion. In addition to the block at the BCC, we also reserved rooms at the Hotel Durant, a few blocks down the street, and had a better experience with them. Finally, if you're like me and like the ease of everything in one place, you may want to check out the hair salon (Dale Oxley Salon) on the premises. I am a bit torn about our experience at the salon however. In terms of how my bridesmaids' hair and my hair turned out, I have zero complaints. Dale is a whiz at the wedding up-dos and to top it off, super warm, friendly, and funny. That said the organization of the salon is severely lacking, we experienced a fair amount of mix-ups when trying to book appointments. I would caution against using Valerie for make-up. For one, it wasn't clear to me from the start that she is not actually affiliated with Dale Oxley Salon or Studio Abasi, despite the fact that I was referred to her through Dale Oxley Salon and she has them do her scheduling for her. However, she is actually an independent consultant that uses space on the premise. This confusion resulted in mix-ups regarding when we were actually supposed to show-up for make-up on the day of, as well as mix-ups with payment. Valerie was furthermore quite unprofessional throughout these mix-ups and difficult to work with. read more

Berkeley's "little castle" is just a short walk from the head shops of Telegraph Ave, and just as entertaining, Amazing classic architecture by one of our state's great architects, I'm told it originally opened as the Berkeley Women's City Club. Worth stopping in just to have coffee and walk around the place. Don't miss the indoor pool (too bad they removed the diving board, it was old-school and delivered Olympic style launches. Every Wednesday, thru mid-October, there's a $25 buffet "lunch on the terrace." A great way to enjoy the space. Whether you've been walking around the Cal campus, sampling local suds at a nearby brewpub, browsing the irreverent T-shirt shops on Telegraph Ave. or running the Berkeley Fire Trail, the short walk over here will give you the opportunity to enjoy one of California's relatively unknown gems. On your way out of town, don't forget to drive down College Ave to Rockridge, where you can browse Market Hall for a coffee, pastry and to sample those tasty cheeses. read more

Very nice spot for brunch. Good food, excellent service. Parking can be a challenge, though.

This place looked so great for a wedding ceremony and reception on their web site. So last July I happily made an appointment to tour the place and get more details. My tour was not with the catering manager, but with a student assistant. She knew the place pretty well though so I went with it. I found the place to be a bit less polished and more run down than what they show in pictures. Yes I know this is a historic building that's been around forever but they can re-finish the floors and clean the dirt in the corners. The red floor in the courtyard where the cermony would be is beat up and bare in places where you can see the original flooring beneath. The best part of this building is the atrium in the middle of the building. BEAUTIFUL garden! I really would have loved to have the ceremony there but WAY too small for any more than 5-10 people to fit there. They do have a great venue price that includes catering! And the have a discount for UC ALUMS!!!!! FABULOUS! But even with all these great prices, it's the "nickle and dime-ing" is what gets ya: - I looked at the 1930's wooden schoolhouse chairs and said "oh, but in all the pictures of weddings here there are some really nice chairs". the response was "Oh, you want the nice chairs? Oh that will be $$ more". - The basic buffet price is for a very "senior citizen" type buffet. Anything more than that and that's more $$. I started getting the feeling that all the hidden costs with this place was going to add up to be waaaayyy more than I had originally signed up for. - And then the parking situation! There is NO parking included in the packages. So you either have your guests fend for themselves or you can rent out the public parking lot that geographically sits in back of the building but is only accessible from the street around the block. And then guests all decked out in their nice nice clothes have to walk along a long dark ally next to the Berkeley Free Clinic to get to and from your wedding - in the dark if the wedding is at night. Two weeks into my booking process my student assistant person who was helping me emails me to tell me that she was going on vacation and that the manager would be contacting me to finalize details. But she never did. And that was OK because by then I had found a better place and a better deal. read more

