Doubletree Hotel Marina Berkeley

This is, by far, one of the worst hotels I have ever stayed in during my entire life. It is without question the worst Doubletree I have ever seen. I travel frequently for both business and leisure, and I have stayed in some very undesirable places - but this one takes the cake! If you only trust one review, make it this one! You will be miserable if you stay at this hotel!

My main "tip" for this hotel is that if you must stay here, make SURE you request a room as far away from the marina as possible. Yes, you won't get much of a view, but you won't be kept awake all night by the continuously noisy and aggravating marina "chime." The chime sounds like a very, very loud elevator dinging. The problem is, it goes off - literally - every 15 seconds. The a/c unit did not drown out the sound for us and if you like to sleep with the windows open, good luck doing it here!

The chime will drive you absolutely batty, and it bothered us to the point that we could only get to sleep a few hours - and we ended up checking out of the hotel the next day and moving to another property. The hotel really needs to warn potential guests about this chime! There are little placards in the guest rooms (see photo), but it is too little too late. The chime noise is so bad, the front desk will even provide ear plugs free of charge if you ask. Ridiculous!

What really bothered me about the hotel is just how worn out everything was. The furnishings in the room were absolutely a disgrace! They were so worn, it was just disgusting! The sofa in the room was horribly stained and the arms looked as if they had been clawed to pieces by a cat! I have posted photos - it is unbelievable! You can SEE the stains and the damage in the photos!

The walls had holes in them (see photos) and the carpet was awfully dirty and stained (again, see photos). I might also add that I am a Hilton HHonors Diamond member (the top loyalty level) and the room I was in was an upgraded executive room! And it was in this horrible condition! I would hate to see what a standard room looks like.

It is worth noting that the hotel is not within walking distance of anything, including and restaurants, stores or fast food. If you are looking for something to eat, you are at their mercy. The on-site restaurant is okay, but it is not open late. If you arrive late to the hotel, your only option (until 10 pm) is Domino's Pizza delivery. Get something to eat before you arrive at this hotel. This is also a sprawling property, so be prepared for a long walk from your room to the common areas.

As for positives, at least there was ample free parking, and free wireless internet access in the lobby.