- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Acqua Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
555 Redwood HwyMill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 380-0400
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 am - 6 am
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
54 reviews for Acqua Hotel
Review Highlights
"Wine and cheese hour is now only from 5-6."
(in 4 reviews)
"It was the Best continental breakfast ever."
(in 10 reviews)
"Our junior suite had a great view of the Mount Tamalpais..."
(in 6 reviews)
Loading...
54 reviews in English
-
Review from Nick P.
Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012
Acqua Hotel played a big part in the excellent visit we had in Mill Valley this holiday. First of all, the staff is extremely accommodating and helped us immensely with our toddler and in setting up reservations around town. we also found the rooms to be just really well appointed; luxurious without prices in the ritz carlton stratosphere. The location is awesome with great water front views and access to walking and jogging paths.
Acqua is a great option for staying in Marin. -
Review from Jessica C.
Mill Valley, CA
12/7/2011
If you're thinking of having your wedding at Acqua, you should read this first!!!
My husband and I were meeting with the hotels manager one week before the wedding to pay our remaining balance and to finalize all the minor details. When we sat down w Tinka, she looked at us and said "so have you decided on a date?" ... My husband and I looked at each other like "is this a joke" .. "our wedding is NEXT Friday! You've known that for over a month!" ... That was the big red flag that we should have listened to b/c it went down hill from there!!! ... Tinka, my husband, and I sat there and went over EVERY SINGLE DETAIL for the wedding day and rehearsal dinner. She seemed to have it down 100%! Nothing to fear, we are in good hands.
I'm just going to list all the ways the Acqua Hotel f*ck#d up my wedding, b/c as I was writing this review I ran out of space! (did you know yelp has a 5,001 character max?)
*I arrive to check-in to the Bridal suite at 3:30 Thursday (check-in is at 3, my rehearsal is at 4) .. Room isn't ready. I have to sit in the lobby with my gown and bags as my friends and family start to arrive.
* My maid of honor has 2 rooms reserved for 1 night. She was supposed to have ONE ROOM FOR TWO NIGHTS. 2nd night is now sold out, so she had to bunk up with someone.
*Brother-in-law does not have heat in his room. The Acqua supplies them with 2 space heaters.. fuse blows.. no heat, no lights, all night. b/c the hotel is booked and they can't be moved. Then they wake up to ants all over the floor!!
*Champagne service after my ceremony, WITH NO CHAMPAGNE FLUTES! Someone forgot to order them, while someone else gave me an attitude that it wasn't in my contract. OH YES, I discussed this thoroughly with Tinka, and Ian confirmed that he heard this conversation.
* The wedding chairs were rained on after they were set up, do you think ANYONE would get a towel to dry them off?? ... My husband asked several times, and then was given 2 towels for 120 chairs! ... Good thing my aunt got on it, and found towels, but then my guests had to dry off their own chairs :-(
* As guests arrived for the ceremony, you'd think it was any other day at the Acqua. There wasn't anyone there to direct them, or tell them where to be. Just one lady at the front desk, checking guests in. People just congregated in the lobby not really sure what to do or where to go.
* The elevator broke WITH MY KIDS INSIDE OF IT. The were stuck between floors 2 & 3 for 45 minutes. My 6 year old was screaming, hyperventilating, crying "we're gonna fall! we're gonna fall!" It was heart breaking. and NOT ONE PERSON DID A THING. My husband went to the front desk and said "I want to see a fire truck! and guys on walkie talkies all over the place! Someone needs to get in there and get my kids OUT!" .. The woman at the front desk said "sir, I just reset the elevator, it should start working again in 5 minutes" ... That was the only peep we heard from the Acqua about this situation. My 6 year old is TERRIFIED now to get in any elevator.
*Not one persons room was cleaned during our weekend. Beds were not made, new linens were not put on, fresh towels were not brought.. NOT ONE ROOM.
*Our nanny was supposed to have a room w 2 full beds and a cot, for the 6 kids. They put her in a room w 1 bed and 2 cots!
*Got home from our honeymoon to see they charged our credit card 2 times for the banquet room. Glad we caught that one!!
* We also received an invoice from D'Angelos (which is who the Acqua hotel uses for catering.) .. Except we went over (a million times w Acqua) that we were using OUR OWN people. Which we did.
*Pet friendly, but only on the 1st level! .. Dogs aren't allowed in the rooms upstairs.
