Hillsdale Inn

For the price, this was easily the best deal nearby. The next place was about $220 a night, nearly twice what I paid here, and they even let me check out half an hour late. My GrubHub order came to the door, and I got the rest I needed despite some highway traffic noise at rush hour. I'd come back. I was wary after seeing the two-star rating and bad reviews, and the old building and dated decor didn't help at first. But the young man at check-in was polite and helpful, and let me see the room before I paid. Mine was halfway across the building facing the highway. It turned out to be tidy and very clean. The linens and especially the towels looked new and good quality. The bathroom had been updated, the flat-screen TV worked well, and the space heater did the job since the old-style windows don't shut properly. The refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker were clean, fairly new, and working. The beds were normal size, didn't squeak, and had no stains, dirt, or signs of bugs. There was no garbage or dirty clothing left behind. The older-looking carpet seemed new and had no stains, fading, or odors. The toilet flushed slowly but worked without flooding. There were only a few lights, but enough. WiFi was a little weak, though I could connect and use it fine. There was no TV guide channel, but they gave us a channel list at check-in. No air conditioning, but the room had a good space heater, and San Mateo weather hardly ever gets above 60 degrees. No one has air conditioners in their homes here.

The hotel is older, and there are out-of-town construction workers staying long term, but we still found it a good value with a clean, comfortable room. The building was spacious and clean, the staff friendly, and the price and location decent. The one real downside was the party in the room next to us. They were very loud for a couple of the nights we stayed. Still, it was a good place to stay.

The room itself was nice, but the staff were extremely rude. I saw staff hanging out and drinking at the bar while on duty, so I assume they were drinking on the job. They gossip and bad-mouth guests to other guests, and let some people stay longer than they should. The place seems to be run by a bunch of alcoholic lowlifes. It gets three stars for the room. The owner needs to clear out the staff and get professionals representing the hotel.

The room was comfortable, and it was fairly quiet during our three-night stay. I'd stay at Hillsdale Inn again, and thanks for accommodating us. I expected it to be awful after reading reviews, but it wasn't bad at all. Other people are right that it feels like an apartment building where people live, though I don't see what's wrong with that. The carpets were dirty and kind of sticky, so walking on them barefoot felt unpleasant. Housekeeping came into the room while we were out, and there was no do-not-disturb sign to put up. Still, nothing was missing, so all was well.