Hotel Shattuck Plaza

“Classy Old School Hotel”

Everything the other reviews say is right on. Elevators are old and small, some rooms can be small, noisy at night, there is a casualness about the staff which could have been more upscale proper, parking is a pain and it was a s show checking in with cars just stopped in the street with hazards on… more

Everything the other reviews say is right on. Elevators are old and small, some rooms can be small, noisy at night, there is a casualness about the staff which could have been more upscale proper, parking is a pain and it was a s show checking in with cars just stopped in the street with hazards on and no one to great you or help with bags. We were on our own checking in the night before Thanksgiving. All of this being said, our room was great and it was a nice hotel. And for what we paid sub $200 a night it was a great value. We stayed in a double bed room on the library side of the building in rm 320. Its furthest away from the elevators and a little quieter than say staying in the front of the building alongside Shattuck, but even then we still had plenty of street noise on the 3rd floor: homeless boom boxes going off at 1AM, street cleaning god knows when, garbage trucks, sirens, etc. it was not enough to say OMG, but it was enough to notice that you are not in Kansas anymore. Our room itself was fantastic replete with high ceilings, a two foot carve out where the TV sat which gave the room character and made it feel larger, and a bigger, albeit dirty, window, covered with heavy classic drapes . The room was decorated in a classy, east coast vibe reminiscent of the Langham in Pasadena where I like to stay. The bathrooms were on the smaller side with no bathtub and only a stand up shower but that didn’t bother me. Some have commented on smaller rooms and I get that. In walking down the hallway, I was able to just catch a glance into some of the other rooms getting cleaned and some looked no bigger than the king bed inside them - particularly the rooms in the front of the hotel along Shattuck. At check in, I did ask for a corner room, knowing that those rooms are usually largest. When none were available, the sweet front desk person looked up the square footage for me. Speaking of front desk and staff, they were super attentive and responsive. There are no comforters or blankets on the bed, just a thinner bed spread, so when I requested two blankets they brought up immediately. I also requested a second luggage stand which they also delivered timely . And lastly, I extended to a third night but on that third night our keys didn’t work. I called from the old school phone by the elevator and front desk staff brought up new keys to me and apologized for the inconvenience. One of the things I really appreciated was the daily room turn down and refesh. It is so nice to come back to a freshened up room without having to ask for it. And the individual who freshens your room will leave a card on the desk. I didn’t use the bar or restaurant except to order a late night kids meal around 9:30 which included 3 courses for $25. Ten dollar chicken tenders were not in the cards. But I appreciated the fact that kitchen was open till 10. And finally, for those considering the Graduate Hotel, I’ve stayed at both. The graduate has more of a bohemian vibe and the Shattuck is more worldly classy. The facilities are better at Shattuck: bathrooms, restaurants, room service, etc. Graduate is quieter and parking is better but the rooms are better at Shattuck. And overall my stay cheaper at Shattuck. Regardless, I’ll be choosing Shattuck again for my next visit to Berkeley.

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