It was pretty much one catastrophe after another ALL weekend.. Which thank god, my family is cool, and was able to laugh about the nightmare wedding weekend we had in the end. .. but still, it's NOT what I had in mind for my wedding. and NOT what the Acqua promised me I would have. It's NOT what my friends and family should have had to experience. This hotel is completely unorganized. They went thru 3 different managers in the 6 weeks we were dealing with them. Every time we'd take 3 steps forward, we'd just take 2 steps back. ... and a part of me feels guilty writing this review b/c I'm not one to leave negative feedback, but this was a NIGHTMARE. They ruined my wedding, and then offered me a comped weekend for all their mistakes. :-| Honestly, the LAST thing I want, is to spend one more night at any of their hotels. -
Review from Lewanna R.
Queen Creek, AZ
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome locale and service. Definitely not the typical run of the mill hotel. In a world where all hotels look the same, I definitely woke up in the morning knowing exactly where I was and started my day feeling great. For starters, my king size bed had a modern looking painting hanging up behind it that just screamed "Swanky!". I loved it.
The room had a patio area that opened up to face the bay. The tub was enormous and had a stand alone shower. The room had complimentary robes to lounge in and a neat wardrobe to hang my clothes in. The complimentary breakfast was a little on the meh side, but then again, most are.
I stayed a week this last time and I definitely enjoyed being in my room as much as being in the area. Highly recommend it. -
Review from Jenny M.
Kansas City, MO
1/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
We had an amazing view from our room. First interaction with the staff, we are bumped from our regular room to a suite, wow, well that adds points doesn't it. Great friendly service, the continental breakfast was terrific, do it your self waffle bar, you can't go wrong there. They are pet friendly which is a plus. If I plan on being in Mill Valley again or just don't feel like staying in the city this will be my first choice.
-
Review from Kristy G.
Los Angeles, CA
2/4/2012
I loved the Acqua Hotel, it was beautiful, and the view was wonderful. We woke up in the morning and took our dogs out to walk along the water. The service was good and the room was fantastic. We only stayed one night, but I would have loved to have stayed longer.
-
Review from Ken D.
9/6/2011
Coming out to Norcal for a wedding at Muir Beach, and it coincidentally being my own wedding anniversary, required a property that was both close to the wedding 'action' and special. The Acqua Hotel fit the bill.
Our junior suite was tastefully furnished, had a lovely waterfront view, and became a place we were happy to come back to at the end of each day.
The service was friendly, yet unobtrusive. (I hate clingy hotel staff!) Breakfast is included, and gives you the normal 'continental' baked goods, cereal, and waffle-makers, should you want something more substantial. Coffee and tea are free-flowing 24 hours a day. The location, right off the 101, was really convenient, too. Ample parking. One note: I did notice that some rooms do not have a balcony, but rather doors that open to a railing. If you want some private place for coffee on the water each morning, book accordingly.
Oh, and having heard from several wedding guests staying at the Larkspur that they were in a 'dump', made me feel a rush of self-satisfaction at having made the right choice. -
Review from Alexandra R.
Mill Valley, CA
10/26/2011
It's not that this hotel is a pit or anything, the lobby and grounds are nicely manicured/furnished, the staff is very nice, the view was beautiful, and the location is a great jumping off point for a bay area vacation, but I was highly disappointed in my stay at this hotel because of what you get for the price.
When I got to my room I immediately noticed that it was in pretty dire need of a paint job. The towels were also like sand paper, and sloppily folded, and I was disappointed to see that the hotel had stopped using EO Organics products in its showers but have instead switched to fixed dispensers of "Tommy Bahama" bath products, which I am sure is just some licensing deal for Tommy Bahama, and not a quality, and LOCAL company like EO.
The fixtures in the bathroom were not polished, and instead stained and dirty looking, even the hinges on the toilet seat were so scummy that the top of the seat didn't go all the way up. Additionally, the cabinet to the fridge didn't stay closed, and I was constantly running into it in the middle of the night. Finally, the outdoor chairs on the balcony were dirty and I had to wipe them down before sitting.
I think the breakfast was the most disappointing part. Because Mil Valley is situated so close to one of the largest food sheds available, and organic, local, and healthy eating is such an integral part of Marin culture in general, I expected a pretty good breakfast. What I got was something akin to the breakfast one might find at the Best Western. They didn't even have real maple syrup for the "waffle bar", just packets of high fructose syrup based crap. We ended up going out to breakfast 2 of the four mornings. I would have definitely forgone the wine hour to get a better breakfast.
I am aware that these things are nit-picky, however, I expect a lot from an expensive hotel in Marin. Staying in a hotel should in many ways be more enjoyable than staying in one's own home, and I did not find that to be even remotely the case at Aqua. In the future, I will stay elsewhere. -
Review from Sky B.
Mill Valley, CA
1/18/2012
Love it. Great rooms. Service will upgrade you. Don't doubt it. I would go back there any day.
