California Inn and Suites Bakersfield

The room was spacious but dated, with dark, stained towels, a leaking shower, and a dirty coffee maker. The water temperature kept swinging from cold to very hot, which could be dangerous for kids. Check-in was easy and the staff were friendly, but they wouldn’t honor the rates or deals shown online. Check-out was okay. The place needs major improvements.

The worst part was how clearly we could hear the neighbors. Their TV kept us up past midnight, and when they got up early, every sound came through as if it were in our room. Better sound insulation would have made the stay much more pleasant. We also noticed cigarette smoke in the third-floor corridor, though thankfully not in our room. The old elevator made worrying noises, and we couldn’t get internet in the room, though I’m not sure whether that was the hotel or our side. We were there for one night on a drive from SF toward LV. The room was large, clean, and had a big TV with lots of channels, but it hadn’t been renovated. Some furniture looked old, the toilet door didn’t work properly, and one window screen was broken. The small outdoor pool was open, and breakfast was an okay American-style spread with hot drinks, sweet bread, fruit, milk, and cereal. The service was pleasant, and the hotel is nice enough, provided the noise issue is better in your room.

The room was comfortable and clean, and the late-night check-in staff were helpful and pleasant to my partner. The main hiccup was breakfast. We’d been told it ran from 6 to 9, but when we came down at 7:30, a lot of the options were already gone. We asked for more cereal spoons, and the front desk person seemed unhappy about the request and didn’t explain why so little food was left. They should say it’s first come, first served, or while supplies last. Apart from that, it was a pretty decent place to stay.

The “smoke free” hotel smelled of smoke throughout, and the sheets had blood stains. I’m highly allergic to bedbugs, and after my first night in California here, I woke up with more than 15 bites on my lower back. I asked for fresh sheets, but after the second night I had another 10-20 bites. The manager said he’d cleaned the room and personally checked for bedbugs in the morning, then said everything was fine. He wouldn’t move me and basically told me to check out and find another hotel, offering to refund the nights I’d stayed. Thank goodness I brought my own blanket. The management and cleaning staff were horrible and rude. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.