B-Love's Guest House is an oasis that is hard to write a review for. Nestled in the heart of West…read moreOakland, "B-Love" hosts a part-hostel, part-private accommodation that seems to be able to meet any need, and has met mine for 1+ month in multiple stays now. In the two times I stayed here while commuting through the Bay Area, it was a gamble who I could share my kitchen or bathroom with.. but I always felt at peace as soon as I arrived. The "vibe" is curated as much as the artist hosting the space. "B-Love" stays around the home sometimes like a caring manager rather than an overbearing landlord. It was always good to see her around to update her on the house supplies, or just to hang out. She is a wealth of knowledge and history that comes along with the guest house and beautiful garden. However, she is also not in your business overall so if I ever wanted to ask for an accommodation in my room, or a question about the house, she was readily available on email or phone and happy to answer, as well as the other workers who are around regularly to clean up and help. The home sits in the heart of West Oakland, which might not have the best grocery stores, but you will encounter 3-story murals of the Women of the Black Panthers on the way to the Black-owned co-op grocery store (Mandela). You can also learn what a "food desert" is when they close at 8pm if you're carless, but you can also learn the goodness of local shopping when you hit the local liquor store (Sharif's) that makes sure to have your avocados and tortillas all the same. I would stay at B-Love's again and again. I miss the garden when I stay miles away visiting the Bay Area. Thank you for always catching me in my travels!

This lovely guesthouse in Oakland host 2+ nights airbnb style stay with a wonderful garden at the…read moreback and other shared facilities needed. It's in a great location closed to a bart station to SF or San Jose. Very convenient. The owner was very nice and caring. I enjoyed the stay and her gallery, gaden, etc. love this place!! Truly home sweet home. Totally recommend!!

Honestly, I thought I'd be mugged here, but I didn't haha. There Cal and non-Cal students living…read morehere. Quite a few actually. The living conditions to my standards are horrible but that justifies the cheap stays. Only reviewing so y'all know this place still exists. Have fun~ P.S. call and ask for the real address when you arrive (which is on the same block just different house, it's a security measure they use to prevent crazy party goers from entering the house late and waking everyone up)

Location is excellent. North Berkeley Large Bedroom near U.C. Berkeley (3-blocks), parks and the…read moredowntown, in a good neighborhood within walking distance of Trader Joe's, Gourmet Ghetto and Public Transportation (BART subway transportation to SF). Many nice cafes and restaurants too. Close to the Berkeley Theater District and shops. It has studios, shared and single rooms. The place has large bedrooms with desks and kitchen and bathroom privileges. Great location with parks at the corner and some of the best restaurant including the world famous Chez Panisse Restaurant and Cheese Board a few blocks away. Hardwood floors and tiles. Location is hard to beat. Idea for young entrepreneurs, visiting scholars and students. The spacious rooms have a great deal of natural light and there is a nice backyard to enjoy.

It's an ok place to stay as I haven't had issues the 4 times I stayed here during my Bay Area Trips…read moreeven though my trip from September 2025 had me in a room with no Air Conditioning. But as long as you got a plug in fan, you're all set. Overall, I give this place 3 stars as it isn't fancy but it's affordable. I will recommend this place to those who are staying for a few days and don't wanna spend too much on a brand name hotel, but I do NOT recommend staying here if you cannot deal with the train horns all day and all night.