-
Review from Stephanie S.
Anaheim, CA
5/28/2011 2 photos
This hotel is amazing! What beautiful views. Everything is clean and smells nice. The couch is the roomiest I've ever seen. Another person could sleep in it because it's honestly the size of a twin bed.
The breakfast is my favorite part. Every little attention to detail was nice. The usual continental buffet stuff: bagels, toast, oatmeal, waffles, yogurt, fruit, and cereal. But here's the thing...they have a little refrigerated case where they keep the butter, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, and cream cheese. I've never seen a hotel do that before! The breakfast deserved 5 stars.
The only reason this hotel isn't a 5 for me is because it doesn't have room service. It's a little thing, but I didn't get in until 9pm, and I was hungry and exhausted. I didn't want to go out again after flying and driving so long. It would've been nice since there aren't any fast food places around.
The other reason it's not a 5 is because of closet space. There is really only room to store one suitcase. -
Review from Jennifer O.
Modesto, CA
11/6/2011
We stayed here just one night for our wedding anniversary. They surprised us with a bottle of wine and a nice note in our room! Check in was nice, we booked a junior suite with a water view and it was great! Rm 303! Room was small but clean, needed a few points of touch up paint. Did have a pot bellied stove but we didn't use it. Bathtub was nice for one but did not fit two. Didn't like that the bathroom amenities (shampoo, conditioner...) were attached in dispensers on the wall. Cheese and wine hour was 5-6pm, not much to offer. Strawberries, brie, gouda & cheddar, two kinds of crackers, cookies and just one brand chardonnay and cabernet. Good but not too impressive. Breakfast on the other hand was GREAT!!!! 3 kinds of cereal, fresh whole fruit, bagels, muffins, croissants, scones, tea, coffee, espresso, yogurt, string cheese and fresh made waffles! Delicious! It was more than enough for our breakfast!
Was a clean, nice hotel but we paid $186 with AAA discount. It was right next to the fwy and we could hear it even facing the water. We would stay here again but it is overpriced. -
Review from Joe S.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
3/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Once again, Joie de Vivre delivers: creative, unique, and thoughtful in all the right areas. I don't even use Orbitz or any other search engine anymore...every time I'm coming to the Bay Area on business, I just go to the JDV website and look for a good rate at one of their hotels, in the general area. I'm never disappointed. When you look forward to getting back to your hotel so you can relax and enjoy the room, you know they are doing something right.
Specifically, this hotel is one of their less-fabulous ones...a little more low-key than most. Great location though, and definitely one of the more unique and creative ones...with a fantastic continental breakfast.
I'll be back, I'm sure...Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 3/25/2011
Dear Joe, it's great to see that you enjoy all of our… More » -
Review from zheng y.
Los Angeles, CA
5/17/2011
Nice find. Referred by a friend, might never have found this gem on my own.
Nicely-designed hotel, with great views of the bay.
Comfy beds, pleasant staff, good dining nearby and very nice continental breakfast including make-your-own waffles. -
Review from Dana V.
American Canyon, CA
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Loved this place
-
Review from Jeff H.
11/22/2010
There are Pet Friendly hotels that "allow you to bring a pet" and then there are Pet Friendly hotels and "welcome your pet". I was quite surprised to find that Acqua is in that latter category.
We were in Mill Valley for the afternoon and dinner this Saturday and were also invited to join my parents in Napa for some wine tasting on Sunday. So at the last minute we decided to do both and to stay up there in order to avoid 2 days of driving. But what to do about our dog? Too late to find a sitter, so for the first time we brought her along for an overnight hotel stay. So I made the reservation on-line at Acqua and noted the dog would be joining us. (BTW, Mill Valley Inn was my other choice but they were booked up).
We arrived at 6:30 - having just missed the wine and cheese hour. But the gentleman checking us in ran over and got us each a glass of wine anyway. We then went to our 1st floor room (pets stay on the 1st floor) and were very pleasantly surprised to find that not only were we upgraded to a small Junior suite with a King bed (probably because I am a member of the Joy of Life club), but that there was also a dog bed for our lab - and a water bowl!
I was concerned about the proximity of the freeway and frontage road, but once in the room we didn't hear a thing. And when I took the lab out of the slider on to the lawn area facing the bay, there road noise was a low murmur.
Speaking of the bay, the view from the room is great. The location is very nice. And there is a walking trail that runs right by the property and a little mini-pier that had a fisherman in the morning trying to get some striped bass.