I've been waiting a really long time to write this review. My husband and I recently got married and had our reception at the BCC. I cannot recommend the BCC, or crystal myers, the event coordinator, highly enough. We had booked back in October when crystal was in a supporting role in the events office. After the other event coordinator was laid off (and in full discloser she became my default planner- Christina Rodriguez- if you need a coordinator or advice, let me know and I will gladly give you her contact info!) but, back to the BCC....crystal and her gang will do everything for you, short of actually marrying you! They absolutely are beyond professional, and really give a lot of experience and advice. From every little detail (and I mean EVERY detail) crystal and her gang are right there with you and ready to advise. I know in some yelp reviews it's been said that they are bad at returning phone calls. I'm not going to lie: I waited a couple times for calls and emails to be returned. BUT, you must realize, it is because they are solo busy with weddings and events and trying to give everyone awesome amounts of attention that follow ups may be delayed. Please, do not let that deter you. You will get the same attention. I really cannot articulate how kick ass our wedding was. The BCC is a gorgeous venue, and I am spool glad we got married there. The BCC and crystal have a very special place in my heart now. read more

I toured this place for both ceremony and reception venue. Its by the same woman who designed Hearst castle. And she controlled every bit of its look top to bottom, down to the furniture in guest rooms. That level of control, while a bit OCD has resulted in a beautiful cohesive building, also very castle like. Its outdoor space for large weddings is limited. and like many places you can only use their caterer/approved vendors. But it is a lovely space, lots of personality, just not for me. They seemed a little nervous when I asked about DIY/non traditional elements for the wedding. They really specialize in your standard traditional format. Not important to everyone, but it mattered to me. There was an incredible delay when it comes to responding. It is entirely possible that my judgement is clouded by the wedding virus that has crawled inside my brain, and taken over. Like some evil body snatcher, i have become a BRIDE. It was frustrating for me however. I asked for a quote on 1/19, sent a reminder, 1/25 and didn't ANY response until 2/21. read more

I had my wedding at the Berkeley City Club last June. It is Julia Morgan at her best - the building and the decor are stunning and all the different rooms create such a gorgeous backdrop for the reception. We held our ceremony in a nearby church instead of the city club, but guests were able to walk between locations. Guests raved about the venue and the events staff was wonderful. Sandy Roissier, who manages events, is incredible. She was on top of every detail and made the entire process very easy for us. The bridal suite is a wonderful touch, with a lovely view of the bay. You can also schedule your hair appointment at the salon on the ground floor - Dale Oxley hair studio is fantastic and the location is so convenient. My only suggestion would be to shop around for day-of coordinators if it's allowed. The woman we were assigned was nice but not very proactive or engaged. She didn't arrive until a few hours before the ceremony so my bridesmaids and I had to deal with a vendor or two. Luckily, Sandy was there and took over for us. Other than that the day went exactly as planned and I couldn't be happier. Cal alumni with CAA membership even receive a discount! I absolutely recommend Berkeley City Club for an unforgettable, beautiful wedding. Service Provided 5, Experience 5 read more

I'm getting emotional just writing this review. Our wedding last New Year's Eve was absolutely fantastic. I cannot say enough about the venue or the staff, but here are some thoughts: Venue: this is the perfect venue for a destination-style wedding. While we live in the Bay Area, most of our family was from out of town. We needed our guests to stay in the reception location - especially as it was New Year's Eve. The ballroom and drawing room were perfect for our ceremony and reception. The building is beautiful, romantic, and very practical. You couldn't ask for a better background for photos! And the staff knows how to deal with vendors to make it a seamless experience. Accommodations: Some of our guests were concerned about not having televisions, but we were so busy that week, that no one even missed them. The rooms are lovely and unique, and my family is still talking about how much they enjoyed the place. We also stayed here one night on our own, and absolutely loved it. We can't wait to go back on our anniversary! Staff: The hotel staff were wonderful and welcoming, and made my family feel at home. The guest rooms and group spaces were clean and lovely during our stay, with lots of little welcoming touches. Meals: Breakfast was great - especially as it allowed people from different time zones some flexibility. And there are refrigerators on every floor, for people who wanted snacks. Event staff: I was a bit concerned about the up front planning. The staff seemed too busy to do much in the way of advance planning. But once they got engaged, they totally pulled through. They absolutely went above and beyond to make my event unforgettable - even bringing some special touches from their personal collection. I couldn't believe the transformation that night! Tips: I would personally recommend getting a day-of wedding planner, on top of the event staff. Crystal was absolutely wonderful during the ceremony, but I would gladly have paid someone to take on all of the details that overwhelmed me during the day. If you're going big, do yourself a favor and get someone who can take the phone calls that day. If you want natural lighting, you may need to stage your photo session in advance. Many of the outdoor spaces are in shadow during the fall/winter. Get an official position from your photographer on ballroom lighting in advance. I got a last-minute request for $500 in lighting, and wasn't completely happy with the result. It can be a tough room to light at night, so it's worth checking out. Figure out a way to use the pool! We were so busy that we never got in it. It's a beautiful room, so we'll have to check it out on our next visit. read more

