The Burlington Hotel

Hotel · Port Costa

The Burlington Hotel

Hotel · Port Costa

1

2 Canyon Lake Dr, Port Costa, CA 94569

Photos

The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by Shannon Ohaire (Atlas Obscura User) (Used With Permission)
The Burlington Hotel by Shannon Ohaire (Atlas Obscura User) (Used With Permission)
The Burlington Hotel by Shannon Ohaire (Atlas Obscura User) (Used With Permission)
The Burlington Hotel by Shannon Ohaire (Atlas Obscura User) (Used with Permission)
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null
The Burlington Hotel by null

Highlights

Simple 1883 hotel offering cozy, individually decorated rooms & suites, plus a weekend cafe.  

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2 Canyon Lake Dr, Port Costa, CA 94569 Get directions

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2 Canyon Lake Dr, Port Costa, CA 94569 Get directions

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Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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"The Burlington Hotel, one of the oldest operating hotels in California, is a throwback to an exciting era of unruly railroad workers and busy ports. The Burlington Hotel opened its doors in 1883 at the height of Port Costa’s 15 minutes of fame. Port Costa, California, was a busy town located directly on the Transcontinental railroad, a popular port for the off-loading of wheat. The only thing separating the Burlington Hotel from the deep waters of the Carquinez Strait where the docks (which have since burned; there are still pilings in some places) used to be is a bit of gravel and some railroad tracks. There were businesses built on the docks– boarding houses, saloons, shops–but the Burlington would have been the place “in town” where people who wanted to avoid the riff-raff would have stayed.  In the 1930s, Port Costa went from boom to bust when the Benicia Bridge was built, immediately ending the need for the train ferries that supported the waterfront town.  By the early 1960’s, population was down to around 350 people and all that remained was the Burlington, a train station, and a few antique shops scattered here and there. It was during that era that the Burlington was abandoned and slated for demolition.   Then came the infamous Warehouse Cafe which opened across the street and has always had a reputation for rambunctious behavior and strong drink. It has been the cause of many a patron stumbling into the Burlington for a tipsy tryst or a place to sleep it off, obliterating its drinkers since the day it opened and helping to restore the hotel’s lagging business. The Warehouse and Hotel are no longer connected, and the Burlington has a lobby where guests check in. The historic hotel is now being restored, and there is a lovely lobby and a cafe with coffee and fresh baked goodies on the weekends." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

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View Postcard for The Burlington Hotel

Synthia Kennedy

Google
This poor excuse for a hotel was shown to me by bibiana princeton. And let me tell you save your money a motel six has more privacy and better beds. Lace curtains no clocks. Shared bathrooms and all for 400$ a night. What a steal. And that was the local discount. Would hate to see what the price is for a non local. The breakfast was lackluster and the service was non existent. They treated being open as an inconvenience. It’s not our fault your town is a cesspit and should be condemned.

Ron Warnecke

Google
If you are not adventurous this hotel may not be to your liking. This wild and wonderful 1883 hotel may have seen better times, but you won't find a better place to spend an out of main stream stay. One thing i did not run into was any ghosts ha ha ha. My wife and I had a very wonderful time and we found Hillary a complete delight. Looking forward to our next stay.

Emilio Galan

Google
The Burlington Hotel is unlike any other place I’ve stayed. It is unique, comfortable, and has genuine old-timey charm. The hotel is such a special place in no small part due to Hillary who truly went above and beyond to make our night memorable :). Thank you for your hospitality and warmth. The cornbread in the morning is the best I’ve ever had and we continue to enjoy the local honey at home!

Yolanda Vargas

Google
Been wanting to stay here since forever, finally made it and it was worth the wait! The staff was ran by a single lady who does it ALL and is as charming as can be, so an extra big THANK YOU to her! We stayed on the 3rd floor in Victoria's room which had a private bathroom. Everything was super clean and comfortable, felt more like a home then hotel. It's seems like such a huge place, with so much detail to see I mostly took video but have included a few pictures. We went across the street to the warehouse to look around, which has a grizzly and enormous polar bear, and a drink but had dinner in the restaurant next door to the hotel. We stayed on a Thursday which happens to have tiki Thursday at the restaurant so the drink menu changes up. All the decorations on the bar were created by one of the staff members who happened to be our bartender/server, very talented! Heads up- unless you make reservations ahead of time for a table then it's the bar for you. It is full service but can turn into elbow bumping once it starts to get busy. Now back to the hotel, the room provides drinking glasses but no bottled water. We had the water view which was pretty at night and the passing trains aren't a bother. The only annoying part was a loud group of people, who had to of came from the warehouse probably after closing but not staying at the hotel, who decided to continue their hang out until about midnight. Now I'm not sure if that happens often especially for a Thursday night but if so I'd dread staying on a weekend!? For breakfast freshly created and baked scones were made and great coffee! I also bought a jar of the best wild honey I've ever tasted from the hotels cafe. Seeing as how the hotel owner has his very own bee's it's prepared right there so you should remember to purchase some before you go. I recommend staying at least 2-3days to give yourself enough time to go exploring, hiking, sight seeing, possibly fishing, relaxing and just taking in everything the hotel and Port Costa has to offer. Can't wait to go back!

Mark Deutsch

Google
I love the Burlington. The staff were very accommodating and easygoing about our many special requests. The hotel itself is just such a gem--there really isn't another place like it. Port Costa has long been one of my favorite Bay Area well-known-lil- secrets. In the age of homogenized commodities, it is refreshing that even while refurbishing the place, the owners have kept the long-wrought antique character of the hotel.

Boo Boo

Google
This hotel was poorly put together. As me and my family arrived, there was not a person at the counter. We had to wait awhile before we got any help. Then, we checked into our rooms to find hair left on the sheets and burn marks all in the bathroom. Our rooms smelt unacceptable, the stench was very distinct. Also, might I add that nothing was vacuumed or wiped down and these problems were in all 3 of our rooms. Our towels were stained and we had no pillows. If there was a rating in the negatives I would give it. This motel must be shut down immediately

Sean Chandra

Google
Charmingly rustic, which was expected. But also not very comfortable. Bed was creaky and small. Ceiling stained with water damage and mildew. This was fine for one short night... We stayed there as part of a post-wedding party that had rented out the whole place. It was great fun to stay up late and whoop it up in a place like that without concern for bothering any nonparticipating guests. Around midnight I played a few dirges on the old pump organ located on the third floor, which is actually in decent working order! At $160 per night, though, for something that would be a dump if not for the nostalgic decor, it's—well, it's on par, I suppose, with the rest of the housing available in the bay area.

Allison Sylvest

Google
We stayed here for our first visit to the San Francisco area and it was incredible - like stepping back in time. The decor and the entire feel of the hotel is ideal for those who love history or anyone longing for a simpler time. We wanted to see a bit of the city and a bit of the surrounding area and the location was perfect for both. The cafe downstairs has delicious offerings on weekend mornings and there is an irresistible communal feel to the whole affair. The pièce de résistance of it all is The Bull Valley Roadhouse located next door. Unparalleled food, unparalleled atmosphere, unparalleled experience. I crave their grilled Caesar salad, pork belly, and mussels to this day - definitely call for reservations because it's very popular. Perfect for a weekend trip out of the city or a NorCal getaway.