The lawn area out back is perfect for the dogs to run around, there are benches facing the water, and a second floor landing area you can relax on in nice weather. The next morning I saw three other dogs walking their masters, yet during the evening and night I didn't hear a peep from any of them. BTW, they have you sign a contract when you check in with a pet agreeing to pay for any needed cleaning and that you will pick up any messes on the grounds. And as I mentioned, all pets stay on the first floor - I assume this is to keep the other floors free of smells, dander, etc.
The "continental" breakfast the next morning was one of the nicest continental breakfasts I have had in a while. As one reviewer pointed out, there are no hot eggs/sausage/etc - but it is advertised as a continental breakfast. And they delivered more than what was expected. They had many types of muffins, a selection of bagels and breads with a toaster and the various spreads, waffle makers, lots of fruit (bananas, strawberries, citrus, melons, etc), yogurt, hard boiled eggs, cereal, juices, and so much more. And yes they do have an espresso machine and will whip you up a latte, capacino, or whatever else you request.
So in summary -
Pros:
- Pet welcoming - even including a dog bed
- Great view of the water
- Friendly staff
- Excellent continental breakfast
- Espresso machine in breakfast area
- Wine and cheese hour
- Spacious bathroom
- Comfortable bed
- AAA rate for room saved us $18
- 1st floor room has patio that leads right to lawn area
- quality bath products including bath salts for the tub
Cons:
- Wine and cheese hour is now only from 5-6
- A couple more towels in room would have been nice
- Sliding door to patio difficult to slide
I would definitely stay here again.Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 1/8/2011
Dear Jeff H. Thank you very much for staying with us and… More » -
Review from Cristy R.
Mill Valley, CA
1/16/2011
I went here to look at the hotel as a potential spot for my wedding. I made an appointment with the event coordinator. He let me know he needed to reschedule, which was fine, but he didn't show up! If you make an appointment with someone I think it is highly unprofessional to just not show up--without apology or explanation.
The manager didn't apologize and alluded to the fact that this happens often. NOT OK for a wedding.
Overall, the event staff is unprofessional and flaky. I even emailed their food service for catering and heard no response back. If you need an event that is highly coordinated and planned I would not choose Acqua.Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 1/17/2011
Dear Christy, I am sad to hear that the communication in… More » -
Review from crystel s.
San Carlos, CA
2/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place!! I wish I could give them six stars!!
The staff is TOP NOTCH (I adore Ian at the front desk), my room was cozy and well-appointed (wood burning fireplace?!) and had a gorgeous view of the Bay. All of this at a VERY reasonable price tag (cheaper than Embassy Suites?!?). I'm a fan!!Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 2/20/2011
Dear crystel s., Thank you so much for the raving words… More » -
Review from Norms Little S.
Studio City, CA
11/24/2011
Let me begin by explaining that i have worked in hotels for the past 5 years and i generally give places the beneift of the doubt and am mortified by the service we received at acqua. We had a very difficult stay...major ants in the room which we reported to the front desk at 11pm on the first night of our stay. We were assured that the problem would be taken care of once another room came available at noon the next day. Noon came and passed and then at 2 pm we were informed that the hotel would put any traps in the room while we were out. We refunded at 7pm and were told the ant traps had been placed- a total lie!! We searched for the traps and none were found. When we called the front desk to ask where the traps were placed they said they had not placed the traps afterall!! I asked to speak to the manager Ian ans he did absolutely NOTHING to accomidate and eradicate the ant problem- he was a bowl of excuses!!!This hotel is filthy - has terrible customer service and I would recommend a motel 6 over acqua hotel! This is definately not Marin county standards!
-
Review from B. N.
Sacramento, CA
1/3/2011
Payed almost $200 for a one night stay...I have had better experiences for a lower price. The hotel looks cool from the outside. It's not really a get away place as it's right next to the 101. There is no carpeting on the floors so it left the place feeling cold and steely. The room was nice, the bed was comfy. The heater was a diaster. For such a modern hotel you would think that they would update the heating unit. It took 5 minutes to kick in and never heated up the room. It was freezing! Also, ask for a room away from the ice maker, it's super noisy.
As for the breakfast, nothing impressive. We stayed at the River Mill in Napa last year and they had a breakfast spread that would rival any cafe's. I wouldn't return.Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 1/5/2011
Dear B.N. Thank you for your valued feedback here on Yelp.… More » -
Review from Brian C.
Sausalito, CA
7/19/2011
We stayed here with our dogs a few months ago as a home base while apartment-hunting in the area. I thought it was a nice place. Nice, clean, comfy room with a patio. The lobby was really relaxing and they had a wine and cheese happy hour (included in the price of your stay) which was a nice touch. The views and surroundings were really nice and it was really conveniently located to explore the area, being right next to the freeway (but not noisy). The continental breakfast was actually really nice too. All this for a decent price made this a place I'd recommend for sure.
