Holiday Inn Express & Suites Berkeley by IHG

Reviews

• JG

  Joshua Gurtler

  3 days ago
  1.0
  No Fox News channel? Okay, it's only the most watched, most popular, highest rated news channel in the history of the world. But Holiday Inn Express is too political to let their customers have the option of watching Fox News. Yes, California leans Democrat, but there are millions of Republicans in this state. I'm fine if they want to have CNN, etc., but at least be balanced for the millions of people that watch the opposite news channel. In addition, be sure to bring your own snacks, because their after-hours snack bar here sells only 100% processed junk food, junk drinks, and nothing healthy. Even the cheap mom and pops motels at least have free apples and bananas. Not this one. You can't even buy them after hours. Nothing but junk food. Furthermore, if you try to watch Netflix, 10-20% of the time your TV is just buffering because they have some kind of connection problem with their Smart TVs here. Rooms are extremely tiny, very cramped. Also, be careful because they say they lock the front doors at night but we came back rather late last night and walked straight in without having to use our key card. Anyone who doesn't like to smell like feminine perfume, be sure to bring your own soap and shampoo. The soap and shampoo in the showers here are going to leave you smelling like a perfume tester. (Edited) -I just read over the previous reviews to see if I was out of line, and one "Robin Anderson," from 2 years ago, said the exact same thing about the stinky, perfumey soap in the shower! I guess they don't fix things we write in the reviews for this location. There were hairs on the wall in the bathroom. Don't know what that's all about, unless they washed the counter, sink, or shower with a cloth, and then used the same nasty cloth to wipe the walls. There are a number of good reviews for this hotel on here, but there's also over fifty-three 1 and 2 Star reviews, so buyer beware.
• DB

  Donna B

  Sep 4, 2026
  5.0
  Hotel was clean and staff friendly. The breakfast was good. Rooms had a nice size fridge and a microwave. Would stay here in the future.
• DK

  D King

  Aug 17, 2026
  5.0
  This location is a total sleeper, it's also the cleanest hotel rooms we have ever had, anywhere.
• TN

  Tyler Nixon

  Aug 4, 2026
  5.0
  I was booked into this hotel at the last minute after my original booking was unavailable when I arrived to check=in. Though just an overnight stay it turned out to be a very pleasant stay and a first-rate experience as a guest. First, even though it is situated on a busy thoroughfare in Berkeley, where parking is tight everywhere, the hotel had an abundance of onsite parking situated within close proximity to the front entrance. Second, from the moment I walked in to the moment I checked out, every single person on the staff, from the desk clerks to the housekeeping ladies to the dining room attendants, was friendly, courteous, engaging and helpful. Third, my king bed room on the 1st floor was immaculate, spacious, comfortable and well-appointed, with everything one would need, including a combination safe (though I didn't use it, or need to) and more USB charging outlets around the room than even four people would need. Fourth, the day-night temperature swing in the Bay area at this time of year can be drastic, where you're hot and sweating outside during daytime but shivering after nightfall if you don't have additional layers of clothing, so a room's HVAC functionality can be a big deal. This hotel's in-room control/thermostat and heating/cooling unit were probably the most responsive and precise as far as maintaining desired temperature as any hotel I have ever stayed in. If I switched between AC and heat, the system didn't radically shift, like blowing you away with either hot or cold air as it adjusts, but quietly and efficiently adjusted to whatever I needed to feel comfortable. Fifth, the amenities like fitness room, ice machines and even laundry machines were all conveniently situated, wherever a room might be in the building. Also, once I was in my room I couldn't hear a thing as far as any outside noise, whether from the hallways or traffic outside the hotel or from the street. Sixth, the complimentary hot breakfast, which was open for three hours I believe, setup in a cozy dining room right at the front entrance, offered everything you could think of, hot and cold, as far as food options (execpt waffles, but they have a pancake machine instead), and all of the bread and pastry items (bagels, muffins, cinnamon buns etc) were fresh as if they were baked that morning. Plenty of coffee, tea, juice and milk offerings too. Seventh, the shower in the room is amazing, with a shower head offering everything from a gentle rain to a strong jet, enough to feel like a massage, more than enough water flow and almost instant hot water, no waiting for it to reach piping hot temps. Mounted by the sink were pump bottles of lotion and hand cleanser, with the shower having three pump bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash, I believe. My only suggestion would be that the hotel perhaps offer, at least as an option at check-in, a few more of the traditional sundries in the bathroom, like actual bars of soap, maybe a small bottle of lotion, etc. Finally, the location couldn't be more convenient both to the Berkeley 'downtown' while just blocks from the highway, with lots of stores and eateries in close proximity, for anything you might need or want to do. This hotel absolutely lived up in every way, if not exceeded, the promise of the old marketing campaign about "I just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express" which would make up for any other stresses you might be dealing with on a trip. This Holiday Inn location definitely made the difference for my stay in Berkeley and I highly recommend it to travelers of any kind, whatever the reason for visiting the Berkeley area.
• RP

  Ryan Jongseok Park

  Aug 2, 2026
  4.0
  Great location with free parking and clean room. I love staying here with comfy bed and friendly staff members including the housekeeping and restaurant. Particularly, the front desk staff Tenzin, who worked on Friday & Saturday during my week-long stay, was incredibly kind and helpful with directions, restaurant recommendations and you mame it. I was lucky to get much information from him. Let me take this chance to thank him for his great help. If I come back for another opportunity in San Francisco, I would definitely check in this hotel. Thank you,

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