Bancroft Hotel

We stayed here for a family celebration that was held on the first floor. The function space was excellent for 95 people. In-house catering was delicious. The location of the hotel is perfect, overlooking the University of California, Berkeley campus, across the street from the anthropology museum, a block away from the law school. It is an older hotel with small rooms. For an extra fee, we had a folding bed in our room so that we could sleep three, but it doesn’t seem there are any rooms that sleep four people. We had two closets. The bed was very comfortable. The front desk people were very nice. The facility is an older one, but very charismatic. I would definitely stay here again, and I would send friends.

The location is great if you are visiting UC Berkeley. Coffee and food are provided in the cafe next door. My room had a weird smell coming from the bathroom though.

This is such a charming hotel! I would definitely stay here again! As others mentioned, there is no elevator or A/C but it’s an older historic building so that’s understandable. We actually enjoyed being able to open the windows and let in the fresh Berkeley air. Parking was $15 overnight which is reasonable for the area. If you want a cookie cutter room you should stay at the Hyatt in Emeryville, if you want a cute, European-style hotel close to campus this is the perfect place!

Fantastic service above and beyond. Event hall was a perfect classic feel with the library/archive feel. location is perfect for students/alumni, but keep expectations leveled as the rooms are on the older side and feel "vintage" with no AC so be prepared. Aside from that, a few minutes walk to downtown and neighboring to the UC is obvious plus.

I enjoyed my recent two-day stay here. I was working at Berkeley Law, which is just across the street. So, this property was extremely convenient. The room (202) was clean and small--but fine for me for this kind of trip. The Wi-Fi was great. And parking was available. The staff also was professional, pleasant, and helpful. And I enjoyed the breakfasts--especially the oatmeal, fruit, and hard-boiled eggs.

I booked a stay here and it was totally worth it. It has charm, not your cookie cutter hotel stay. The price was was reasonable, considering that it is a step away from CAL. The staff was super nice. Everything was clean and no "old" hotel smell. No air, but there is a fan and great French doors to open up for fresh air. No elevator, but who cares with all the charm and I needed to exercise. The bathroom in my room was tiny but totally whimsical. Wondered who used it in the past. Maybe a nursery bathroom ? If you read the history about this hotel, it housed a nursery. I have been staying in numerous airbnbs and hotels lately and this one is sure to be on my favorite list. They also give you a coupon for breakfast next door at the Strata Cafe. One amenity that was missing that could have stepped it up a notch, would have been a minifridge with ice- cold water.

I know the room might be a little bit small, and the building is old; but hey, it gives very good vibes. I felt so comfortable living in this building. My room was completely heaven, it was quiet and it had nice view. I had heard that rooms attached to the stairs are noisy; so, required for other areas if possible.||||The staff were so nice; from the front desk to the housekeeping. They are willing to help, just ask them what you want. For me, the bed sheet and pillow case were always clean; although the floor was sometimes dusty, but it's acceptable. Toiletries provided are soooo nice! Breakfast is so nice, too! ||||The location is heavenly perfect; not to far from the subway, just opposite to the uni, and a lot of cafes, bakeries, marts, and so on around the hotel (if you have times to spend here, try walking around and you'll be in love with this area).||||P.S. I don't know why we can't arrange photos order before we submitted.... It's a mess there lol...

We came here for a concert at the Greek theater, walking distance. The location is perfect for that. The location is on campus and close to restaurants and shopping. Free breakfast next door at Cafe Strada was a bonus. You get a coffee ( latte, etc), pastry, fresh fruit, and OJ. The location is next two greek houses so a little loud at times. Parking is $15/night.

Danger! Do not stay here! I am consulting on the UC Berkeley campus this week and the department that hired me put me at the Bancroft Hotel because it has a direct bill relationship with the university. When I arrived at the Bancroft Hotel at 7:15p, there was no one at the front desk and the front lobby was blaring this really loud, horrible music with obscenely violent lyrics. I waited for eight minutes and still no front desk person showed up. I called the hotel's phone number and no one answered. Finally a front desk employee showed up, but he was dressed like a homeless person with a cigarette tucked behind his ear. He was high as a kite and incapable of comprehending that I wanted to check in. He then started banging his forehead against the desk. So I walked out and called the department who is hosting me and told them that I needed them to move me. The no uniform is a big giveaway. It honestly felt like I walked in in the middle of a violent crime. Like maybe the front desk person had been attacked or robbed. Or maybe the real employee wasn't granted the night off so he paid the guy cash to cover for him? Bottom line is I felt unsafe and wasn't going to stick around to find out. I found a room at the Faculty Club on campus and called the police nonemergency line (they said they'd send someone to check on things).

