Washington Inn

Came into town for a day the service was really great the woman at the front desk was really helpful I’m sorry I don’t get her name also got in to town let and They still let me check in which was really appreciate it I will definitely be back again.

This used to be a nice small boutique hotel in downtown Oakland. It is now a rundown mess. I booked a room with a bedroom with small sitting room. I was not prepared for dirty room that I found. The room had a television in both the bedroom and the sitting room but neither of them worked. The sitting room had a small microwave oven and refrigerator but no coffee maker or even a paper cup to use. The walls were grimy and the bed cover was worn out and dirty. I asked for another room with a working television and was put in a queen room. I asked if they would adjust my bill for the smaller room and was assured that my bill the next day would reflect the lower rate. It did not but I was so anxious to get out of there that I didn't argue. The television in the new room did not work either which turned out to be a problem with the remote. This room was equally grimy. I was afraid to use the bedcover and slept in my robe on top of the sheet. There was no heat in the room and the front desk had no idea how to correct that problem. The young woman at the desk was very pleasant but had obviously not been trained to deal with problems and I got the impression that she was the only staff person on duty in the late afternoon. There was a small sign in the bathroom telling you not to put toilet paper in the toilet but to deposit it in the trash can. The pictures online show a bar and restaurant but neither of them is open now. My advice is to avoid this hotel until and unless there is a complete remodel and update of the place.

The Washington Inn is a hidden gem in downtown Oakland. The four-story building stands alone, but it is easy to miss across the street from the Oakland Convention Center. The dark, wood-panelled lobby is straight out of the 70s. The building and its tiny but functional elevator seem to be straight out of 1920. The rooms, however, are modern, sizeable, comfortable and well-appointed, including quality linens. Everything, top to bottom, is well-maintained and assiduously clean. The included continental breakfast comprised cereals, packaged pastries, bagels and yogurt, and was available until 9 a.m. on a Saturday. Nearby Chinatown had interesting food options, as did Swan's Market across the street. The area is a business district and many of the restaurants open only on weekdays. Oakland 12th Street BART is a block away. Jack London Square and Amtrak are a bit of a hike, but less than a mile.

I can only attest to the 5 minutes I spent in this hotel, which resembled a hostel more than a hotel. I'm going to walk through the entire time we checked in and checked right back out. Parking--Just about every parking space we saw on the street had broken glass. RED flag #1. When we made our way to the front desk, we were told not to park on the street due to break-ins and given complicated instructions on how to enter the parking lot. The take a ticket, bring the ticket, take the ticket back was RED flag #2, but we continued to check in. Smell--the hotel smelled like it had a swimming pool, but apparently that's 30 year old musk/mildew. My allergies immediately began to flare up. I travel with a wallflower, but highly doubt that would have alleviated the mildew smell. RED flag #3 Room--the room was horribly small and the bathtub was FILTHY. I couldn't imagine showering in that tub and I always travel with shower shoes. I didn't want THEM to be contaminated with any of that tub soot. I was going to tough it out, but white tubs should be WHITE, not GRAY or BLACK. I guess we found where the mildew smell was coming from... That was enough for me, well, too much for me. The decorative bed pillow had stains on it. UGH! I wonder when was the last time it was washed. RED flag # 4, #5 and #6. Also, this is a non-smoking hotel, but as soon as we exited the elevator we could smell cigarette smoke. I didn't feel safe. I think this hotel would work well as a museum but could be a fancy old school hotel if the owners showed it a little love with a few upgrades but keeping the old school charm, which it had a lot of--especially the elevator.

The Washington Inn is not somewhere I would stay again. This is a tired old relic of a hotel, showing its 100 year age in the worn carpets, flaking paint and some of the antiquated fittings in the bedrooms. The bar in the main reception area didn't open once during the five days of my stay, and the breakfast (included) was rudimentary - I only had coffee, and one day this had already run out by 8.00. So does it have any redeeming features? Well the price is significantly lower than e.g., the Marriott opposite. And the bed was comfortable, and the staff were lovely, helpful and friendly.

So I am a traveling make up artist and creative Director, and came to Oakland briefly on a Saturday and booked using DayUse just to have a brief work office while I was in the area. When I arrived to check in, I asked the hotel clerk what the rate would be if I decided to stay the whole night and If I could possibly transfer my reservation into an overnight stay. He indicated that the rate would be the same and it would make a no difference and I verified with him once I was swiping my card when I would have to check out because I did want to stay overnight, instead of using that space as a dayuse space where I would be checking out within eight hours. he said that I could check out at 12 PM. Why this morning when I call the front desk to ask them if they serve breakfast he tells me that I need to leave as soon as possible, not at 12PM as told by the clerk from the day before, but as soon as possible. He was so curt and rude with me as if I was doing something wrong and I felt so disrespected as my daughter is listening to the conversation and she just got out of the shower and I do not want to make her abruptly leave on in the morning where it is so cold in the winter in the bay area. Obviously I'm not in any rush to leave and discomfort from my child, but I will absolutely never stay here again. Also, I will be telling all of my friends and family that frequently travel to visit us to no longer stay here either. It is not even a hotel friendly type building, i'm very familiar with Oakland infrastructure and honestly I would never recommend this place as a hotel--it's very outdated and accident prone as I fell on my own this morning just walking through the room the way the floor is built. Before even entering my room the hallways reeked of cigarette smoke, it is the most outdated, low budget option you could possibly pick besides a motel on international Boulevard. You really might as well spend an extra $30 and stay at the Hampton Inn with a abundant breakfast option and amazing hospitality which is just two blocks away. I will never be staying here again and I will let everyone else know as the manager was very arrogant, rude, and aloof when I tried to correct his statements after telling me I needed to leave right away.

Not a lot of good stuff to say on this one. Musty rooms, stained comforters, feels like there’s been no updating or upkeep in years. Stay away. Only thing keeping this from one star is the absence of rodents