This review is for the city club as a hotel, I have never actually used it as a club. The Berkeley City Club lets its rooms to non-members and it is one of the nicer places to put up out of town visitors. The building is a interesting piece of architecture designed by Julia Morgan. There is a pool and workout room avaiilable to guests and a hair salon in the hotel. The location is a few blocks off campus but it is on a fairly quiet, tree-lined street and a nice place from which to start a walk around Berkeley. There are no tvs in any of the rooms. read more

This place is amaazing. I don't even know where to begin. My mother, who used to stay at the Durant or Claremont Hotel, somehow ended up staying here. I never once noticed the building despite living a few blocks away for a few years. It basically resembles the interior of a European castle. Architect Julia Morgan, whose portrait unlovingly gazes at you upon entry (and whose ghost you get the feeling might still be roaming somewhere within), went all out with the details. From the mosaic indoor pool to the beautifully contructed courtyard (with a peacock that lives there) to sweeping stone staircases, this place is craazy and while walking around you fully expect to see Harry Potter turn around one of the corners. read more

I stayed here the past week only because there was a huge convention in the city and all the hotels were ridiculously expensive. I booked it since it was close to a Bart station and the pictures seemed nice. I guess I should have been cautious since most were wedding photos of the grounds and lobby. I have to say that the rooms were a lot more run down than I was expecting. I was thinking it would be charming but it seemed more creepy in the rooms. It might just be my imagination going wild but it definitely reminds me of some horror films with the tub shower and old furnishings. Don't stay here for work! Which is what I was there for. No desks and spotty WiFi. Even in the lobby it was too slow for me to do work and I had to hunt out some coffee shops and cafes. No air conditioning which was fine for October but I can imagine it gets stuffy in the summer. Overall, I don't think I would stay here again. I was spooked a little too much at night! read more

I Love the City Club! My BNI networking group meets there each Thursday morning and they always take such good care of us. The staff is friendly, the food is ok, but the setting is gorgeous!! It's a historical Julia Morgan creation as well so it's worth a visit just to take in the stunning architecture and the secret magic garden that is tucked inside. Quiet, peaceful, beautiful - and - free wifi :) read more

What a treat! A living Social coupon for $81 bucks? Imagine, staying at Hearst Castle...for that price? Okay, how about a hotel designed by Julia Morgan who designed HC?!!! Such a deal! Even at their regular rates its a great deal. The place is a throwback from yesteryear, when women wore dresses, hats and gloves and men wore suits to visit the City. But enough of my reminiscence. Each room contains real wool carpets, real cotton sheets, a bed that feels like its filled with feathers, real wood furniture and is tastefully decorated, even the colorful tile in the bathrooms that have real porcelain tubs and cotton shower curtains. The included Breakfast is good - the weekday fare is better than weekends - but even that is better than other hotel breakfasts - all served on china - with stainless utensils. Rooms do not include TV and most do not get WIFI, though you can get WIFI in the lobby and near the elevators on most floors... but if you're willing to step into the clean, tasteful, and healthier hotels of yesteryear, its a small price to pay. Oh yes, and they have a delightful indoor swimming pool for...swimming laps. read more

