The hotel is an easy ride from SFO via BART plus a short (5-10 minute) walk from the Downtown Berkeley station. Breakfast was good and plentiful; quiches and fruit (peaches) were very good; bakery goods were average. Our server was an amazing gentleman. He was able to find gluten free bagels for one of us, and he was cheerful, efficient, and ready to help with anything. He remembered our requests the second morning. He was attentive to everyone else, as well (there was a large wedding party staying at the hotel; I think the reception was also held at the BCC). The bar/lounge was lovely, and the manager and dining staff were able to provide some delicious appetizers for us on Friday night at 8:15 p.m., after the kitchen had already closed in both the lounge and dining room (8:00 pm). Most of the original Berkeley Women's City Club by architect Julia Morgan was available to wander and learn, with tours offered as well. She was quite an amazing person.

Our city view room included people screaming below on the street (Durant) around midnight; we had left the window open for the "coolth". I don't believe the hotel, built in 1930, has A/C, but there is a fan above the bed. We would have loved to have dined at the Berkeley City Club again, but our outside event, and our lovely 2 mile walk home at dusk, through the Berkeley neighborhoods, resulted in our arriving back at the BCC too late for dinner.

The hotel is stunning. My room was quiet and very comfortable. Lots of natural light. It did not have a tv or small refrigerator, which ended up being fine. But, a small refrigerator would be better for a longer stay. The pool is beautiful, but, it requires a reservation and is set up in lanes, so, no free swimming except on weekends. There were Zumba/yoga classes offered, and the staff was lovely. Keep in mind that this hotel is literally a social club, so, it’s set up for that, and members are in & out all day. It’s a great place to hang out, lots of places to just sit and marvel at the architecture & take in the ambience. The atrium is especially gorgeous. I was there during the week, so, I’m not sure if the social club gets busier or not on the weekends. It’s in a great location, near the city but on a pretty quiet street with lots of trees. The hotel is literally steps from the college. If you stay here, walk the college grounds , it’s gorgeous. The Library is stunning. I felt as if I was in London, not California. Berkeley is gorgeous. We ate at Chez Panisse, which was amazing, and everywhere offers local wines. Best in the world outside of France. The city is very diverse and spans the age ranges… college students, young families, and lots of activities for seniors… the latter particularly at this hotel. The town is full of art, good food, majestic architecture, an abundance of trees and lots of libraries and book stores. Small town feel with all the amenities of a large city. This hotel is perfectly located, and absolutely gorgeous, the rooms are small with lots of light, but, you won’t be in your hotel room much. There’s lots to do. And if you don’t want to do anything except take in the peace and quiet, you can do that too.

The room did not include a tv or small refrigerator, which ended up being fine. But, a small refrigerator would be better for a longer stay. The pool is beautiful, but, it requires a reservation and is set up in lanes, so, no free swimming except on weekends. Why make the pool an amenity if it’s only for exercise? So, I didn’t swim which was something I was looking forward to.

Great breakfast buffet. Like Europe! High quality. Real choices: hard boiled eggs, sliced ham, cheeses, granola cereal, fruits, bread, excellent pastries--all in an architecturally charming setting with good service and plenty of teas and good coffee! ... Had a room near the top floor with views on two sides and casements that opened to let in the natural breezes....There's no TV in the room and it wasn't missed. Very restful vibe. Crisp sheets, good linen, nice duvet, and lovely white bed cover. Persian-style rug.

It was great. Just wish I had a longer stay in order to enjoy the pool, too. ... I might mention that the bathroom is more or less original ca. 1940s-1950s--very small, not a lot of space for toiletries. The only downside of an overall wonderful experience.

I really loved that it was close to the UCB campus and close to public transportation as well. It was also walking distance (10 minutes or so) to nearby shopping locations which was amazing! They also had complimentary breakfast which was okay! Also the staff are WONDERFUL i had such brief conversations yet it added value to the experience.

The room was somewhat small for the price though very comfortable for me as one person. I definitely noticed that it doesn’t have a TV which is understandable since it’s a fairly antique kind of location but it would’ve been nice (personally). Aside from that it’s absolutely wonderful and honestly it’s not even a strong dislike!