This evening at 7:15 on 1/28, my husband and I attempted to help our out of town guest check into the hotel for her 5 night stay. When we entered the lobby there was no attendant and the loudest possible rap music was playing describing sexual violence towards women. We searched around for an attendant for about 5 - 10 minutes and even went behind the counter to turn off the offensive music. Still, no attendant. The back office was wide open with a back door wide open to a back alley of the hotel. Finally, a man ran into the lobby from the front door and indicated he worked there. He ran behind the desk and sat there but it was difficult for him to have a conversation and he seemed slightly incoherent and difficult to understand. We expressed our annoyance at the hotel playing loud music about assaulting women and asked why there was no one at the front desk. He couldn't really put together a coherent sentence and kept mumbling and putting his head on the desk. He seemed to be getting visibly frustrated so we quickly grabbed our bags and left the building. From the street we could see the same man pacing around the lobby as we loaded up our luggage into our car. The young man had dark blond hair, scruffy facial hair/goatee, was wearing a baggy black t-shirt with baggy jeans, and had a cigarette behind his ear. This whole situation was very off-brand for Hotel Bancroft. This evening around 9 pm, i attempted to call the hotel to formally cancel the reservation for our guest. No one was answering the phone. I then contacted Berkeley PD who indicated they will go to the property to ensure nothing criminal or dangerous was taking place. Tomorrow, we will attempt to speak with hotel management to ensure we are not charged for this reservation.

You want to feel royalty? Stay here... The vibe here was beautifully royal... The breakfast was delicious... I loved my stay here... utter serene...

Really cute old hotel! It was an easy and sweet stay. Rooms are quite small but that's to be expected in older boutique hotels.

Pros: -excellent location! You can't beat it. So many places to visit that are walking distance -offer continental breakfast -it's a historic hotel Cons: -it's a historic hotel. Although this is incredible, that also means that there aren't a lot of amenities that you would expect to find. There is no A/C (they had a ceiling fan), no elevator, and only a few electrical outlets. So plan carefully with the time of the year that you come and pack smartly because you could be hauling your own items to the third floor. Tips: -they have things like hair dryers, irons and ironing boards at the front desk, but not in your room. You have to request it.

Although this has some charming aspects to it and the location is good...overall it was not what we expected. To say it's lacking in amenities would be an understatement. There is no elevator so you have to drag your stuff up lots of floors (depending on which floor you're on), there is no heat or A/C, the windows are old so it's loud from outside noise plus drafty, the sink and bathroom in general are absolutely tiny, and the small tv is so old it's essentially unusable (we watched tv on our laptops). Overall I would not recommend for a comfortable stay.

What a remarkable place for an event, how could I have not known about this place all these years. With fairly short notice I was able to throw a retirement party for my husband with little to no stress. Kelly is simply amazing, she clearly knows what works and how to put it all together and more than delivered on all her promises. She takes all the stress away so that one can just enjoy their event. Her staff is friendly, welcoming to guests and the cook is absolutely incredible. My suggestion is to listen to Kelly and let her do her job, she knows her business . I received multiple comments from guests about how good the food was and how beautiful the setup was . It was a perfect evening and I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you Bancroft Hotel for such an enjoyable evening.

We had to find a venue with catering for a large event on short notice; we were able to book the Bancroft Hotel, and could not have been more pleased. We estimated we would have 40 to 50 guests, and had over 80. Kelly was the most pleasant and competent as director, as she quickly had more food made (a full meal), and set up more tables to accommodate the added guests. Because we were using both the interior space and the exterior space, she suggested we have food and drink at each location. The staff and the food were wonderful, and the ample parking garage across the street made the event seamless. Cost was extremely reasonable in comparison to the many other venues we looked into. We felt very cared for, and the event felt warm and accomodating. The feeling was as if we were a small group and were in a family home, and everything was perfect. Check this venue out.

Very cute euro style hotel. Wonderful location. Parking. Breakfast. Easy check in. Actual keys. Recommended!

This a doozy, hold tight. My main review is with the venue and their staff -- I have a mention of the hotel stay, though, if you needed to know, skip to the end. :) Held a wedding ceremony, reception and stayed 2 nights with the hotel. I have so much to say as the whirlwind of events that occurred over the course of a pandemic, I don't think I could ever recreate (or change anything for that matter). The biggest shoutout I need to give is for Kelly. I have never met a more personable, kind, patient and thorough person and I couldn't be more fortunate to have crossed paths with her! All of my communication of each facet of my wedding was through her. My major vendors had been all recommendations through her: (Denon & Doyle DJ, LaNana Salon + Ashby Flowers, & Sweet Adeline Bakery and her own team for catering the event)! Kelly knew her stuff and she proved it by keeping together a very anxiety-filled bride like myself. I seriously could not have had a better day if it weren't for her. She kept great contact with all the vendors for the day of. Her opinions and patience throughout of the uncertainty of the pandemic-planning kept us all going. Her menu options were delightful. Her catering team provided so many choices, it was hard to choose what we did (we wished we could've done them ALL)! Alot of my guests paid so many compliments to the food, bartending and the Main Hall. I always made sure to remind everyone that it was all Kelly's doing for such a wonderful experience. *The Hotel stay: the hotel itself, was beautiful. It was a historic landmark which has its merits. The architecture has so much character that the photos do not do it justice. UCB often hosts alot of events there. It's walking distance to one side of the campus but also neighbors to frat/sorority housing. The room I stayed: There were very limited rooms and selection due to its age, regardless if I were a bride or had guests that wanted to stay there were no special rooms.. You can either have a room with a balcony or not, which I was lucky to have one. It was an August summer weekend and boy, did the rooms get scorching. There is no air conditioning, so beware. My room was medium-sized, including a TV, a desk, closet and a bathroom. The charm for me was certainly the presentation of the room and its balcony. There was a heater so I'm sure a stay during cooler months would've been a bit better but I didn't want to test it out. They offered a one-time "breakfast" voucher courtesy of Caffe Strada next door so I thought that was a nice treat in lieu of the traditional sense for a continental breakfast. Overall, the hotel room wasn't the comfiest but knowing the hotel's landmark-status, it's understandable. It's not known to be modernized, much less on the same vein as a Hilton or a Marriott. Overall, I would highly recommend Bancroft as a venue and a catering service, but would not recommend staying at the rooms themselves.