-
Review from Chris N.
6/28/2010
Me and the mrs. needed to get out of town for a weekend, so we booked it to the coast, spent the day hiking at Muir Beach, and crashed out here at Acqua. Overall, it's a pretty nice joint.
The lobby had a very spa-like feel to it- waterfalls, wheatgrass patches, etc. It was quite relaxing, and the complementary wine and cheese hour in the evening was an added bonus. They've got a great view of the bay and outdoor patio seating if you're willing to brave the wind.
The room was a little smaller than I expected for the price, but it was nice. It looked like all the rooms had a view of the bay, although the ones at the end of the building (we were in 314) didn't have a balcony. Kind of a bummer. Also, you could hear the highway traffic from the rooms, even with the windows shut.
It also didn't look like there was a pool or hot tub (which would have been nice after hiking). They offered a solid breakfast- waffle iron, bagels, etc. (no scrambled eggs or bacon) and some mighty strong coffee.
Overall, it was a quiet, relaxing environment that seemed to be popular among hikers. I certainly enjoyed my weekend there.Listed in: Hotel Adventures
-
Review from pauline f.
San Jose, CA
11/12/2011
We recently stayed at the Acqua for a much needed getaway. It definately showed that this is no longer a JVD Hotel property. Our heatere didnt work in our room and after a couple of hours of trying to get it straightened out, they showed up with a space heater. Parts of the hotel definately showed the wear and neglect. Our room had carpet stains, lighter to light the fireplace was broken, planters outside were broken and we unfortunately had ants on the table joing us for our wine and cheese. I had mentioned all of the above to the front desk and wrote an email to the general manager and assistant manger and they didnt even have the courtesy to send a reply. So dissapointing that mangement didn't even take the time to address the situation.
-
Review from Cecil P.
San Ramon, CA
8/8/2010
This hotel does a great job at marketing and makes a valiant effort to deliver. Information from yelpers is spot on. Pretty good location, once in the room the freeway noise from 101 is a non issue, even when you go out on the balcony. The wine /cheese hour was a nice touch although a little too quiet, a little soft music would help.
Generally the decor is chic and modern which is nice, but there were a few drawbacks. 1. Looks nice, not comfortable,. The sofa in the room was unusable, the lounge chair was a little better as long as you didn't want to rest your arms anywhere. The bed was un-sleepable (is that a word?) no way to get comfortable. There was no table on the balcony which would have been a good spot to sit. Finally out of desperation, I tried to use the desk chair to relax but it only made me long of rmy office chair at work.
The breakfast was very good, a lot of choices. The bright shining spot in our stay was Paula from the front desk. She really gets it. From the booking to the anniversary surprise in our room with a hand written personal note, she single handledly made our stay special. She had great recommendations for eats and sightseeing and gave accurate directions to boot! The place looks really cool, and has that feel that many modern professionals seeking rest would like, but if you are not use to camping or hard international beds..........well you know. -
Review from christine e.
Oceanside, CA
1/12/2007
one word..... noisey
right off an extremely busy 101 with trucks at all hours. Leave your balcony door open and it sounds like they are driving right in! -
Review from Ian A.
San Francisco, CA
6/30/2009
My parents recently had their floors re-done and took the opportunity to stay at the Acqua hotel for a night while they dried. And why not? It's next to Piatti, one of their favorite Italian joints and one might expect that the hotel next to the local Ferarri dealer would be pretty swanky.
Ah, what a disappointment everyone was in for.
Acqua is a good concept with poor execution. It's got a techno-Bauhaus feel mixed with bamboo, which is kind of cool. Really though... there were so many Buddha head overlays you'd think the Roman Legions came through on a holy mission of epic proportions.
A few tasteful statues: Good.
A hundred Buddha heads at every turn: Tacky bordering on creepy.
So let's go ahead and put that aside. Let's talk about something substantial, like the rooms. The décor is dark beige with pale industrial gray-green accents. Desks and chairs are metal-and-glass but not of a very high quality. The bathroom sink bowl was cracked. Bits and pieces of metal were rusting and many of the public area tiles were cracked. The plastic housing of the security camera outside the side door had a huge crack right down the middle (I wonder if it works?) and the floor+walls looked less than clean. The Internet connection was heavily overused. My mother's wireless modem (Verizon) was faster than my Dad's computer was on the wi-fi. There was a cable Internet connection in the room that didn't work. We were told that they were ditching it as the hotel now offered only (painfully slow) wi-fi.
Suffice to say, we wouldn't recommend the Acqua hotel to anyone, especially not a $200 a night. The only things that punched my "cool" buttons were (1) a water fall wall in the lobby and (2) the public computer in the lobby was a Mac running as both a OSX and Vista.
