Claremont Club & Spa, a Fairmont Hotel

Location is ok for north Oakland and southside, but just ok for north Berkeley. Visitors from out of town like it. I found the rooms just ok for the price. Parking is fee and no alternative.

I can't say enough about how much I love this place. The location is perfect for easy access to Cal as well as the shops on Claremont and College Avenues. The views from all angles are stunning (today's view even included The Blue Angels flying over the waterfront of SF). The pool and club are exceptional. The service is top-notch (the bartender out by the pool is a sweetheart). All of that, plus the renovated rooms are marvellous. The air conditioning works perfectly, which can be an issue in older properties, and the room amenities and updates are very tasteful.

I had room service breakfast, which was delivered within the quoted timeframe. And, as a treat, I had dinner at the Meritage restaurant in a cute little booth for one. I sat reading my book and enjoying the panoramic views of the Bay and it was a lovely dinner. The food was very tasty: pork shank that literally fell off the bone and a lovely starter of tomatoes with basil pesto, and buratta.

I will definitely be back (believe me, I will be back). I am so happy to see this property returned to its former glory, it's a special place.

The hotel is beautiful. I've never gone to the spa but the hotel is wonderful. Both restaurants have amazing food. Be sure to ask for the chip-which. Its not on the menu. The wait staff has always been very customer friendly.

When staying their be sure to ask for a room with a good view, if you don't mind paying extra. If you want to stay there but don't want to pay to much then you get a room with out the view.

The best time to stay there is the first week in January. You'll get amazing rooms for really good rates.

The only complaint I have had is when checking in. The people who check people in are really rude and condescending. Its happened to me and while I was having a crappy checking in experience so were like 3 other people. One woman from England lost her mind actually because of how rude they were. I wrote a complaint about it directly to them. I received a phone call for follow up and they said that they would take care of it and would compensate me in some way. Well I have never heard from them again.

I would stay there again and intend on eating there again too. If your local stay there once just to say you did.

This is one of those places that you will love, as long as you have the means to do so. I was on my high school's 20th reunion committee and they chose the Claremont as the location. Kathy helped us through the process and I have nothing but good things to say about her. If you are planning on holding an event here, ask for her! The view is gorgeous. The layout of the event was perfect. They provided the perfect amount of tables and there was plenty of seating for everyone.

I was having such a good time that I forgot to eat! I went and got a plate of food and there it sat. Wait, I think I did manage to dip into a little bit of brie with a water cracker and that was delicious. Unfortunately, that was the extent of my food experience. The drinks were pricey but every time I got into line one of my awesome classmates bought my drink for me, because my class rocks!

The staff was very attentive but not in our way. They asked about lighting, decor, moving tables, etc. and never scolded us for getting too rowdy. We had a crowd of about 60 and the two rooms were absolutely the perfect size for a DJ, dancing, seating, photo booth, slideshow, bar and various eating stations.

We had a blast. The reunion was a total success. Not even the $22 we were charged for parking (really?!?) could dampen my spirits.

BHS 93!

It is difficult for me to rate this hotel on a single rating. Overall, I think this hotel is beautiful and service was top notch, but small factors did annoy me a bit. So I'm going to break it down.

5 Stars for Hotel Decor and Design. I believe this is a historical landmark in the city of Berkeley/Oakland. It sits on top of the hill and looks like a mansion from ajar. I was able to see East Bay and Golden Gate bridge from the parking lot. Alos, they have a beautiful cherry blossom tree that stands in front of the hotel. The lobby looked old fashion luxury which blended well to the design.

3 Stars for Room Interior. I may have been booked to the worst location cuz my room's view was facing the trash bins. Yuck and serious deduction. The interior was quite small that the television was facing the of the side to accommodate space for tables and sofa. The bed was very comfortable. So I was glad that I slept well.

5 Stars for Service. Asked for a wake-up call and was delivered. Asked for a shaving kit and received within five minutes. Couldn't ask for a better quality care as a guest.

5 Stars for Spa and other facilities: Got up early in the morning to use the pool. Outside temperature was somewhere in the low 50's but the pool was definitely in the warm 80's. BRILLIANT! This definitely made my day. The spa also includes a spacious and shower room so there is no need to come out of your hotel room in your bathing suit. They also have multiple tennis courts. So for any tennis lovers, bring your racket.

3 Stars to the Bar. I walked in and the crowd was definitely not for the people in their 20's or early 30's. It was much more of an older crowd with sophisticated taste. Also, the live music was way too loud. This place was not my cup of tea.

Let me explain. People are super nice. Rooms are clean, and the hotel has a certain character because it is historical.

IF it was $189/night hotel I'd give it 4 stars. But at $350 plus you expect MUCH better. This is AFTER it has become "a Fairmont" hotel.

* Bayview Cafe (I think that's the name) had spoiled juice, food was just OK.
* Places had duct tape on the ground to hide cables.
* All elevators had paper taped over the buttons to show new flooring terminology (Really? How hard is it to replace buttons?)
* Leaving at 5:45 am thee was no door person to assist us.
* Elevator shafts were backed with shoddy taped cardboard.

If you get a deal under $199 by all means come here. Otherwise spend your money elsewhere. You're paying for the name.

The hotel is currently being updated so it is en route to being very modern and classy .. unfortunately I stayed during the construction so I didn't have the best experience .. they were painting near the lobby elevators getting in everyone's way..one set of bathrooms in the lobby level were getting Remodeled so it was an inconvenience to the meeting I was hosting .. the water in the other open bathrooms were on and off not working .. there was a burnt filter of some sort that left this awful smell .. so many complaints with that .. there was loud drilling outside of the balcony of the event I had hosted .. air conditioning in the Claremont ballroom creates this vibration within the room

I see a lot of potentials with this property .. the views are nice .. aesthetic of the hotel is beautiful .. it just wasn't the right time for my visit

This review is for afternoon tea. It was a lovely service with a beautiful presentation. The menu had a great variety of small bites, which was very filling. The loose leaf teas are actually located by the hostess stand if you want to take a quick look. Service was good, they checked on us repeatedly if we needed a refill on hot water for our teapots. I would recommend it if you are looking for a nice afternoon tea with a view.

I had a great stay at the Claremont. The staff were real professionals on every level. They were not intrusive, yet I still felt like they always had my best interest in mind. The paragon bar is closed for rennovations, but they have another bar area set up in the interim. The drink prices are a little high, but for such a classy establishment, they are not bad at all. $6 drafts, maybe $12 cocktail?

The furniture set up is perfect for casually having a drink in a relaxing environment. It was dark when I was there, but SF views are available if you situate yourself correctly.

The treatment and respect that I received from the staff was top notch. I will return even if it is just to hang out at the bar for a few drinks.

I've stayed at the Claremont twice now and love the Bay View rooms. The rooms are elegant but comfortable and the bed is really nice for a hotel. The only downside is that on this stay, I must've been in one of the recently updated rooms because there was a chemical smell - possibly from new carpet or furniture. It wasn't horrible but was enough to give me a headache. I opened the window but there was no screen so I didn't leave it open.
I also wish they had more dining options. One of the restaurants was closed for a private party so I dined at Antoinette which was overly expensive and had a very limited menu.
I had morning business meetings on both stays do love the grab and go breakfast options.
Overall, my stays have been very pleasant and the staff had been great.