As a hotel--- We were refinishing our floors, if you can imagine, so one son and I spent the week at the BCC while the rest of the family left town. We had a great week. The staff were great, were very accommodating of my son's teenage crankiness, the food was great, the location was fabulous (along with the parking for our local car....), and we were on I recall the 7th floor with a killer Golden Gate Bridge view. How wonderful and unexpected! I've been to a few events here for Ivy League schools, and the service for those has been wonderful. The setting and great mix of formally and accessibility has been spot on. read more

Absolutely breathtaking venue. I had the pleasure of attending (and reading at) the Generations Poetry Reading at the Berkeley City Club and was enamored from the second I stood outside the steps of the looming structure in all it's regal architecture. It just felt gilded and graceful, and walking inside just brought a sharper inhale and an instant widening of the eyes. Although the front desk agent was extremely rude and dismissive, my dad and I were in too good of spirits to let it bother us. We glided up the staircase to inspect the rest of the place and were instantly impressed. As usual, I had to go to the ladies' room and loved the separate powder room and stalls setup. Now, it certainly wasn't any sprawling Nordie's sitch but it got the job done and it was tastefully vintage enough for me to truly appreciate the abode. Next, we hung out in what I can only describe as the upper lobby area before pushing onward to an outer patio where those of us due to perform were instructed on the proceedings of the evening. Throughout the evening, I marvelled at the decor (a testament to the superb design skill of Julia Morgan) and added it to my list of potential wedding spots if I ever decide to give up my freedom to the ol' ball an' chain. And yes, there was a bar. And no, I didn't utilize it. read more

Usually when traveling to the Bay Area we stay in SF, but after seeing the $81/night deal on Livingsocial.com we decided to stay in the East Bay on our recent visit. I am always looking for unique places to stay and this "Little Castle" created by Julia Morgan was beyond amazing. It is a gothic beauty full of nooks and crannies of goodness. Libraries, gardens, roof tops, staircases, sitting rooms, ballrooms and more all waiting to be explored. I loved that there were no areas we weren't allowed to enjoy, we spent the entire morning checking out every inch. The parking was in a lot next door and only $12. The room was modest, but none of the windows had screens. Since I was traveling with my 3 year old this was a BIG worry. The rooms have no A/C so you need to open the windows for air, but this was very nerve wracking. There is no TV, this is NOT nerve wracking at all. In fact, it was quite nice for a change. The pool(closing nov 28-feb for refurbishment) was decent for swimming but has no real "lounge area" and you must wear a swim cap if your hair comes below your ears. ($3 at front desk). The breakfast was very decent and the coffee was good. The location was really fun, right near the campus and 1 1/2 blocks off Shattuck. Lots of great restaurants and shops all right there. We tried a few different places during our visit and enjoyed them both. The entire area seemed reasonably priced for good quality food. Can't wait to stay here again!! read more

Love the rooms here. Really cool terrace for dancing.

In a word OUTSTANDING !! Even if you don't book a night here go inside and look at this beautiful place!! My sister and I stayed here just to get away from the city. They have a gigantic tile lined pool that will knock your socks off!! Bring your phone you WILL take pictures! They have a quaint happy hour in a room straight out of "Tarzan" the movie . The restaurant has a yummy menu. The stair cases are straight out of a Harry Potter film. The art deco and windows everywhere are so cool! It's walking distance to "Venus" fave restaurant. The service and rooms are great. They have a fridge and microwave for snacks. Relaxing and awesome! Run don't walk! read more

The Berkeley City Club is a simply beautiful facility that I was completely unaware of, until some friends decided to have their wedding there. It is a very picturesque location for any formal gathering, but the staff is obviously particularly adept at hosting wedding ceremonies and receptions. If you are planning an important event, this is a venue to consider. The interior is gorgeous, the staff is efficient, and space is accommodating. read more