I struggled to make this reservation. I tried to change my reservation on Friday with my computer,…read morebut I couldnt see the modify reservation button. On Saturday, the day of my check-in I was tired so I tried to change it on my App to check in on Sunday instead. App showed that it was too late to modify. I called the hotel and Savannah gave me the real deal. If I don't make check in on the first day, I would lose the entire reservation. Now I don't know why I reserved a day in advance of the show, but here I am frantically getting ready and packing to make the last train into Jack London Square. And because of this, I arrived at 10:30 pm into Oakland. Now don't cry for me Argentina, I did alright walking at night to my hotel. Well because of my lateness, I paid the price and ended up getting what was left as far as hotel rooms. What I got was a room with no heater, no A/C, and no windows that could be open. My immediate thought, "Oh this is going to be one helluva Yelp review." Here's a tip, never ever get room 412. It's an ADA compliant room but it's really an uncomfortable and inconvenient room. The room had two portable box fans which i used one. Something was off with this room aside what I mentioned above. The room was kinda dark, the bathroom had one electrical outlet and the outlet was located on the light switch, and that light switch was next to the toilet. Yah, how in tha? The light switch had an off, auto, on feature and when I turned it on Auto, the light began to flicker after being still like I was in some type of horror movie. Well that defeats the purpose. Next I decided to take a picture of the box fan and when I looked at the picture, see pic below, you'll notice all these circles. What is that? Orbs? Spirits? I cleaned the back of my phone so what the heck is that? My ancestors? I began to look around and I noticed I was lacking the basics. Basics like a washcloth, a hand towel, hangers, I didn't even have a "Do Not Disturb" doorknob placard. So i went down to the lobby to ask for hangers and the front clerk said "No" and before I could ask anything else, she beat me to the punch and added, "I don't have any towels, soap, shampoo. All that is housekeeping." so when i asked for the "DND" placard she was surprised went to the back and brought me one. Now when i looked at it closer, it was dirty. Was this in the bathroom? I hope those are coffee stains. Thank goodness I had gloves and antibacterial wipes on me so I could clean this placard up before I put it on outside my door. Did i sleep? Maybe 2-3 hours with the light on. Yah, IDK something told me to leave the light on. It was low amber glow light maybe a 15watt. The outlets on the lamp didn't work. At 8am I went downstairs to ask if I could change rooms. Savannah was helpful and informed it was possible after 3pm. So now I'm off to have breakfast, get my nails done, do a little walking until then. This is just part I of II of this adventure. So I packed up my belongings, i headed down to check out of 412. My next room had A/C, heater, and windows that opened. It was on the second floor. Now, I never stayed on the second floor so I didn't know what to expect. I had asked if the room smelled like smoke. Savannah said it shouldn't, even though this establishment mandates a $450 fine for smoking in their rooms. I took my chances and the hotel key and made up to the second floor. Upon entry, the room appeared clean and bright. Hey I have one hanger, things are looking up. But that o.k. on the way back from getting my nails done, I picked up a 5 pack of plastic hangers. I immediately got my gloves, wipes, and began to wipe everything down. I got my lint roller and rolled over the bed linens and pillow cases. There's lint everywhere. Must be the vents. So now it's about 4pm and I remembered "The Oscars" I'm glad the TV worked and they had Direct TV as a cable service so I can listen to that in the background as I got ready for my yolosolodate. Oakland was alive tonight at the Oscars. Much love for Ryan Coogler, Rafaael Sadiqq, Zendaya, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw. When I grabbed the TV remote it felt different, when I turned it over I saw the duct tape. I laughed so hard when I saw this. Now, I know I'm in the Hood. Did I sleep? No, trains running all night long. They seemed louder on the second floor. Trains at 2:27am. This bathroom needs to get sprayed. I left the light on all night. I guess there really is No Sleep Til Brooklyn. See you some more on Yelp 2026.

We had such a blast getting married at the Berkeley City Club!…read more The staff: Spencer helped with our room block. Brianne, Nicole, and Maria handled all the wedding details. Nicole was super responsive during planning. Nicole and Maria were amazing on the day of, checking in, helping with last-minute changes, and even making sure my husband and I got a plate of hors d'oeuvres. The whole team was awesome. The venue and logistics: It's an older building, so heat isn't always adjustable, but you can turn it to the lowest setting. Towels were soft, water was hot, and the honeymoon suite was quiet. There's always a coffee and tea bar near the lobby and fresh water with fruit in it. Pool sign-up is required. One person found it a bit cold, but others liked it. Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body wash, and makeup removers were provided. Location and vibe: Stunning historic building in the heart of Berkeley. Guests could walk around the city easily. Amazing Golden Gate Bridge views. Explore the courtyards and hidden spaces--you'll find new spots everywhere! Overall, a gorgeous, unique, and super fun place to get married. We can't wait to come back for our one-year anniversary!

Built in 1927 as a Club for Woman by architect Julia Morgan. About 15 minutes away you can find…read moreChapel of Chimes also by the same architect which I highly recommend visiting. She was the first American woman ever accepted into the top Paris architecture school back in the day and her fusion of Gothic and Moorish design represents the best of early California architecture. My friend wanted to stay here and while the price is high it's worth it to stay in a piece of history. The rooms are historical so don't expect anything too modern, the check in area and atrium behind it have some gorgeous architectural details and the sounds of running water. The parking lot next to the hotel costs 40 a night, if you don't mind walking you can park at a structure a couple blocks away for 20. Part of the hotel cost includes a free beer or wine at the Morgan bar on the second floor. If you've ever seen the pool at Hearst Castle you'll get something in the same vein but smaller in scale here. The big difference is you can swim in this pool if you are a guest!

