The Best Hotels to Book in Berkeley, California

The true meaning of “California dreaming” can be unlocked with a little pampering at one of the best hotels in Berkeley: Claremont Club & Spa. The Fairmont Spa will steal every ounce of stress from your body, leaving you feeling lighter than air when you float in one of the three outdoor heated pools. Don’t leave your eyes out of the sensory experience – reserve a bay view suite and fall asleep as the skyline outside begins to awaken in the distance.

We don’t know exactly why, but the free cookie DoubleTree gives out at check-in just tastes so much better when gazing out at the yachts in the marina. Right on the San Francisco Bay and ready to wow you with waterfront dining, DoubleTree delivers a quiet vacation near the city and the university. If for some reason you get your fill of the waterfront views, you can request a lovely courtyard suite with a patio built for relaxation.

Now that your UC Berkeley student is paying their own bills, spoil yourself when you visit them with a stay in Hotel Shattuck Plaza’s Presidential Suite. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge from this corner unit are worth every penny. The only time you won’t be standing on the balcony admiring the structure is when you’re having a nightcap in your jacuzzi bathtub. Feel free to brag to your undergrad about your private bathroom and bed as they tuck themselves into a four-person dorm room.

If you’re feeling a bit cheeky, you can tell your friends that you “graduated at Berkeley” when you stay at this collegiate-themed hotel. You can spin a yarn that boasts of your room’s view of the iconic Campanile clock tower and that your digs were basically beside Greek Row. Go on and on about waiting in the cafeteria line at Crossroads and how you were always fortunate that the second bed in your double-double room was basically empty the entire time you stayed.

Spend a night near the Berkeley Marina on a college student’s budget at La Quinta Inn. This basic abode is ideal for travelers planning to sleep, shower and speed out of the hotel as quickly as possible after a free breakfast. La Quinta doesn’t blame you for jolting out; its location near the Berkeley train station offers fast access to San Fran. If you do fancy a slower stay, feel free to dive into the outdoor pool before you leave.

Walk one mile away from UC Berkeley and you’ll be shocked to find the Rose Garden Inn in a charming historic neighborhood. Balcony rooms mean morning coffee with the summer breeze while the fireplace rooms are best reserved in the cooler months. No matter the forecast, a quiet sit in the inn’s garden will have you calling real estate agents in hopes that you can find a permanent place near this antique-filled B&B.

Aiden by Best Western was seemingly built to comfort your budget. Affordable nightly rates so close to downtown mean not wasting a cent on gas. You won’t mind the stroll either; wake up in your queen bed and mosey down to cafes and restaurants in seconds. The Downtown Berkeley and North Berkeley subway stations are each within two-minute walk from the hotel if you want to venture farther than your trainers allow.

A relaxing evening of film and art awaits you if you stay at Residence Inn. Your night begins when you rush up to your room to drop your luggage, playfully curious if your suite has bay or city views. Either way, the 12th-floor rooftop lounge will give you an eyeful (and mouthful) of Berkeley. When you’re ready to fill the rest of your night with culture, walk next door to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.