My husband and I had our wedding at the beautiful and elegant historic Julia Morgan building last October 18, 2009! Words can't express how delighted we were to have our wedding here! There are so many beautiful places to take pictures; graceful arches, elaborate stairway, the ivy covered terrace, library/study room with spectacular windows. We chose the Ballroom and the Venetian room for our cocktail and wedding ceremony. We loved the grandeur of the two rooms! We had such a wonderful and accommodating wedding coordinator, Crystal Meyers, who attended to all of our questions and concerns from day one. The Berkeley City Club comes complete with their own in-house catering staff and the food is incredible!!! Mario, the floor manager, were excellent as he managed his staff who took care of every little detail. Our guests were very impressed as to the efficiency and warmth of all the staff members! This place is truly a hidden gem in the Bay Area. We're so glad we've found this charming place before it becomes too popular. read more

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Went on a living-social voucher and got intrigued by the pictures on the Voucher site. The pictures were truly inviting. However, was disappointed when we checked-in the room that we were given. Dont expect Air-conditioning as i guess you may not need one in Berkeley. Pros: Vintage feeling Good Breakfast Close proximity to the famous University of Berkeley and classy restaurants. Good architectural constructional especially the second floor of the building and loved the ambience of the swimming pool arena. Cons: Small rooms compared to the average hotel rooms. Wifi limitations. Didnt have good wifi connection. Construction work besides the city club. Went on a Sunday and could save on additional parking charges. Street parkings are free on Sundays till mostly 8 or 9 AM till Monday morning. read more

I stayed here for the wedding of a very old friend from college, and could not have been more charmed. Entering our room was like entering another era. There was a radiator! Black and white checked bathroom tile and a large claw-foot tub. No TV at all (20 points!) And the views. Spectacular. The rest of the property was old-world as well. Now, some people want a Marriott, with cookie-cutter rooms and amenities. And this isn't the accommodation for them. Charm comes with some inconveniences. No, there isn't an electrical outlet on every wall. The halls may seem cramped. If this kind of thing puts you out get thee to a chain hotel. I myself was delighted with my experience here, and I intend to return on my next trip to Berkeley. I didn't have time at the wedding to try that indoor pool... read more

I am a full time wedding photographer, and this is hands down one of my favorite wedding venues to photograph. Top features: the gorgeous Julia Morgan architecture and the prime location right next to Berkeley's campus. Also be sure to check out the swimming pool, beautifully lined with the same tiles that line Julia Morgan's most famous building, Hearst Castle. Normally, I love to photograph new venues rather than come back to the same ones all the time, but I really never get tired of coming back to the Berkeley City Club. There are always more beautiful corners, charming courtyards, and hidden staircases that I could just photograph for days. Floors one and two are filled with common areas like the courtyards, the ballroom, and the library. Floors three through six are hotel rooms and private residences. If there's one down-side to this place, it's having to navigate the odd mix of public-facing hotel and private club/private residences. I can imagine if I lived in the BCC it would not be so amusing for guests to be trekking through my hallways all the time. But basically, keeping the noise down on the upper levels and being extra polite and proper around the residents is probably best. At any rate, this place is a true gem. I highly recommend it! read more

3.5 stars. I got a living social voucher for my parents to stay here, and overall it was a good experience. the service was great and they were extremely accommodating for their early check in and even gave them a bay view room. Often times when you get a living social or groupon type of voucher, you get treated differently, so I was pleased that that wasn't the case. Julia Morgan's design is really incredible to look at, but I have to say that I don't really know that it worked for the hotel. Although my parents room was quite nice, the club itself felt almost like a mausoleum. Not sure that I would ever come back here, although the experience was pretty good. read more

Well, we just arrived for dinner. It's our first time here and we arrived 10 minutes early for our 7:15 reservation. We checked in with the hostess and she noted our reservation was at 7:15 and so our table wasn't ready yet and wouldn't be ready until our reservation at 7:15. She said it in a really snide way, and also, there were so many empty tables. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. Then I had to literally stand up to get someone to serve us after waiting for about 15 minutes - it seemed that everyone thought we were someone else's problem. No one even had brought us water - I grabbed it myself because I was tired of being ignored. The food ended up being fine, but I would never return after that terrible service. read more