Love it. Old, beautiful, funky, and excellent staff all around. Every employee, including, I believe, the owner, was extremely helpful and courteous. My room was small but I didn't care. The location is great - walk to everything. The vibe in the hotel is mellow and comfortable. There is also off street hotel parking next to the place which is monitored though not all night. It's a safe neighborhood in general. My last couple of hotel stays were at big chains and I was so happy to be at the Bancroft tonight. I will definitely return.

More like a hostel than a hotel. 1) Cleaning staff starts making very loud noises at 6am I personally would like a hotel to relax and don't appreciate getting woke up to crashes of silverware and squeeky banging of doors and windows slamming and the sound of tables and chairs screeching on wooden floors. Stay away, especially room 204! 2) Also balcony rooms claim to have a bay view but just overlook the parking lot and a big building. 3) called before booking about parking ahead of time before check in but the attendant was super rude and said it was too early to park. 4) very basic cold breakfast.

Recently attended an UC Berkeley-related event here at the Bancroft Hotel. It was for a course I was auditing and it was the end of the semester and year of the course. I have walked by here countless times yet never really noticed the establishment. When I heard where the event was going to be held and the location, I knew I would not have any problems finding the place. It is situated next door to Caffe Strada and the old location of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. I arrived early ahead of the event and was greeted warmly by the staff. They advised me that I could wait in the event hall. They asked me if I wanted something to drink while I waited. Wow! What thoughtfulness and service. I was able to watch the preparations for the event come together. I could feel this was going to be really good! The tables were being readied for the event, they were covered in either blue or gold tablecloths, natch! That also meant I could select my spot too ahead of time. I explored the place as to where the amenities were located so to make a dash if/when necessary. The selection of food by the coordinators and the hotel were spot on. Usual standard fare of bread rolls, salad, vegetables, meat dish, and vegetarian option were self-serve in one room cafeteria-style. The set-up was straight-forward with blackboard placards indicating the food items: Seeded & Plain Vegan Rolls, Spring Garden Salad (Vegan/Gluten Free), Seasonal Roasted Vegetables, Chicken w/Avocado-Orange Relish (Gluten Free) and Gourmet Mac & Cheese (Vegetarian). In the back of the event hall were a fruit and dessert bar. My absolute favourite item on the menu was the Vegetarian Gourmet Mac & Cheese. It smelled absolutely delicious, made up of a vegan white cheddar cheese and nutmeg combination. Best mac & cheese I have ever had! Sweet and savory at the same time. I had to go back for a second helping of it! I was really impressed by the friendliness of the staff overall and the cosy, warm atmosphere of the Bancroft Hotel. I would highly recommend the Bancroft Hotel for either a professional or personal event. If given the opportunity to attend another event, I would definitely be there. I plan to come back and return to the Bancroft Hotel. Cheers!

Very enjoyable experience here. The only detractor is the lack of elevator for if you are packing heavy, but I wasn't packing too heavy and the front desk guy helped us out since we arrived late and were tired. It's advertised as a historic hotel so the historic positive outweighed the historic negative. Their breakfast is continental but better than other continental breakfasts I had. They had scones and cream cheese muffins. They set us up with a pretty good room. 310? 312? I think. Their rooms are small, but those were their bigger ones i was told and it has that cozy feel to it.

My wedding was a blast. We rented out the whole hotel (only 22 rooms, so just close friends and family stayed there) and had both our rehearsal dinner (80 people) and our reception (120) there. My expectations were blown away - the staff had thought of everything and executed my ideas to perfection. The rehearsal dinner turned into a regular hootenany - with relatives banging away at guitars and a multi-generational party carrying on up on the rooftop into the wee hours. I stayed in a room by myself the night before the wedding and went to bed at a reasonable hour, and was entirely oblivious to the ruckus that was taking place a few floors above. My family and friends were able to party with abandon (maybe a little bit too much abandon the night before the wedding?) and spend quality time together, before ambling down the stairs to their rooms. The wedding reception itself was pure bliss. The staff obligingly set up the bar at the very last minute so that we could take family portraits by the beautiful stained glass front windows. I had communicated all details over email to Andrea, who followed every last one of my requests to a tee. The bartenders were fantastic, serving up my custom drinks with gusto (including the "Green Freedom of a Cocktoo" - a labor of love for which I had made about a gallon of ginger syrup). I had no idea where the cake was going to be displayed, but there it was when I walked in - at the front of the stage with plates, napkins, forks and a serving knife all ready to go. The food was delicious and the buffet thing worked as artfully as a buffet can. The alcohol kept flowing (in fact we bought about 30% too much booze - but it's hardly an area in which we regret overspending) and so did the party. I'm not sure what time the DJ left, but we had the hall rented until 1:30am and many of our guests stayed that late. Also, between myself and my husband (!), at least three of our cousins hooked up with three of our friends. At the very least, that indicates... something. I had picked the Bancroft because it created a central location for guests to spend the weekend, and because my friends and family could party late into the night and then walk upstairs to their room. I also enjoyed meeting Kelly, the events manager, and everything seemed reasonably priced, including the small bar setup/bartending fee, which allowed us to bring in all our own alcohol at a much cheaper cost than other venues. I would recommend this venue wholeheartedly - it served as an elegant-yet-homey-feeling place for our guests to celebrate our wedding.

