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Golden Bear Inn
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
- Price Range:
-
$
8 reviews for Golden Bear Inn
I had a great experience at this hotel! I stayed here for 4 nights when I first moved to Berkeley. The room had the necessary amenities - fridge, microwave, ironing board, ample space to hang clothes, nice size bathroom, cable television with tons of channels (no premium channels though), a nice powerful fan with 3-speeds, and FREE WI-FI. Finding a hotel with WI-FI was a must for me and I was very happy with the speed and signal strength (they have multiple wireless routers to connect to).
The location was good. On San Pablo, but I felt it was in a very safe area. The parking lot is not secured with a gate but it is hidden from view of the street.
Right next door is a decent Japanese/Sushi place where all guests get 10% off. Across the street is an ok coffee shop (a little pricey), and across the street the other direction is a gas station for snacks (or gas).
Bus transportation is also great from this hotel. You can catch the 19 bus directly across the street and it will take you right to downtown Berkeley, and 1 block from the BART station.
The staff were very friendly - UC Berkeley students if I had to guess (as opposed to nasty people who often work at a motel 6).
The rate was nice. I payed $80 for a room in May.
Only downside is that the walls were thin. I didn't hear anything nasty - just peoples chatting.
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I can't say enough about how nice the people there were or how cheap it is BUT those rooms have got mold problems. I could kind of tell immediately but could put up with it because of the price. My friend, however, started having a straight up allergic reaction to the mold and couldn't even breath in the room. They changed us from a 2nd story room to a 1st story room and for some reason, she did a little better. I think because heat rises maybe the mixture of that with moisture made the top north corner room really horrible.
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For a cheap hotel/motel option in Berkeley pretty close to campus, this is probably your best bet. Of course it isn't right next to campus, but it is right by a bus stop for a bus that will take you all the way up to the football stadium if you are there on a game day.
It was pretty cheap and you can usually get a cheaper rate if you book online. The staff was very friendly and the rooms were actually pretty spacious and parking is included in your rate for the room! What a deal! It isn't the nicest of places by any means and the walls can be a bit thin, but if you are there just for a few days, especially on a game day weekend when other hotels are booked, stay here and save money on your room so you have more money to spend at Henry's or Bear's Lair before and after the game!! Oh and they have an amazing bakery right across the street which makes it nice for a quick bite in the morning!!! GO BEARS! ha
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I thought it was great for a one star hotel. It was clean, inexpensive and had a really friendly staff. Thin walls, but I didn't hear anything gross! Overall, I was very satisfied. The hotel even had a cute décor or at least efforts were made. I would stay here again.
I had to stay here for 10 days, holed up in a single room with my boyfriend and my dog after driving all the way across the country... our lease hadn't started yet and staying in town was necessary for residency issues and other complications -- the point is that we could have been staying here under better circumstances, but the staff and the environment a the Golden Bear made it all worthwhile, in the end.
The main reason we chose this place is because they were the ONLY Berkeley motel out of *numerous* places I called that allowed pets, *and* had reasonable weekly rates (though this being California, still the most expensive rates along the entire trip). I really, really have to thank them for that. If this world is getting more humane, traveling with pets should be much easier than it currently is, and places like Golden Bear should set the standard. We did encounter several other travelers with pets while we stayed there -- so I'm sure we weren't the only ones to take that into consideration.
Rooms included all the usual amenities, including a little fridge and coffeemaker, which we made very liberal use of. The staff were very nice about keeping us stocked on coffee. The staff, in general, were very nice.
The location at San Pablo and Cedar wasn't bad, either. It wasn't exactly a centralized base, being somewhat distant from the hubbub of campus. It is located on the edge of a cute neighborhood and a major, but not congested thoroughfare, so it was a convenient way to start exploring as we began our first week in Berkeley. There weren't many cheap eats in the area, but that's probably okay for most transients. There were bus routes within easy walking distance, though the nearest BART is a bit of a jaunt (within walking distance, but I'm used to walking). The train sounds were distant enough to be soothing.
Downside: the walls seemed kind of thin, and their wireless internet service was spotty at best. They tried to accommodate us by setting us up in a room that was close to the office, and therefore close to the hub, but we couldn't get connected at all, and ended up with better reception -- but still a weak signal -- in a room *across* from the office. They might want to think about upgrading their internet capabilities, but at least it was free. (They do have a single computer available for guests in the office, but since the office is not open 24 hours, that has its obvious limitations).
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Just had my first "off site" party here for the Oregon State/Cal game (which I have to say, in spite of all the Bear heckling we got on the way to the game, was AMAZING and I was so proud of Beaver Nation for holding our ground!) and we rented the little "cottage" towards the back of the property. It has almost a full kitchen (no oven) and a full sized fridge, so it was perfect for hosting a small party.
The staff, especially Armando, were tremendously accommodating. We had 4 other rooms in the hotel and we all had a great time over the game weekend.
The accommodations aren't amazing, but the value for the price is top notch. Next time the Beavers play in "bear territory"...I'm there!
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With frequent visits to the East Bay and taking classes on the weekend at UC, I was looking for a place that was safe, reasonable in price and with eazy access to Univerisity Avenue.
I have stayed in 2007 close to six times and each time I have had a different experience.
Some of the rooms were clean and others needed paint.
In the winter months the rooms were always warm.
I have had noisy neighbors, and great quiet nights.
Friendly staff, a computer to check e-mail is a plus.
Generally I travel alone and this Motel fits the basics and I would stay again, I do not like to spend over $80.00 just to sleep.
One can use a AAA Discount.
Nice Japanese Restaurant in front and across the street is a great bakery with outstanding coffee selection.
AC Transit is available on San Pablo within steps of the Motel.
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I always stay at the Golden Bear Inn when I'm in the bay area. No, it's not fancy; yes, the walls are thin, and by all appearances it is your run of the mill come and go and you please type of motel. But the location is perfection, just a little walk away from the BART station, and the employees are incredibly warm and friendly, very helpful to all of your needs. Housekeeping is meticulous, and the vibe is just damn near utopian. I've actually cancelled a vacation before because they were booked up. I'd like to book a month there someday and write a book, holed up on San Pablo Avenue.
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