Fabulous facility, beautiful building and gardens. Wow. Room was very, very comfortable. Bathroom clean and very functional. Courtyard lovely for hanging out. Plantings truly lovely. Location ideal. Dining room staff excellent (at breakfast time, especially). Front desk staff—some very pleasant. Others clearly bored and irritated to be at work. Members have a gem on their hands. Great place.

Bar staff was not as good as breakfast staff. They were not welcoming, were slow, seemed unhappy about being at work. Grumpy. Breakfast could use some changing up. Lots of choice tho over a week it became a bit same-same.

The hotel is beautful and has alot of character. The room was really nice, spacious and the bed was very comfortable. The dressing room had an iron which was great, and the bathroom had some complemetory offers sush as shampoo, soap, bodylotion etc. The staff was very helpfull and nice.

The shower was unfortionatly not as comfortable, as the water pressure was very low and it was impossible to regulate a temperature that was right (it was eaither freezing cold or burning hot - and it shiftes as you are showering). Coming from Scandinavia, the breakfast was not as you would expect from a nice hotel in Norway or Sweden. Quite few options in my opinion, and you better be early because they run out of options before the breakfast closes.

The hotel itself, we explored all the areas and really enjoyed the history room of Julia Morgan's life and work. We also really appreciated the complimentary bar drinks, thank you.

The rooms are definitely very minimal in terms of comfort/luxury but we did read about that online. It would have been nice still to have had coffee/tea available in the AM and PM in our room. The breakfast was good but the staff person, who was working quite hard and very friendly, needed some more support -- the room was full when we were there and people were asking for a lot of things so we felt badly for him.

All I can say is that I enjoyed every minute of my stay, though I wish I found the time to do some swimming. The food was excellent. The barkeep had a great sense of humor. The location for me was excellent, within walking distance for the event I was attending.

The hotel is showing its age. My room’s (410) door handle was hard to use. Some of the doors, especially for the stairwell, had to be manually shut completely. I had a heavy bag and was not easy to navigate the front entrance upon arrival.

People at Reception were incredibly friendly, kind and helpful. Our room was lovely, comfortable, overlooked a lush courtyard. The bathroom was good, roomy enough and the shower was outstanding. Breakfast was good (pastries especially), but otherwise fairly ordinary. Swimming pool must be seen to be fully appreciated. The building was constructed in 1929, is still well maintained, was designed by woman architect, Julie Morgan, and described as Romanesque and Moorish. Lots of places to sit and read, work or just take in the period still reflected in the furnishings and ambience. My wife and I are trying to find an excuse to return sooner than later.

The only thing we didn't like was that breakfast ended too early.

I was on the top floor and had a fabulous view of the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate. The spotlessly clean room was decorated with beautiful period furniture. This hotel was designed before WW2 as a long-term residence hotel for women. Hence, the rooms are not as large as one would expect in a typical modern hotel. Since food service was (and still is) provided on site, no coffee machine or refrigerator was in the room. Nor was there a TV or radio. However, there was a charging station for our 21st century devices. The included "continental" breakfast was elegant, generous and delicious! There were eggs, quiche, ham, every kind of cold cereal, milk, juice, breads and a wide selection of pastries along with coffee and tea. The "coffee corner" near the front desk is kept supplied with self-serve hot beverages (coffee, decaf, tea, hot chocolate) from early morning until evening every day. The building is an extremely well-maintained and beautiful historic landmark, designed inside and out by famous architect Julia Morgan. Tours are available on Sundays. I cannot recommend this place enough! Perfect for a single traveler. Parking available for $35/day on a lot right next door to the hotel; very easy to access (even prior to check in) once they know you are a guest.

On Sundays, there is no food service in the hotel, and very limited dining is available in the neighborhood. The street on which the hotel is located is nice, but you don't have to go far to run into some pretty unsavory areas. Be savvy about when and where you walk about. Weekdays are bustling with Cal students, so it feels a lot safer than on the weekend.