The bottom line? Acqua started well when it was built but these days the same experience can be had for substantially less coin at the Travel Lodge one minute up the road. -
Review from Doug W.
Long Beach, CA
4/18/2011
we stayed 1 night with our bull terrier Max. (pet friendly) Paula was very helpful when making our Reservation. We had a normal room but downstairs with our own patio. Room was large and bathroom was awesome with separate bath and shower. nice desk area, flat screen with a very large choice of stations. The res included breakfast which was very adequate. We were in Mill Valley to go to Heath Ceramics in Sausalito. also, they have a wine and cheese hour and well behaved pets are allowed!
Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 4/18/2011
Dear Doug W., It is great to see that Paula and the rest of… More » -
Review from Tak K.
Campbell, CA
5/1/2009
I had an opportunity to stay here for a week for a business purpose. Inside a guest room was quite comfortable with nice beige-like color scheme. The bed was one of the bests I've slept in hotel guest rooms (Hyatt Regency in Chicago suburb was slightly better). The toiletries are high quality.
The complimentary breakfast was relatively good although I wish they had some pre-made scramble egg just so I can have some egg stuff besides a boiled one immediately. They also had only two kinds (and unchanged for a week) of cereal, so I had to switch to bagels and others after two days. Also, I could not log into their paid business center easily, and ended up going to Kinko's to get printouts.
Their complimentary early evening wines, cheeses, and fruits at the lobby were good on the first and second nights, and got less interesting afterward. Having the same kind of stuff for several days get you tired quickly. At least they served the purpose of making people cheerful, especially looking the sunset illuminating the outlet of river.
So overall, it's a nice hotel to stay, but gets tired after several days of stay like any other place. -
Review from Julianne Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/11/2008 1 Check-in Here
Firmly ensconsed in the foothills of Marin is a modern and minimalistic Acqua Hotel, embracing various elements of nature. Acqua Hotel is to be "inspired by elements of sky and water" and upon walking into the hotel, that can be immediately felt by the natural light (large windows), beautiful plants/flowers and sound of water (a cool waterfall in the lobby). I don't think I would have found this place on my own! And it's only 7 miles away from GG Bridge! The grounds immediately outside the hotel is breathtaking (other side of the freeway, that is). The Bayside Trail snakes around the hotel and you get a great view of the bay water. It was tranquil and relaxing at dusk time when we arrived.
It's a medium size hotel (49 suites) but feels much smaller. Our junior suite had a great view of the Mount Tamalpais, great ammenities like a soaking tub and free standing wood burning fireplace! Of course, all the other good finds like honor bar, spa robes and a cd player. It was a beautiful room, overall! Sure, there was the sound of the traffic from the freeway, but we popped in a cd (that was in our room already) and we were happy as clams.
They also have a wine and cheese reception, which I really really enjoyed. Acqua Hotel is also part of the Joie de Vivre chain, which as dozens of other really great quality hotels in the area. I highly recommend this place for a quick weekend getaway!Listed in: Great Boutique Hotels
-
Review from Gil S.
7/6/2006
Beautiful boutique lodging in a curious location.
Most rooms are junior suites: pleasant, clean, and large with a great bed, many lamps and pillows, a little sitting and work area, and a bathroom with separate shower and soaking tub. Amenities are not quite luxury: decent enough toiletries, a hair dryer, minibar/fridge, one TV, bathrobes. Some bath salts would be welcome.
The balcony overlooks a carefully manicured greenbelt with a public pier on a lagoon, with Mount Tam in the background a few miles away. If the weather is good you can leave the sliding doors open all night and wake to ducks quacking and children playing.
In the morning you can take the self-service cold continental buffet in a sunny common room or large rooftop deck -- fresh cut fruit and the usual suspects. At cocktail hour there is free wine and cheese. No pool. Broadband is wireless in the lobby but wired in rooms (don't know if it's free).
The small staff is friendly and attentive, but not formal in a luxury hotel way, just good people helping you with your stay.
The modern Mediterranean design, by the developer/owner/builder who did the Mill Valley Inn and the Water's Edge in Tiburon, is sleek and spectacular. He mixes indoors and outdoors, tying levels together with cut-outs and sky bridges, and places hallways and stairways to invite curiosity and exploration. This, plus ample use of concrete and stucco, makes you forget that by genre this is basically an upscale motel.
The setting is a small low-rise business park several miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. There's a solid sushi restaurant next door, then a mini-mart and McDonald's 1/4 mile away. Nothing else within walking distance so you drive or cab it ($12-15 to Sausalito or Tiburon). There's good bus service or a quick drive into San Francisco. The upside is that it's peaceful, safe, has free parking, and a good launching point for Miur Woods, Mount Tam, or wine country day trips.
