Oakland Airport Executive Hotel

The lobby, halls, and rooms smelled like cigarette smoke or weed, and the place was the most run-down garbage hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Carpeting and wood paneling near the bottoms of the walls were ripped up. There were warnings about human trafficking on the lobby floor and our key cards. The elevator had all the problems I mentioned, and if I remember right, the front desk had one of those bulletproof screens to protect the staff. I’d just gotten married the day before and needed a place before flying out for our honeymoon. Everything looked fine on Google, but once we parked and walked toward the hotel, I thought I might have led my new wife into a situation where she could be killed or kidnapped, or where all our stuff could be stolen. I was catfished into choosing this place five years ago, and I’m finally brave enough to admit it. I could say more, but you get the picture. My wife and I are doing well, and she was very kind to me despite my blunder. God bless her. Do anything you can to avoid staying here.

The rooms are a decent size, but the hotel is filthy and looks like it hasn’t been kept up. There was trash in the halls, and the elevator floor looked gross. I was scared to sleep in the bed in case it had bed bugs. The rooms didn’t have enough towels either. The staff weren’t helpful. They were on the phone gossiping with their partners about “tea” instead of helping guests. I was meant to stay three nights, but checked out the next day. Worst three-star hotel I’ve ever seen. I’ve stayed in cleaner motels.

We paid with travel credit on our credit card, and since it was already so late, we decided to put up with the room for one night and cancel the rest the next morning. We arrived exhausted around 11:30 PM after a long day of travel, hoping for a quick check-in and somewhere quiet to rest. Instead, the stress started immediately. The desk staff told us our room was on the sixth floor and the elevator was out of service. She said we could cancel, but the way it was presented made it feel like they already knew the property had major problems. I was traveling with my 72-year-old mother, and nobody was available to help with our luggage. I carried it up all 12 flights of stairs myself. No apology, help, or accommodation was offered. It was incredibly inconvenient and unacceptable to put elderly guests in that position. The hotel reeked of cigarette smoke, weed, and overpowering cologne or air freshener in the hallways and common areas. The whole place seemed rundown and poorly maintained. The pool was closed too. That wasn’t the main reason we booked, but it was disappointing to discover another unavailable amenity with almost no notice. Around 1:00 AM, after we’d finally fallen asleep, security pounded loudly on the door and startled us awake. The hotel isn’t in the best part of town, which made it especially unsettling. I slowly opened the door and found a security guard who said the front desk had asked him to check whether the room was occupied. We’d checked in hours earlier, so it made no sense. The aggressive knocking was upsetting and unnecessary, and neither of us could get back to sleep. I’ve worked in tourism for 20+ years, and this was the worst hotel experience I’ve ever had. Between the broken elevator, no help for my elderly mother, the awful smells, closed pool, and being woken at 1 AM, the place felt badly managed, disorganized, and inconsiderate. It wasn’t worth the money or stress. We left for another hotel for the remaining 2 evenings, and I wouldn’t stay here again or recommend it.

The room smelled disgusting, and the carpets were old and unclean. There was leftover food from previous customers in the refrigerator, while the microwave was dented, broken, and looked neglected. The thermostat didn’t work, which made the room even more uncomfortable. The toilet was dirty and didn’t flush properly. The bathroom and room were filthy, with stained walls and visible marks on the bed and headboard that made it obvious they hadn’t been cleaned properly. Even the vending machines were stained and had open soda cans inside, which felt unsanitary and unappealing. This stay was shocking. I wouldn’t come back. The cleanliness, maintenance, and general standards need major improvement urgently.