Executive Inn & Suites — Attraction in Oakland

SERVICE & TRANSITIONS Checkin speed here deserves an applause! No predatory fees for checking in early either 🙌 Parking runs $17 -- it is what it is. I was impressed by how grand the lobby was; a very unassuming, yet impeccably clean lounge area. Really good vibes. Elevators were spotless too. Trash pickup in the huge halls was lagging, but still a positive impression at this point.

ROOM https://youtu.be/ZNjgQAIlZGQ Hit with an odor upon entry, this didn't bode well 🥲. The dimensions were good though, with sufficient storage, and creative wallpaper visuals. Lighting wasn't bad either. This was one of the "city" view rooms, which actually meant: prison bar windows facing the highway 🤦‍♂️, quite misleading. Book a lake view room if this matters to you. Walls weren't terribly thin, but external sounds are very noticeable.

TV No redeeming qualities about this TV solution: audio clarity, volume levels, picture quality, resolution.... It's a shame bc they provide DirectTV channels.

WI-FI & CELL RECEPTION Incredible performance! More than adequate for work, entertainment, & multitasking. --Performance-- Video streaming - great Online gaming - great Video chatting - great --Nerd Stats-- 150-177 Mbps download 86-91 Mbps upload 0% packet loss 8 ms latency 1.5 ms jitter

BATH Medium-small split bath setup. I did not care for the design of this shower: the dreaded half-glass pane walkin. It's a frustrating shower experience unless you enjoy showering in a box. Pharmacopia bath products are provided & quality of their towels was redeeming at least. The vanity was also great, along with the remaining installations.

FOOD & DRINK DoorDash friendly. Starbucks is in walking distance, just seconds away. There's plenty to eat & drink on site as well, offering convenience foods for purchase, a bar, & eatery. LOTS of options if you're feeling lazy or on staycation. FYI The mini-fridge gets dreadfully noisy when if you want things cold. Mini microwave along with a little coffee setup provided in-room.

BED The best part! I slept on a Fantastic bed (older Simmons beauty rest model). Linens felt premium, pillow build was supportive, & everything was clean.

VERDICT Presentation is really strong & it's a beautiful property. The atmosphere was calming & the consistency in hospitality was impressive. The undesirable parts were tolerable & could be easily improved. Still a very competitive option. I could see myself staying here again & would...

I travel to Oakland on business once or twice a month, and this is my hotel of choice. Wonderful water views abound with rowers training on the water, quiet boats plying the waters, and an occasional jet ski buzzing up and down the estuary. The gentle waters provide a calming atmosphere rarely found in Oakland. It's the perfect location to return to after a solid 10+ hour workday.

The staff and management are always professional, helpful, and just plain welcoming (Not sure why others complain about the staff...hmmm, maybe it's not the staff). I digress. The staff are good people who are intent on seeing to it that one enjoys their time spent at this hotel.

There is the other side of the hotel that faces the freeway, the train tracks, and BART tracks, and quite honestly, it wasn't bad at all. I was tired, I crashed, and any noise was well-muffled by the walls and windows. I've stayed on that side twice, and it was fine. Sure I prefer the water side of the hotel, but i'm notorious for booking my stays later than I should, and I accept the drawbacks that come with putting things off until the last minute.

The breakfast is surprisingly good with breakfast sandwiches (think Egg McMuffin...only better), muffins, yogurt granola bars, instant oatmeal, Hard-boiled eggs, bananas, apples, kiwi, and a selection of cereals. And you have your choice of coffee (Peet's or ?), various teas, and fruit juices. It's more than I ever need, but it's great to have the selection.

Finally, the restaurant and bar are now open, and both are fine. The restaurant is a good stop if you aren't in the mood to go out, but instead just want something quick from a small but utilitarian menu. It's as if management realizes that the hotel is not going to be a destination for its food, but thought it might be good to have something for the guests when they just aren't in the mood to go out.

The bar has a good selection of beers and some okay and reasonable priced wines that are a nice touch for the end-of-day relaxer.

I have enjoyed staying here, and will continue to return. I'm glad they are there. I have always rested well here, and that's important. I recommend you...

The Good - The bed was very comfortable and the room was clean. The water view was pretty, and location next to the water front walking trail provided a great opportunity for some much needed exercise after being stuck in the car for 4 hours. The small pool area was clean, and the hot tub temperature was good. For those with the interest, there is a very large cannabis dispensary located right across the street.

The Not So Good - Breakfast was supposed to be a buffet, however, when i think of a buffet I imagine several different options. This buffet had typical continental breakfast options like cold cereal and fruit, an unappetizing pan of gritty looking eggs that I'm assuming were powdered, and a pan of grey sausage patties. We ended up walking a half mile down the road to Starbucks. The bathroom was in need of some love. There were several floor tiles that were broken or coming out of the floor, and it looks like grout repairs were attempted but they just look sloppy and unprofessional. There's no door or curtain on half the shower, so the floor ends up covered in water by the time you're done showering. The fire sprinkler in the bathroom was very rusty. The pool/hot tub area, while clean, is outdoors with no canopy. We wanted to enjoy the pool and hot tub, but it was raining and cold out, so it wasn't very comfortable to be out there. The location of the hotel is not within reasonable walking distance of any shops or restaurants (other than Starbucks and a Ramen place). If you don't like driving in the city and prefer to walk everywhere, this is not the place to stay. It's located in an industrial type area, and doesn't feel particularly safe. Spend the extra few bucks to get a room with a water view. The other side of the hotel looks out onto the parking lot, a graffitied overpass, a busy freeway, and...