Courtyard by Marriott Richmond/Berkeley

The location worked well, close to stores and restaurants, with plenty of free parking and an area that felt safe. Joshua at the desk was welcoming, the property was clean and looked after, and I liked the bistro. Breakfast was good, especially the eggs, seasoned potatoes, and bacon, and the breakfast sandwich was nice too. Starbucks coffee tasted great. My room was warm during our Thanksgiving visit, the bed was comfortable, and I slept well. TV options included local channels, Netflix, Prime, and YouTube with your own login. Room service was a letdown. Nobody cleaned our room during the first three nights, even though I asked the front desk to make sure it was done before we left. They only offer cleaning every other day, which was disappointing to return to late after Thanksgiving with family. The couch and ottoman had visible stains on the fabric and pillows, so I didn't want to sit on them. The dining chairs needed wiping down too. The bistro had just one person at the front. Eduardo was working incredibly hard, taking orders and making coffees, and deserves a raise. One morning there were about three people in line, so we went elsewhere because we'd read service can take a long time. Marriott should staff two people there. Only one of the two elevators worked, and the ride was jerky. It was dirty too, including the stainless door walls and floor, which looked like it had been vacuumed only once during our stay. Some floor number lights need fixing as well. We appreciated the free breakfast coupon after the room wasn't cleaned. Aside from the couch, the room was good, and I hope they sort these issues out because there were plenty of nice things about the place.

If you're looking for a reasonably priced place with easy highway access, this hotel does the job. Just know that Courtyard Richmond Berkeley is a good 15 minutes north of Berkeley, well inside Richmond. The rooms are fairly spacious, even the regular ones, but they have basic refrigerators. Some room, bathroom, and hallway renovations are appreciated, though the building still feels worn, and the rooms can smell musty. The elevators smelled like cigarette smoke, which isn't too surprising for the area and its clientele. There's a small gym and a bar/restaurant. Rooms are cleaned well, but the whole property could use a makeover. There's no free breakfast, though the coffee and breakfast bistro is there.

I won't return to this location. My partner was recovering from a recent procedure, and we paid top price for a room with a balcony. The balcony was unusable, covered with bird droppings and birds. When we reported it, they offered another room but said its balcony would probably be the same because they couldn't do anything about the birds. We also found droppings inside the room. They sent a cleaning lady and said we could leave the room, but we couldn't do that while my partner was recovering. The proposed fix was for her to pour dirty water into our sink. No thanks. They offered 10k points because of my bonvoy status, but the room was disgusting. Don't pay extra for the top floor balcony.

A good setup for a woman traveling on business. I liked the comfortable desk for working early or late, and the closet had a working iron and lots of hangers. The room was clean, updated, and tech forward, and the shower was better than average for a Courtyard. A solid property, and I'll stay here again.