Shattuck Plaza Hotel Berkeley

I was put up in this hotel on a business trip for 3 nights, and I was not impressed. Although the staff at the front desk was very courteous and the location in berkeley can't be beat, the hotel itself is very old and not quite as clean as I would have liked. I ended up staying in a room that was as far as possible away from the elevator, which meant a long walk through twisting hallways; although, since I was in a corner room, I did have two windows which was a nice touch. The carpets were very worn and stained, and the bathroom cleanliness left something to be desired. There wasn't fresh dirt or anything around, but there was a lot of discoloration and black stuff on the grout in the shower, etc...

In the end, the location made my stay ok - however, I would not choose this hotel on a return trip.

I stayed at this hotel for four days and I thought they would never end. I had looked it up online before my stay and it seemed ok. When we got there I thought, "Ok the lobby is really nice, the rooms will be ok". I was mistaken! The room was scary. It looked like something out of a horror movie. The lights were dim and there were lamps but no outlets. When I sat on my bed the wheels broke and I am not fat for that to happen. The sheets look like tablecloths. Everything was dirty. Everyday we got towels with mascara stains on it and I dont even wear makeup!

Breakfast was nothing but a slice of krusty bread with a toaster. The only good thing was the location, even if everything was priced higher than in New York. I thought that NY prices were the highest, I was wrong. I would like to make it clear, the hotel is NOT one block from campus! We had to walk for 30 minutes everyday to get to the campus. Dont stay in this hotel, but if you do bring towels, sheets, a garbage bag (because my room didnt even have this), and lots of money to afford the food in the area.

Staying at the hotel felt like I was reliving a scene from the movie The Shinning. The hall ways do not no give you enough information as to where you are going. it is very old and cold and this makes it a little spooky. the lights in the rooms are very dim and sometimes flicker on and off. everything had stains the carpet the floor the walls and more.. the only thing good about hotel Shattuck was the location and the lobby.

We arrived at the Hotel Shattuck with some trepidation having seen reviews written by former guests. However, we were pleasantly surprised. We booked two rooms, one for a week and the other for four days. The rooms were quite spacious. Although the carpet, wallpaper, sheets, and just about everything else was stained, they were all clean. Room maintenance was good. The bathroom was clean but with old fixtures and little shelf space. The shower was easy to control and the spray very smooth. Hot water arrived at the tap instantly. It was great. As other reviewers had noted, there was not enough heat generated by the 19th century radiators. This was easily fixed as the hotel clerk gave us two space heaters that were more than adequate. Some reviewers have complained about rude hotel staff, particularly the manager. We encountered only helpful staff and the manager gave us a bottle of water from his office refrigerator when we told him that the vending machine was out of water. The hotel claims to provide a continental breakfast but everyone, including some hotel staff, agrees that the breakfast is an insult to the guests, consisting only of coffee, watered down orange juice, a choice of white or whole wheat sliced bread (which was very fresh, though), and some near rancid butter (served in a cold room). There is an elevator which was marginally operational during the week we were there. Internet service is provided for guests but is limited to 15 minutes

per room per day (the hotel clerk may bump that up if you ask nicely).

The hotel is about 30 feet from the BART station, and in the same building is Cold Stone Cremery, Mel's diner, a multi-screen movie theatre, a Starbucks, a computer games store, a "hands-on" museum, and lots more. Caddycorner to the entrance is a Walgreens. Caddycorner to the other end of the building is Peet's (my favorite). The UCB campus is one block away. It was a far, far better location than all of the other hotels we considered. In summary, as long as quirky things do not bother you, the Hotel Shattuck is a really great value with lots of pluses and a few stange minuses.

This is not a hotel. It is a rat trap. The rooms are dirty, old, and smelly. The carpet had holes -- more holes than fabric. The windows are either painted shut or stuck open. There is no heat since the radiator from the 19th century ran out of fuel. The bathroom fixtures were ancient and barely functional. It is so filthy that you will need slippers to step into the shower/tub anyway. The beds were really old and the cleanliness of the sheets was questionable. I slept with my jacket on and itched all night. Don't look behind the radiator or any furniture --- because you will see inches of dirt and even left over food! The first clue of a bad hotel is the lobby bathroom which had a broken toilet seat plus graffiti. At night, the floors vibrated because of the music from the dining room below. The manager was rude and not helpful. Don't stay at the Shattuck.

First of all, when I stayed there a month ago, I was informed that it was no longer owned by Howard Johnson, which is important to note. This is a really funny place, with some strong points and some negatives as well. For the good, the manager of the hotel is very nice and helpful, the hotel is well located for access to BART and UC, and the rooms are extremely spacious. The parking is a bit expensive, but is available rigth across the street and at half the rates that can be found in downtown SF. I did have a room that faced the street, and it was loud - fortunately I am a heavy sleeper, but someone who is not would be well served to request a different room. The biggest problem was the state of the rooms; they were old and in need of renovation. It didn't really bother me, but it would definitely not be for everyone. Overall, it was fine.

My family of five has stayed at the Shattuck four times over the past three years (visiting our daughter at UC Berkeley). We love it! The location is close to campus and right next to BART for easy trips into the city. We enjoy the history you feel permeating every room of this hotel- the high ceilings, antique fixtures and even the not quite level hallways all add to its charm. We have always been happy with our rooms as well. Twice we stayed on an upper floor overlooking the bustling street below. I am a light sleeper and the noise never bothered me at night. The last time we went, we took a friend of my son's so needed more space. We got a suite with a bedroom with a double bed on one side and a separate bedroom with two twin beds on the other. In between the two bedrooms was a sitting room with a couch and TV. The boys loved having their own room and the ice cream store right below was the perfect place to go for a bedtime snack. Maybe this place is not for the fussy-used-to-four star-hotel crowd, but for a family wanting a clean place, steeped in history, (and reasonably priced!), I recommend The Howard Johnson Hotel Berkeley.

Alright so this isn't a 4 star hotel and maybe the breakfast leaves something to be desired, but we've stayed here twice and we think it's pretty good. It's in a great location, right outside a main BART station, you're right in Berkeley walking distance to Telegraph Ave and there are lots of great restaurants around. If you've come to the Bay area to sit in your hotel all day then don't stay here, but if you want a decent, inexpensive hotel in a great location than this place is the place to stay. We had no problem with street noise and our room was facing the street both times we stayed. Your vacation is what you make of it, enjoy your stay.

Terrible hotel. Cold. The heat only comes on late at night and goes off in early morning. Darwin Grant the manager is rude and inconsiderate of the guests. Very old hotel. The free continential breakfast consists of watered down orange juice, coffee and bread! No parking you have to pay and no validation.

The service was poor (no one at the front desk upon arrival; many many rings to get the front desk; not enough towels even after request). The noise from the street was intolerable. Coffee was not potable. One of, if not the worst hotel experiences.