I recently was in Berkley for a work conference. Our designated host hotel was completely booked for the dates of the conference so after doing a quick Yelp search I came across Bancroft Hotel. With decent ratings and an affordable price, Bancroft seemed to be a good fit for my 2 night stay. Location: Bancroft Hotel is literally across the street from UC Berkley. So the convenience factor of the Bancroft is easily a 10 out of 10. Accommodations: Although the rooms are a bit on the smaller side, the room had basically everything you would ever want. The queen sized bed was comfortable and the linens were clean. The decor was traditional but it did have hints of updating (decent sized flat screen tv). The bathroom was small to say the least but the layout was efficient enough. The bathroom does not have room for more that 1 person at a time though. In the morning there is a small continental breakfast on the 2nd floor where you can enjoy your pastry and coffee overlooking the city (on a clear morning you can see the bay!). Staff: Although I didn't see many staff member the ones I did interact with were pleasant and very helpful. A colleague of mine had special accommodations for her room and they were honored accurately. During check-in we were given coupons good for a free coffee at the Caffe Strada (awesome btw). It was a great "perk" for the guests. lol Overall: I really enjoyed my stay at the Bancroft Hotel. You can't beat the location with it's convenience to UC Berkley. There are plenty of food and shopping options with in walking distance of the hotel as well. The affordability combined with the updated charm makes the Bancroft a great option for almost any traveler.

This was my second time staying here, last time I was here for a wedding and this time for my sister's touring of the UC Berkeley campus. This hotel continues to impress. The only downside is the lack of elevator and size in the rooms, but the vintage aesthetic makes up for that. The beds are comfortable. The breakfast was nice. They had board games being played at night which me and my friends in the area loved. I liked that they offered RSF passes which brought me back to my UCB days and gyms aren't bad. The best part was the staff who helped us get our luggage up to the third floor. If I have a room recommendation, I would recommend 202. Good view and good room. It has a balcony too

I'm not happy to be writing this review. My wife and I traveled to Berkeley to drop my daughter off to begin her freshman year at UC Berkeley and should have read the reviews before booking a room at the hotel. Really disappointed with the quality control of this hotel. The bedding was old and stained and more disgusted with the old yellow stained pillows used. Based our find we will NEVER stay hear again. After reading the other reviews for this hotel I agree with the others that the hotel is run more like a hostel. My wife and I decided to check out early and booked another hotel that cares about their guests.

Interesting hotel in terms of being in a really old building and its green design, the latter being something which they pride themselves on. You get a physical key for the room, not a key card as is the norm with almost all hotels. The bed was very comfy. Included self-serve breakfast was decent and they had non-dairy milk options. Negatives are that you have to pay for parking, there is no elevator (so if you have big bags you will have to carry them up the stairs), and the rooms/bathrooms are very small. The common areas and the rooms were very clean. In my particular case, one of the towels in the bathrooms was literally in threads. For the price point of this hotel, that should not have been the case.

I did not know this hotel was built as a private clubhouse by College Women's Club in 1928. That makes sense; cozy room with minimum decoration. Their soap/ shampoo were really nice with good scent. Bath towel was super comfortable. They might want to keep an original (?) floor carpet for some reason but I would suggest to change it...it is a consumable goods. My personal note: I saw 3 receptionists on 8/7 and 8/8 and all were so beautiful. Was it a coincident or one of job requirement?

We held our wedding at the Bancroft Hotel, and also stayed in it for two nights. The venue is amazing looking, and the staff are very helpful. Their catering staff made incredible food for our reception. My only knock against it is that the staff could be a little difficult to get in contact with prior to our big day.

If quaint is at the top of your list, good. If noisy, rudimentary, and smelling of event catering is also at the top of your list, good. If patchy housekeeping (unflushed toilet on arrival) is great with you, fine. This might be a good event venue, but it's a lousy place to spend the night if you value sleep. Keep looking.

Do not park here I was told 10 on the phone by the receptionist but when I came in it was 15 then had to make an atm withdrawal $3 fee very shady would not recommend

Too noisy for my comfort. We got a nice room on the 3rd floor but on our last night, the a/c unit or something on the roof kicked in and stayed humming and vibrating a white noise the entire night until the morning. Horrible! Hotel walls are very thin. You can definitely hear your neighbors. Place next door had people hanging out and talking loudly starting at 5am on 2 of the mornings we were there. While the hotel has no control over this, the windows just did not keep out the street noise. Room was clean. Free coffee. Hotel has no elevator, but if you want help, they will haul your luggage upstairs for you Hot water tap in bathtub was dripping (another noise) and we reported it the next morning to the front desk. We stayed for 3 nights and it never got fixed while we were there.