Their cleanliness, the room smells like piss and shit. There were yellow stains on the bottom of…read morethe pillows some sort of residue on the mirrors there were bugs, crawling around on the sheets covers. The air conditioner was dirty There were frequent visits of hoes in the middle of the night. I couldn't get any sleep altogether truly terrible experience.

I stayed at this hotel on July 7, 2022. I checked in with a woman around 9:30pm after a long day on…read morethe road. The first room they gave me seemed decent enough at $99 until I was lying on the bed and started feeling like I was being bitten. I saw a small bug and smashed it into the sheet it was walking on. Then I was going to bed and pulled the sheets back to find this bigger bug crawling through my sheets! I took a video and went to the front office now after midnight and rang the bell. A man answered and he came to my room to look at the evidence of the bugs, took his own pictures. I wanted to leave the hotel but it was too late to try to find another one in Oakland at that hour. He made no offer of refunding the room. He was not horrified or sincerely apologetic and it was as if he knew the rooms had bedbugs. He moved me to a room a few doors down which I did go to because it was so late and I was already in my pajamas, but I slept fitfully feeling the crawlies all night long.

The staff was wonderful, Cynthia was super accommodating. The rooms are beautiful and the beds are…read morecomfy.

The sky is a neighborhood. We stayed on the 5th floor (of 6) and walls were thin all around…read more Communication could be improved. They tell you they will text you when your room is ready but that did not happen. We (and others) were waiting in the lobby room until 4PM (!) before we were able to check in. On the positive side, we were able to leave our luggage while we walked about Berkeley. Self-parking was nice but at a cost (I dislike valet). Location is great.

After spending two previous weeks in a Best Western, we came to this one so that we could catch our…read moreflight out the next morning. They actually had a room ready and let us check in one hour early. To keep this review brief, I decided to just give the pros and cons and add informative photos. Pros: comfy king bed, big closet, large safe, microwave, fridge, keurig, quiet room, open balcony, San Francisco Bay Trail below our balcony, large bath with separate shower, Exercise room with no free weights, Quench water machine, EV chargers, snack/drink machines, morning breakfast/coffee served (worth skipping). Cons: No USB ports in the room?! Hotel is fairly close to the sketchy side of town (homeless camp 200 ft from hotel). No cold bottled water for rewards members, no pool, no airport shuttle, carpeting instead of laminate flooring, paid parking, our thermostat was really glitchy and would not work. Added benefit: your hotel key gains you access to the Executive Inn and Suites next door. There you will find a small pool/hot tub. There's also a small bar that opens at 5pm (happy hour 5:30-7:30) and you can order food as well. A Monday night stay was $325 and they charge $17 a day to park in their lot next to Hwy 880, not in a garage. I thought the rate was fairly high considering it's not the closest hotel to the airport and it's in the sketchy part of town. Check out the photos.

Quiet and cozy. Nice comfortable king bed. Nice amenities (get a room on one of the upper floors,…read morewith a balcony overlooking the water!). Staff is also very warm and friendly.