I have been coming to the Berkeley City Club on as many Tuesdays as possible for the past 3 years. The local Berkeley Kiwanis Club holds their meetings here, and being an active member of the Kiwanis family, it's hard to resist going to their meetings. Every time I come in here, I am greeted by a beautiful lobby that's hard to find these days in such an urban setting. The meeting room is wonderfully designed and is perfect for the needs of Kiwanis. The hotel provides lunch for the meetings, which costs $14 for regular members. Although it's a bit expensive if I didn't get it half off, it definitely has never disappointed. They always have a good pick of meats and side dishes, as well as very fresh salad and wonderful dessert. The employees are always very friendly and courteous when serving their delicious lunch. The Kiwanians have hosted several events in the upstairs ballrooms of the hotel, which also turned out pretty successfully. Although I never planned any of them, the employees always seem to be on task and help us out with anything we need. Like the rest of the hotel, the ballrooms are wonderfully designed and also provide great views of the city and the Bay Area. read more

My boyfriend and I stayed here this past weekend thanks to a Living Social deal he had recently purchased. The front desk was super nice when we checked-in. Our reservation was inputted incorrectly, but they were very accommodating and quickly found a room for us. The lady who checked us in even encouraged us to explore the hotel designed by Julia Morgan. When we got to our room, it was perfect! The room was small, but cute. It reminds me of my own studio apartment sans the kitchen. It was beautifully decorated in antique furniture, and all the linens pressed and seemed brand new. By the way, the bathroom was stocked with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. The breakfast was amazing with scrambled eggs, sausage, pastries, cereal and fruit. I generally eat peanut butter and toast before a long run, so I asked one of the cooks if they happened to have peanut butter. He did, and brought some out in a ramekin for me! Overall, everything here was excellent and the staff was very friendly. I adored this hotel, and would love to stay here again! read more

A charming hotel that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting a lovely and relaxing experience in the Bay Area. I first discovered the Berkeley City Club via a Groupon deal and was initially hesitant to book, because too often, "historic" describes old and dirty when it comes to hotels, especially at that price. Not the case! Our room appears to have been the "Groupon" room mentioned in another review, extremely close to the elevator, but I did not find any trouble with the outside noise or that of the elevator. My husband commented that it must be the quietest elevator in existence because we never noticed it. Our room was extremely clean, the bed and linens were nice, the bathroom was charming (I enjoyed a long soak in the tub), and the room was flooded with light in the morning (after opening the blackout curtains). The complimentary breakfast was not your standard free hotel breakfast. Lots of fresh juice, good coffee, eggs, bacon, yummy granola, greek yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal, etc. The staff was friendly, and the hotel was a wonderful place to explore. Now that we've moved to the city, this will definitely be the place we recommend to visiting to our friends and family because our home is really too small to host guests. Pro Tip: If you're interested in a Living Social/Groupon type deal, call the hotel first and ask if they can meet the price. At the time, the deal I saw on Groupon was the same as a deal being offered by the hotel's website. I'd rather my money go towards the actual business (and thus back into the community) whenever possible. read more

I stayed here overnight last Sunday, and will definitely be back. Our room was on the 6th floor, so thankfully I barely noticed the construction going on outside. The standard full size rooms aren't the largest, but with so many beautiful rooms to explore on the first two floors and downton Berkeley within walking distance, the last thing I wanted to do was spend all my time cooped up there. The heated pool was great (not crowded with noisy kids like your normal Best Western), as was the complimentary breakfast. Unfortunately their restaurant was closed on the two days that we were there, so we will have to wait for that until our next stay. The staff (Jonah checked us in, I believe) was very helpful and friendly, and definitely added to our experience. Until next time! read more

Lovely place to have a wedding...the staff if very professional and the set up is super romantic. I could see formal and informal events here. Everything feels like the house from "clue" minus the murders lol I don't know their prices but it's lovely! read more