My visit was several months ago. Looks as though the housekeeping does a good job. The building is older, and is both under construction (something not mentioned when booking) and in need of a solid maintenance man/team. I don't think there is a single piece of furniture in my room without damage. My "Bay view" upcharged room had scaffolding around the windows, and it's VERY questionable it has a view at all (other than the closed former Cal Berkeley art building) Parking attendant wasn't wearing a uniform or tag or anything representing hotel or parking business. Gave me flack for my "giant" F150 (he didn't even want me in the lot when other full size trucks were) and wanted to charge me $10 when I was staying at the hotel that night. I ignored him and the front desk gave me a parking slip. Expect stair climbing with luggage (it's an old building).

I book a lot of rooms for guest speakers at the university, and generally they are pleased with the rooms at the Bancroft. During our last heat wave, a guest complained that she couldn't stay there because it was too hot, and she left after about an hour. Even though of course the hotel could have charged us for that night, they did not, which I think was very gracious and really helped us out given our tight budget!!

I'd rather stay at the Bates Motel. I suppose one could call this place "cute," or "quaint," but I'm going to go with "really frigging tiny." My hotel room was literally the size of my bedroom in my one-bedroom SF shoebox apartment. The shower was so tiny I felt like a chicken on a spit in there as I turned around with my arms by my side ("Set it and forget it!"). What other amenities were there...oh yes: a 13" television, rusted bathroom fixtures, and a bleach-stained carpet. But what annoyed me much more was that I stayed there for three days for my buddy's wedding and the Cal-Tennessee game, and when I checked in they informed me that the room rate had gone up because of the game. Oh, and so had parking. Nice bait and switch. Two stars because the supply closet across from my room had a big bottle of brandy in it. Random.

I've never actually spent the night at the Bancroft Hotel, which seems very nice. However, I have been here for a Bat Mitzvah and I came away very impressed with the facilities and the service. With these kind of events, there is usually a bit of a wild card regarding the planning of events (and the detailed execution) in making sure that they really turn out to be joyous. And in this case, Bancroft Hotel Staff did everything in their power to make that so, despite a few granola (fruits, nuts, and flakes) moments among the guests.

So glad I booked this charming little spot instead of hotels in Downtown Berkeley (which were full) for my parents' visit! Very convenient location right across from campus to give visitors that special Cal vibe. Living: Roughly $320 (tax included) for 2 nights. We had a relatively big room with a balcony overlooking Bancroft and Cafe Strada. Operative word: "relatively." The bathroom was seriously testing the limits of economical space usage, though I was definitely sold by their "grapefruit and mint" series of organic & natural shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion etc. The interior furnishing brings back all the nostalgic history of this octogenarian hoteI and our room had a lovely collage of artwork on the wall. Super plushy bed with additional single bed for your use from the walk in closet. Fast wi-fi. Food: I had no idea that Cafe Strada and Free House (the restaurant) were linked to this hotel. You get one free coffee at Strada as a guest! Breakfast is great: pastries, coffee, juice, 3 types of fruit, toast, the usual. The best part is that there are 2 corner alcoves where you can sit, sip, and enjoy the relaxing early morning bay view in a snug, private space. Plugs available if you happen to be finishing off a paper here at 6am, but that would be useless information for organized readers of this website. Service: Very friendly staff at the front desk. Cleaners leave a personal note that says "your room has been personally cleaned by _______ [signature]" on your dresser. Always lots of functions going on in the ground floor hall so be aware of that. Conclusion: We'll be back!

Location, location, location. And that's about all I have to say that's positive. You can't beat waking up across the street from campus and next door to Caffe Strada. The rooms themselves are small, and the decor is unintentionally shabby. That's all well and good; I don't need the Ritz or anything. I'm giving the place a low rating because of the hotel's shady practices, previously alluded to by Geoff K. It was my wedding that weekend, and people associated with the wedding (including myself and my now-wife) filled up about half the rooms in the hotel. We made the reservations over a year before the wedding, and were quoted a certain rate for the rooms and parking. Later on, when the Cal football schedule was released, and it was revealed that there was a game in Berkeley that weekend, I called the hotel to ensure that they would honor their quotes for the rooms and parking. No problem, I was assured. Wrong. They jacked up the room rate by $10 per night, as well as the parking by $8. When we complained, we were met with an indifferent shrug, as if to say, "Where else ya gonna go?" If it were just me that they messed with, I'd probably just write it off as a poor experience. But the fact that they messed with so many people in my wedding...screw these guys.