PEOPLE LISTEN TO THIS ADVICE: DONT CONSIDER THIS DUMP, BUG INFESTED, FILTHY WALLS, FRONT OFFICE…read moreFULL OF EGREGIOUSLY UNEDUCATED STAFF, FROM JUST YOUR AVERAGE FRONT DESK PERSONNEL TO THE SO CALLED MANAGER, Ravi, I believe.. They have absolutely no idea what their doing. It's such an easy job working at a front desk of a property that small, with no additional services they offer, they offer nothing else of any kind. I mean, a 14 year old kid could do what they do, and do it more accurately. No kidding, they check in and out guests and that's it, and they can't even do that right!! They're still claiming because of Covid, one cannot get a house keeper to pick up your room during your stay, which is completely UNTRUE!! Perhaps a year ago, but absolutely housekeepers are giving housekeeping services everywhere. I've stayed in 9 other hotels and inns in Oakland before this one and San Francisco and they are offering full house keeping services!! Those restrictions, if they were in acted, they are long gone now!! They're so lazy and inept that they will claim that nonsense until 2026 if they could get away with it or until enough people say, WHAT?!? What are you talking about?? I checked in, and Jasmine who was working at the front desk & charged my card initially for the incorrect amount, about $10 more then booking.com confirmed for me, she refused to adjust it! However, that was a small deal compared to the 2 additional charges each at $97.26 she also charged me, when brought to her attention, she only agreed to credit 1, she said the other was just a pre authorization and would drop off. NO IT WASNT! The other charge was indeed a charge as it settled to my account, but she kept raising her voice to convince me it was just a pre Auth,WELL IT WAS 2 SEPARATE CHARGES just as I thought. Then I bring the issue up with booking.com who reaches out to them, at the same time I go into office to talk to the manager, he looked at me face to face, after several minutes of back and forth Ross or Roz, or Ravi, told me it was the banks issue!! My god where do they get these people who work there from, they can't see sense, they're completely ignorant and don't know what they're doing. He ultimately said to call my bank and tell them to do a charge back! That's right, Ros or Rozz's or Ravis's only solution was to blame it on someone else, when the evidence is right in front of him, they lack any kind of common sense, it's sad. Terrible customer service to match their filthy rooms infested with mold and bugs! Yuk!! It's a mess! Please save yourself from over charging, aggravation from a front desk staff of misfits, having no idea what they're doing and a sketchy and unattractive property to boot! It's a shame in such a nice area of Oakland, near lake Merritt, this place is an eye soar and so is the service, if you could call it that.. It was a horrible experience, with both the personnel of this dump and booking.com! I will never use booking.com again as they lack good character and don't stand by the properties they are affiliated with. Their staff tell lies, promising to follow up and never do! Please let my experience save you from also having the same experience! STAY AWAY- RUN AWAY!! FAR AWAY See Ravi's pic below

2/4/20 TERRIBLE HOTEL! don't even bother coming here. The…read morecustomer service is absurd, the front desk workers don't make it a priority to help those that came with a reservation. I had a booking here only to arrive and be told that someone else took my room. Well in this situation, you would kick out those that took my reservation because you couldn't understand them. Instead, you tell ME the person with a paid room too call the 3rd party company like hotels.com to change something on my reservation.. WTF! Do your damn job and not make the customer do your job! Why in the hell are they working here if they don't know how to do anything. Whoever the owner is of this establishment needs to train their employees better or replace them. You WILL Lose valuable customers like myself and many many others because of this bullshit you call a hOtel. Even though, we finally got a room after wasting an hour trying to fix the problem, that the hotel caused, I would've left long time ago if it weren't so late and I was tired from a long drive off the road. I would never stay here ever again!

Way over priced for a piss in the sink room. Crack was sub-par. Desk 'staff' is comically…read moreincompetent. Feh, you've been warned, just read the other reviews. Room on 6th floor, 'elevator is for staff use only', etc. ffffffuuuuuuuuu!!

I'm not surprised that this place doesn't have any reviews. Its not even really worth it to review…read morethis place. But hopefully, this review will help those make a better decision before staying here. I'm only staying in this hotel since my living situation went to shambles. Until I found a new place to call home, I started looking at hotels that had cheap weekly rates. I chose Empyrean Towers because its super close to where I work. That is the only pro I give this place. My cons are as follow: 1. When I reserved a room, I booked from their website and chose a premier room with a private bath. I chose this room for the bathroom and the fact that it came with a microwave and refrigerator also. On the day I was coming to check in, I got a call from an employee who wanted to let me know that there was a problem with the room and I couldn't stay in it from the night. Instead, he moved me to a double room and knocked off 2 days 2. I had no use of the elevator. It works, but only management and staff are able to use it. I had to lug my bike up 6 flights of steps. 3. There was no hot water on the 6th floor. Since I wasn't in my private room, I had to use the shared bathrooms which looked iffy. As in they weren't cleaned very often. There are 2 bathrooms on each floor. On my floor, one of the bathroom has this really disgusting stench like something died in there and the other had absolutely no hot water coming from the shower head. In order to take a hot shower, I had to travel down to the 4th floor. 4. Not only did I have to go to the 4th floor to use a shower room with hot water, but the door didn't close properly. You had to push the door open to get in, but the lock that was installed on the door was meant for a door that you PULLED OPEN. So my showers lasted only 5 minutes as to prevent people from walking in on me while I was naked. 5. At the time of this review, I would have stayed in this hotel for 4 days. I never saw a single housekeeper during my time here. The trash cans in the hallway are overflowing with trash and it smells so horrible in the hallways. 6. Also......I RARELY EVER SAW ANYONE WHO WORKED IN THIS HOTEL!!!! This place isn't worth staying at. It was horrible and just upsetting. P.S. I actually wrote this review some time ago.