Reommended as: (i) a business base for Southern Marin; (ii) a crash pad if you've been partying and don't want a DUI; (iii) spur of the moment love shak, or (iv) a bigger, nicer, and safer room at a better price than in San Francisco, especially for families -- kids love the grass lawn and landscaping. For something comparable but a little more quaint try the Mill Valley Inn. -
Review from Tam F.
8/13/2007
This is actually a 2.5 star hotel-the 1/2 extra for the great continental breakfast that has a waffle maker and batter.
-Hotel way over priced for what you get. Stayed in a Jr. Suite with a fireplace and soaking tub. Reservation for 2 people. Tub was AWESOME though they did not provide bubble bath or sufficient towels (be sure to call down to the front desk at least 1/2 hour before getting in the tub or shower to get more towels). Water spigot in shower was weird. Bathrobes they provided were old and worn with faded stains. Bed was old and soft to the point of almost wanting to sag.
I wish we stayed at the Mill Valley Inn. -
Review from Shal J.
San Francisco, CA
6/15/2008
Sometimes you need a place to sleep from 4am - noon.
Acqua was close by and they had a room. The best part of the experience was how amazingly nice the guy at the front desk was when I walked in at 4am. It could have been 4pm for all he cared. He was nice, took care of business and quickly fulfilled a request I had once I got to my room.
The room was clean & quiet which was all I needed really. I was in a junior suite and the bathroom was big.
My only complaint is that the bedsheets were like sandpaper. But since I was only there to sleep, that kind of really mattered. Minus 2 stars -
Review from sarah p.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2009
First, if you decide to stay here be absolutely positively certain that you are not going to be staying in room 113, and I'd probably stay away from 114, 213, 214 and so on, unless what you are desiring is a parking lot view with a freeway behind in. Not so tranquil.
Now, the disclaimer is that we booked a room here through AmX Membership Rewards, so maybe they just figured that we weren't paying so they'd stick us in the worst room in the house, which, if they were full (which they were not) would make sense I suppose.
As mentioned in other reviews the location is that of a Motel 6, the 101 being right across the street and all. But they have done it up nicely, and if you just pretend that the sound (traffic) is that of a stream then it sort of turns into white noise?
We run away from our home in SF with relative frequency, sometimes using AmX points, sometimes not. If I was paying cash dollars for the room I would not stay here-although if we had a room with a view of Mt. Tam and water I might feel differently, but I'd proabably spend twice as much and stay at other hotels in the area that we have liked more.
p.s. No espresso machine that we saw, and no access to good coffee as noted in another review, not a lot of places to walk to easily from here. -
Review from Marc D.
Portsmouth, NH
3/18/2008
I was put up here for a couple nights by the Tiburon Film Festival and payed extra to stay a few more nights. The rate was $117 a night (special March rate) it included parking, wired Internet access, amazing sheets and pillows, a roomy tub and bathroom. It was the Best continental breakfast ever. They call it a California continental because there was a server that made you a latte and helped to keep all the food fresh and stocked. There were hard boiled eggs and waffles for you to make on your own. Apples, Oranges, Bananas, Yogurt and cheese sticks if you needed to grab and go. The hotel is right night to 101 just over the bridge from San Francisco so its very convenient to get to the city or the wine country. Being so close did add a bit extra noise to my room on the street side but still much quieter than in the city.
A great value -
Review from E. T.
Little Rock, AR
8/1/2011
Good place to stay. Comfortable, spacious, clean. Good continental breakfast, handy to San Francisco without being in San Francisco. Very helpful staff. Good views. I will stay here again.
-
Review from Abbie M.
Claremont, CA
1/5/2008
First, the good...the hotel is small, but charming and very clean. The desk staff were extremely pleasant. The bathtub, as Miz Tam T. said, was perfect--huge, deep, and comfortable. Unlike Miz Tam, I was supplied with wonderful bath salts. The other bath products were great, too. I even liked the facial soap, and that's a rarity in a hotel. The room is well laid-out, with lots of desk space, a convenient internet hookup, and a comfy chaise lounge, so my boss and I were able to have a work session in my room with no problem. Nice TV. Robes are provided and, although obviously not new, are clean and soft. Continental breakfast is a nice touch, and the guy who makes the coffee and tea drinks is an absolute sweetheart.