How many times can you say that absolutely NOTHING went wrong at a wedding? We had our wedding here in June 2009 (which as I write this review is only a few days ago), and have zero complaints. THE ROOM: The Great Hall is a simple gorgeous room in the Arts & Crafts style. The hall is huge, but because of the way it is set up, can work for both a smaller wedding and a larger wedding. The hall has a lower middle section, with a raised dance floor at one end, and another raised section at the opposite end. For our smaller sized wedding, we put all of the tables in the middle section, and used the upper section for cocktails/bar, the cake table, presents table, and just a place to sit on a comfy sofa. For a larger wedding, both areas could be used for tables. The room has beautiful stained glass windows, and is lined with bookshelves. Because of the detail of the Arts & Crafts style, you do not need to decorate the room at all. THE FOOD We served sliced roast beef (succulent, tender, yummy) with a demi-glace and horseradish sauce, fresh fruit, spring green salad, roasted vegetables, polenta with mushroom sauce, and bread. Apparently the Bancroft caters for a number of venues in the area. Part of the reason we chose this venue was because the cost of catering was so reasonable. It is not often that you go to a wedding and are wow-ed with the food! The chef is very flexible - if you have a favorite recipe or childhood dish - they'll make it for you. THE EXTRAS: I've already mentioned that you do not need to decorate this space! Tables/chairs are included in the cost of the room rental. In addition, the staff provides tall eiffel tower style vases for centerpieces, flickering candles for the bookshelves and tables, all of the plates/glasses you need, etc. As opposed to many places we looked at, this was more of a one stop shop where so much was taken care of for you. You can provide your own alcohol without a corkage fee. THE BEST PART OF THE DEAL: Kelly, the events coordinator, must have been doing weddings for years. We did not have to lift a finger in terms of setting up the room. She has great relationships with many vendors and goes out of her way to make your day stress-free. Unlike many places, she is extremely responsive to both email and phone calls. If you use the Bancroft, you do NOT need a day of coordinator. All of the staff were extremely attentive - the manager, the servers, the bartender - no complaints. IN THE END... We walked into the room filled with our friends and family and had the time of our lives. It really was our dream wedding. I was (am) recovering from a lengthy illness, and couldn't do a lot of planning. The Bancroft really just made it all possible. ADDENDUM 12/14/09: I noted Penelope's review mentioned that sometimes emails to Kelly have to 'marinate' a day or two; the very first time this happened, I was indeed frustrated. However, after a quick phone call I realized that the reason for the delay was that my wedding was 8 months away, and she was working on setting up a wedding for the very next day. No matter what venue you work with, this is something to keep in mind ;) I simply happened to be thrilled that the Bancroft would work via email at all LOL - so many venues do not work with folks over email, which I found unbelievably frustrating!

Stayed here while in town for a concert at The Greek. My fiance put together the weekend for me for my birthday. We had a great time pretending we went to college here and really enjoyed Berkeley! Everything is walking distance from the hotel. The hotel staff is great with directions or any questions you may have about the area. We loved the room and the windows, it was great! I had booked the room online and prepaid. When I got to the hotel and checked in on Yelp, I noticed the discount and pointed it out to the front desk person. She gave me the discount and credited my credit card for the difference. Easy and fun visit. I would stay here again!

This is the nicest hotel close to campus - I know because before some family members came to visit I personally inspected all of the better hotels nearby. If you have really picky out of town guests the Claremont is the only choice near Berkeley, but if your visitors are just a little willing to make due, they will enjoy the charm and location of the Bancroft. The rooms are small, there is no elevator and don't expect super high thread count sheets or anything, but still it is a nice little hotel. You can't beat the location right across the street from campus and next to the UC Berkeley Fine Arts museum. The reception room is a great place to have an event.

Wonderful location. I had a continue education classes at the UCB vision center, which is only 5 minutes walk to the hotel!! John the front desk is very nice. The price is also very good too.

Decided to stay in Berkeley for our long weekend. The rooms are small, but hey were clean and you can not beat the proximity to restaurants, bars, and my favorite Yogurt town. There is a coffee place right next door and they offer a free continental breakfast which included some yummy cookies and pastries. The beds were good, the TV was flatscreen, and bathroom had some good pressure and some hot water. Hotel Bancroft will definitely see us again. Oh yeah every person that worked the front desk was very helpful in suggestions and directions and took the extra time to make sure they answered your questions.

I'll start with the bad. There is no air conditioning. Only a weak floor fan. I was having some real bad allergy problems, so opening the windows for an extended period of time was not helping. The room was real small and stuffy. The bathroom was even smaller. There are only stairs, so getting my back up the small stair case was difficult. You need to request an ironing board. The good. They have free wi-fi. The customer service is top notch. Chantel at the front desk was super nice. She gave some great recommendations for food and things to do. The free breakfast was not bad either. I actually enjoyed the granola and fresh bananas and apples. The coffee was decent as well. The location is right where you want to be in Berkeley. I would not stay here in the summer, but any other time would be fine.