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I adore the BCC! My review touches on a few different aspects - the hotel, the event space, and the general interactions with staff. Hotel: Recently the Aged Parents needed a place to stay on Thanksgiving, with Sirius the Star Dog. Dog-friendly BCC to the rescue! Blocks from my house and I knew they would be treated well, comfortable, and not gouged! They loved it and I was delighted to have the perfect place to recommend. Events: I am sometimes an event producer, and sometimes a worker at events (musician, see Jonathan's review below, and thanks Jonathan - we were the swing band! But I won't violate Yelp rules by saying who we were). Although I have not produced events there, I have attended several events there in the past 5 years or so, both as a guest and as a worker. And I have no complaints! The place is gorgeous, the staff friendly and efficient, the drinks strong and reasonable, the food delicious, the pianos incredible, well-tuned and a joy to play. Interactions: I have had many, many conversations by phone and email with the staff around these events and have never felt ignored or forgotten., I see a few very negative reviews, but take it from me, they do know what they are doing, they do it beautifully and I would have a party there in a minute! read more

A lot has been said about the beauty of the building and the hotel, so I want to talk specifically about the events staff. There was some major staff turnover in the middle of our planning which shook things up a bit, but nothing bad came of it. We had our wedding reception here, and I was so impressed with the level of service we got. I used to work in banquets at a big hotel chain (we did a wedding every weekend all summer), so I know what it takes to put together an event like this, and the office and kitchen and serving staff did a phenomenal job. Ellyn was especially wonderful! I came down to her several times on the morning of the wedding with "just one more thing..." and she was totally on and very gracious. Our guests all commented on how friendly the serving staff were, and my mother mentioned that towards the end of the evening she noticed the bartender dancing with himself while the rest of us rocked out on the dance floor. It's great when people clearly enjoy doing their jobs! The evening was truly lovely, and the service was above and beyond what I expected. I would highly recommend the BCC for an event like this. I almost wish I could do it all again! Absolutely perfect. We also reserved some rooms for our guests, and the hotel staff were fantastic and it all went off without a hitch, even when we were adding and rearranging things at the last minute. read more

This review is for the docent-led tours. First of all, it's free, so it's a bargain. The tour is short and sweet (only about 45 minutes long), and gives you a good glimpse of the first and second stories of the building. These are public spaces as well, so if you're there when no tour is available, I believe you can still scope out these levels, just minus the historical context. Our docent (Tatjana) was very friendly and knowledgeable. You could tell she loved her work and loved the building. Julia Morgan's whimsy and love of natural light is visible throughout the building. If you've ever been to Hearst Castle (also designed by Julia Morgan), this is a sort of Hearst Castle Jr., in fact it's called the "Little Castle." I also recommend checking out the events that take place here. I saw a play produced by Symmetry Theatre and thought it was excellent. The space seems odd for a theatre, at first, but it turns out to work well, providing audiences with an intimate theatre experience. read more

Possibly the best part of our trip to Berkeley! We opted to stay here after a Livingsocial deal was offered. The building is beautiful, with an interior garden, fresh flowers everywhere, sitting rooms, the original swimming pool and a library. The staff was friendly and helpful, there is always coffee, tea, and hot chocolate available in the lobby, and there's a free breakfast available. We also had an incredible view of San Francisco bay and both bridges from our window. Staying in a building that is a historical landmark was a great opportunity. If we were ever too tired from sightseeing in the SF area, we would take a few hours to explore the building, instead. Our room was elegant and styled in the original fashion. However, it was slightly small and had few electrical outlets. (If you've ever traveled in Europe, you can imagine what i mean.) I would definitely stay there again and recommend it to anyone staying in the area. read more

Beautiful historic building! Lots of common areas to sit, relax and play a game or just enjoy the central atrium with the sounds of running water and greenery everywhere against the neo-gothic building. Reasonably priced, beautiful, walking distance to restaurants, beautiful views. One possibly non-positive thing you should know - no AC in the rooms. I wouldn't stay here on warmer days. Also, the rooms aren't many frills but it looks original and historic which is what we were looking for. read more