Now...why three stars, you ask? Well, call me crazy, but I like to get some sleep when I stay in a hotel. Don't let the presence of a bed in the room fool you--this place is NOT designed for sleep. The highway was right outside my window and the noise kept me up all night. Literally. Not more than 30 minutes of sleep. And I actually love the sound of traffic; it usually lulls me to sleep...but this was ridiculously loud. I felt like I was working in a toll booth.
Good thing that latte guy was so nice--I definitely needed some caffeine! -
Review from Kelly M.
San Leandro, CA
8/5/2008
If you're planning a wedding - think twice before putting guests up here.
My fiance and I are getting married in September and we're staying at the Mill Valley Inn. But, because there are not very many rooms there - we thought to check in with their sister hotel, Acqua, for the overflow guests.
The sales rep that I spoke with, Judy, was exceptionally nice during our initial conversation back in May. She JUST emailed me the contract (and I hadn't checked in on it b/c, to be honest, I didn't know we'd need to sign one since we're not reserving/putting a deposit down for a block of rooms) and there were a couple of details that weren't matching up with what I had in my notes.
I emailed her back to get the changes made - mainly that she had offered a *slightly* deeper discount and to clarify the rewards program and how we would be able to redeem it. She refused to believe that what I had written in my notes could be accurate and wouldn't budge. That's nice now that the wedding is less than two months away. If it wasn't such a hassle for all of our guests, I'd send them all a note to cancel their reservations.
I too am in sales and understand that things fall through the cracks. While it was nice of her to apologize and admit this, she could have gone that one step further to believe that I, the customer, am right. This deeper discount that I speak of, after all, is maybe $4 a night for them.
Other than that, the grounds seem nice (it is, per the other reviewers, RIGHT off the freeway though - so I would assume that with an open door it would/could be loud). The rooms are on the small side, but comfortable. The front desk staff was very nice when we visited to look at the room options and the breakfast area looks lovely.
I will update this review based on feedback from our guests after the wedding! -
Review from Doris L.
Aptos, CA
11/30/2009
I read the reviews before writing mine and they seemed mixed, some good and some not so good but in the end, our experience was very good.
We needed to leave the realives' house pretty fast over Thanksgiving weekend so we looked around for a pet friendly hotel. It was very last minute but Acqua had a few rooms available so we booked it and wound up in a room that overlooked the beautiful walking path along the bay on one side and yes, HWY 101 on the other. I was concerned that I would not be able to sleep due to the traffic noise since I am a very light sleeper but it did not bother me at all.
The decor is modern, the staff is friendly, and the wine and cheese reception is nice.
I will stay there again with my family and doggie. -
Review from Danny D.
Petaluma, CA
12/11/2008
an amazingly courteous hotel. i have stayed many times and have always had an exceptional experience.
If you are having a wedding and looking for a place that stands out for view and service i would highly recommend them.
Ask for Judy Gilmore, she will take care of you -
Review from Steven S.
Marin, CA
10/23/2009 1 photo
We just recently had our wedding there and had the best experience with the hotel and staff. Most of our family and friends flew in from the east coast and stayed at the Acqua for their entire stay. Everyone commented on how relaxing and beautiful the hotel was.
Their morning breakfast set up is perfect after a long night celebrating with friends. As a person who openly admits his caffeine addiction, I can honestly say that Acqua has some of the best coffee! There is even someone there who can make espressos and lattes if that is your preference. Another big bonus is that they have soy milk.
As for the rooms, we had one of the largest suites and it was a great size with a bathtub that could easily fit two. The staff was excellent and always accommodating. They handed out all of our "out of town" gift bags with amazing efficiency. Not only were they always on top of our guests needs they also called everyone from our wedding party taxis so we could go out after the reception.
Summary: I would recommend this place to anyone. And I hope to get to stay here again! -
Review from Steve H.
Waco, TX
3/3/2010
My wife and I stayed here for our anniversary last month, and were treated very well.
Hotel Acqua didn't seem as high-end as it thinks it is, but customer service was first class and our room was better-than-satisfactory. -
Review from Mark H.
Atherton, CA
2/1/2011
Thanks to Sietse, Suzy and Chip for a memorable visit. This was our second stay at Acqua. Ian and his supervisor were helpful and well-informed on the front desk, offering restaurant tips and directions. Just off Hwy 101 at Seminary Drive, the views from the rooms are serene, with Richardson Bay and its wildlife right out your balcony. The afternoon wine and snacks were tasty and popular. One suggestion - replenish the fruit and cheese more often. The continental breakfast and coffee bar set us up with mocha and croissants. Nearby Mill Valley is full of restaurant choices large and small. Check out Toast and Vasco. We'll definitely stay at Acqua again.
Comment from Sietse N. of Acqua Hotel 2/10/2011
Dear Mark H., thank you verry much for the positive… More »