Thanks to great yelp reviews, we chose Bancroft Hotel for our wedding reception and it was perfect. Kelly was really easy to work with - and she made it all worth choosing this hotel. Interviews with her were great, we just had a few decisions to make, she gave us really useful suggestions, and we got exactly what we wanted: a gorgeous reception that we could just enjoy. It made our life easy, and with wedding planning, that is worth a lot! We considered a lot of options for our reception, trying to seek out budget friendly locations, and I realized that once I added up the costs of the venue, catering, and all the hassles I would have to handle on my wedding day or hire someone to do it for me, I was surprised to discover that it would be no less expensive than just having our wedding at the Bancroft Hotel - with less expense and hassle and fewer people to worry about. That made it worth it to me and my fiance. Kelly recommended our favorite florist, Shawn at La Nana Flowers and Ashby Flowers, and had tall and thin fluted vases for elegant, tall flower arrangements for each table. They looked gorgeous with the flowers draping from the vase, while our guests could still see each other. She showed us pictures from previous events so we could get an idea of how this would look at the reception. In fact, when Kelly heard that my fiance was going to pick up the flowers on the morning of the wedding (to save a bit on delivery costs), she insisted on doing it herself! At no cost to us, because she is awesome and went above and beyond the call of duty. She delivered the flowers to the church for us at some crazy early hour. The Great Hall was gorgeous - a beautiful Arts and Crafts style room with fireplaces and so much style. It suited us perfectly. The parking lot was convenient for our guests, and staff did a wonderful job. The plated food was delicious (we both had the roast beef -yum!) and most importantly, everything went smoothly. We both got to just enjoy the day without one worry or hassle. Kelly even ran to get tylenol when my new husband had a headache. Honestly, it was a lot of fun working with Kelly, and she gave me the best wedding gift: a wedding reception that was beautiful and easy to enjoy. Worth every penny.

It's not luxurious, but we love this hotel. Right across from campus, healthy tasty breakfasts and balconies are some of the features that make this place great. We were surprised to arrive for our 3 night stay and find that our reservation was somehow not in the book. Camilia, at the front desk, went into action and created a space for us to be in one room and not have to move during our brief stay. She turned what could have been a disaster into a non-problem and it was not easy. She worked the system and made it right for us. Thank you,Camilia!!

Stayed here for a wedding. It's a quaint, old hotel with a charming feel; however, it is right on the UC Berkeley campus. Please know what you're getting into. We stayed one night and then promptly relocated the next morning. Pros: - The staff is INCREDIBLY friendly and accommodating. - The wedding venue is very pretty and the catering is good. - Very close to all berkeley has to offer if that's the main reason for your visit Cons: - No AC. Our room on the third floor was stiflingly hot mid-June. We had to keep the window wide open all night, which wouldn't have been a problem except that... - It's on Frat Row. There were kids running around the block screaming and swearing until 3 in the morning. We got no sleep at all! - It's an eco-friendly hotel. Typically, this wouldn't be on the con list but apparently "eco-friendly" means recycled towels that feel like sandpaper in addition to the lack of AC.

Imagine it's the 1960's and the UC Berkley campus is at the center of an intellectual and cultural revolution. (You'll have to imagine most of it because today it appears the UC Berkley campus is at the center of a Urban Outfitters revolution, but I digress). The Bancroft hotel will help you envision that period because it retains some old-school charm in the decor and amenities. You can imagine that you are a philosophy student in your modest room directly across the street from campus, smoking at your desk with the lovely window-covered door to your patio wide open and the scent of bougainvillaea wafting in. Nowadays you will have to imagine that part because smoking is prohibited on the grounds, including on your completely open patio, but you get my drift. Speaking of the patio area, it's not private - or at least mine wasn't - being shared with the room next door. As others have said - the bed was really comfy, the room small but nice, the continental breakfast decent, the staff super nice and helpful and the price reasonable. Also there is decent and free wifi. My only gripes are that 1) my room did not have a desk, although I could see into the room that I shared the patio with that it did have a small one so if you want to work you should request a room with a desk and 2) that the tv remote did not have a sleep function... It's 2015 I feel like I should have the ability to fall asleep and have the tv turn itself off instead of being woken at 4am by an infomercial.

Just got married last Sunday and Bancroft was our chosen venue and caterer. I must say that this is such a wonderful place to held special occasions. Kelly, the manager was so accomodating, her staff was all so nice and organized! Bancroft was the only place that responded to our email asap, give its quotes (affordable) and suggests possible ways to make the occasion even more lively. All our guests at the wedding loved the food! Great service,Excellent management and wondeful people! We love Kelly and her staff... = Bancroft!

I probably would give the Bancroft 1 star, but for the granola, which is legitimately awesome. Was it worth $150 /night though? The downstairs lobby/ballroom area of this hotel is really beautiful, as people have described-- I can see why it would be a great wedding venue. The exterior is also nice, and the location is directly across from the Cal campus, so hard to complain there. But the rooms are TINY and not just outdated but seemingly poorly decorated to begin with. Worst of all, I can't even begin to describe how little water pressure we had in our shower. You know how you turn on the faucet just a little bit so you can run the water while you brush your teeth without wasting a lot of water? Like, a trickle? I promise you it is no exaggeration to say that this was a more consistent stream of water than was coming out of our shower. It would have been comical, had it not been miserable. They do have free wifi, but who doesn't these days? They do have a yummy free breakfast. But I wish I had been able to get a room at the Hotel Durant, a block away, which I hear was much better-- at the very least, their showers work...

