La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Berkeley

The price online was $100, but at check-in it turned out to be $148. Also, this isn’t a Wyndham hotel, despite being advertised that way. The room had a painfully strong mix of cleaner and funk, so we had to prop the door open for air. There were mystery stains on the sheets. I stayed only because it was close to the concert venue I’d driven 5 hours to see, and I spent as little time in the room as possible.

The food was great, the pool and lobby were super clean, and the room layout was nice. The room looked pretty clean too, except I found a bed bug crawling on the pillow. Be careful with the beds.

This is a budget place that’s usable for a quick visit, especially if you won’t spend much time in the room. The bedding was clean and the rooms were okay, with a fridge and microwave, but there was no iron or coffee maker. The outlets in the bedside lamps and at the desk didn’t work. The shower had good water pressure. At night, the climate control wouldn’t stay on unless I set the A/C to the lowest temperature, 62 F. The hotel is old and dated inside, and much of the furniture has stains or chipped paint. It’s now called The University Inn and Suites, though it used to be the La Quinta Inn. Breakfast was just a couple of coffee pots and a waffle maker, nothing else. You get what you pay for. Would I stay again for a short visit? Absolutely.

On our first night the place was robbed and bear mace was sprayed. My family and I were coughing and our noses were running, and I had to order hot cocoa and cough drops because we couldn’t stop. My mother’s boots were stolen from our room while we were out. We left a do not disturb sign, but when we came back it was underneath the door. The third floor hallway was unbearably hot and constantly smelled of marijuana, even in our room. The walls were paper thin, so we heard everything inside and outside. It’s a busy area that felt sketchy, with lots of homeless people around and inside the hotel. There were stains on the room curtains, walls, and ceiling. Breakfast was poor, with cold instant eggs and cold sausage. There’s a high crime rate, and they have cockroaches. The staff were nice despite everything, but this hotel needs major changes. I’d be embarrassed to own it. I don’t think management can fix it, the owner needs to make changes. I’ll never stay at a La Quinta again.