This is a review for the Bancroft's event facilities, since I've never stayed as a hotel guest. We got married here in 2012. First of all, I feel really terrible for waiting so long to write a review, but-- better late than never. And this way the review is condensed down to only the things that really stuck in my memory. Things that were awesome: - the convenience. Having guests stay on-site and not have to travel between ceremony and reception was worth a lot, plus there was plenty for them to do/see in walking distance. - Kelly, the event manager. She was so helpful and answered our millions of questions. She made personally sure that we had a great experience, through out the planning process and on the day. - the hotel staff. Everyone was super friendly and easy to work with. - the food. We had a lot of guests comment that it was the best wedding food they'd ever had, which was a huge relief because we hadn't even tasted it in advance. Things that were less awesome: - the lighting in the great hall. It's a minor point, but the giant window on the north side of the room made it so that we were pretty heavily backlit during the ceremony. Didn't really bother me but it might for some people. - the timing. We had planned to move the party over to the Freehouse across the street after the dancing finished, but it was hard to mobilize people. This isn't the hotel's fault really, since we could have paid more to have the staff there for overtime, but just a PSA to folks considering it: you will not want to rush your guests out of the venue when people are still having a good time.

To be perfectly clear, I didn't stay here, I just ate lunch here. My review is only a critique of their food, service, and dining hall ambiance; nothing more. Food: -Thai curry chicken -Stir fry noodles with vegetables -Assorted fruit: cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, pineapple, watermelon, strawberries -mandarine orange salad -variety of desserts: brownies, cheesecake, cookies I thought the food was pretty good. I really liked the salad because I didn't feel like they overdid the dressing like most other places do. There was a hint of the dressing on it, but it wasn't too overpowering. The veggies they used for the salad also tasted very fresh. The fruit was very fresh tasting and sweet too. The noodles were a little overdone. Tasted like mass produced cafeteria noodles. You know what that tastes like. The Thai curry chicken was a little dry despite being drenched in the Thai curry, so I can't imagine how dry it would be WITHOUT the curry. But if you ignored how dry the chicken was, the curry tasted pretty good. Ambiance: Cute place. Very high ceilings. The dining area has this classy, retro feel to it. I liked it. It would be a great banquet hall for a upscale wedding. Service: Very attentive to our needs; very respectful and welcoming. Not bad :) Price: I didn't pay for it, so don't know how much it cost, but I'm guessing not cheap?? Overall: I'm very impressed by the decor of this place, but the food needs a little extra work to match the grandeur of this dining hall. Overall, I had a good dining experience :)

I almost always prefer a local hotel to a chain. The Bancroft fits that. I am not sure on the history but I imagine it's been here as long as the university. And it sorta looks like it was dorms. Which isn't to say it's not nice. It was a very nice place: super-clean, well appointed rooms with new TVs and my room had a window that opened to a view of a tennis court which was really nice. For what we needed, it was also a great location. Tons of food aroud. Late-night coffee shop nearby. In the morning they had a continental breakfast. (Since there's no kitchen, I am sure it was brought in.) My biggest beef was price. For that I'd go 2.5 stars. But I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. My room alone was more than $200 a night. That is a lot. That might be decent for the area, but that's a nice room in downtown Chicago, too. Eek. But that's the price to pay for location, charm and history. (UPDATE: I just learned, for special events in the city, sometimes the prices do go up. I don't think we realized it when we booked. Still, I'd come back.)

The Bancroft Hotel is a great, inexpensive hotel, especially if you're attending a wedding there. We enjoyed our stay, absolutely, but what more needs to be said? Well, the rooms are SMALL, but decently decorated. Like New York hotel room small. There is no elevator...purely FYI. The customer service is excellent and friendly. It's right across from the campus, which wasn't a problem as we were there during the summer, but this may be an issue during regular school year. the parking lot fits maybe 20 cars, so ask about parking so you don't get stuck. Overall, it's a great place for a great price.

The Great Hall is okay. With it's dark, floral carpet, the room is a bit too grandma style for me. The library, black chairs and older couches makes it appear like grandma hasn't redecorated since the 1980s. There is a garage, but parking is for hotel guests, not wedding guests. Pass!

This place has a yelp discount therefore it is the best hotel in the area! No but seriously, it's not a bad place to stay. My parents stayed here and they showed me their room. Clean, cozy, nice decor, and an amazing location if you are visiting campus or going to a show at the Greek Theater. I don't know what organic bedding and organic mattresses are, but they have them. They are probably just abusing that adjective for...profit yo. It's kinda annoying. Best thing is the customer service. They take care of you, they really do, at least that's what my very trustworthy parents told me. I believe them. They are my parents and would almost never lie to me. The only time (I think) they ever lied to me was when they said my dog was going to a farm, but he died, or something like that.

We came to Berkeley for homecoming weekend and loved this place! The hotel is quaint, clean, and extremely close to campus which was a huge plus for us. We were walking distance to the stadium, Telegraph area, and the bart station. The bed was extremely comfortable and our room had a patio with a fantastic view of campus. They provided a small, complimentary breakfast in the morning which was just enough. The staff was extremely helpful and attentive to all of our needs. We will definitely book this place next time we come! We would have given it 5 stars, but if you are traveling with a lot of luggage, the tight staircase may be an issue (no elevator). Also, you must be prepared for some street noise and maybe some music from nearby frat houses.