The Claremont Resort & Club

Just a local swim club…. We were finishing up a whirlwind week of Carmel, Big Sur and Napa and flying out of the Oakland airport. We really wanted a nice night to relax, regroup and have a nice dinner on our last full day/night. I saw the Claremont and it looked like exactly what we needed, and I’ve always had great Fairmont experiences. Checking in I was thrilled, we were met by a very courteous staff, the lobby area was beautiful, bags were taken care of immediately. We had a queen deluxe room in the Spa wing and the room was great, spacious, with beautiful bathroom. There was a nice view, it was currently obstructed by scaffolding, but I’m sure improvements are always needed in such a historic building. All great so far, but again, our main goal of the stay was to just chill at a resort pool with some cocktails. We settle into our room and immediately head to the pool. Much to our surprise, this is just very busy local swim club. We check in and get our towels only to find every single lounge chair taken. We did two laps and nothing. Not to mention the chairs are so jammed together that you will be smashed in directly next to a stranger with no space between loungers. We sat down in some chairs behind the pool and checked for open seats every so often and finally were able to grab some chairs after about 40 minutes. This pool is absolute chaos, there are literally HUNDREDS of kids screaming constantly. We asked an employee if we were missing the pool designated for hotel guests and were told no, this is it. It is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen at a hotel. For a Fairmont I expected pool menus, waitstaff, etc. but it’s literally a public pool with constant blowing of whistles and announcements via a megaphone. There was always long line for drinks and no music to drown out the screaming and Marco!! Polo!!!’s Overall it is a lovely hotel with very nice staff. We enjoyed our dinner at Limewood although overpriced with a minimal menu. I believe there was also a $50 “resort fee”, and I assure you the outdoor amenities are anything but “resort” style. If you have no intention of having a relaxing time in their outdoor facilities then it could be the place for you, but if a peaceful resort style experience is what your are after definitely look elsewhere.

Faded elegance I’ll start this review with my deep love for Victorian hotel on the hill. As a Bay Area native I held my wedding reception here, many spa trips and brunches. But you see that was over a decade ago. I’ve moved away. The world had changed. Wanting a quick birthday getaway with friends I suggested a night at the Claremont. What I quickly learned is that mid week this hotel operates on a skeleton crew. The spa is not open. You cannot get a mixed drink or club soda in the lobby lounge bar. We didn’t try the restaurant because I assume the staff is limited there too. The renovations to the lobby are an effort to keep the hotel relevant but perhaps it’s lost some historical charm. The room was overly blue with blue carpet, blue walls, blue bedding. Dark despite the windows that face the bay. While the staff was friendly there wasn’t any effort for above and beyond service. Just the bare minimum. What did shine was the lovely pool and locker room facilities. This area is mostly supported by the local community, not hotel guests. My sense is that this property is destined for residential use not hotel use. And maybe that’s for the best. Its days of luxury are behind her. There’s nobody but the ghost there to remember what it once was.

Beautiful hotel and wonderful amenities The hotel and amenities were perfect! We enjoyed breakfast in bed with quick delicious in room dining, the pool and wonderful message at the spa. Our flight was cancelled for a few days and the hotel was very accommodating to extend our stay. Would highly recommended!

Great location on a historic hotel One night on our way to SFO from wine country. Nice service and pleasant although small room. Only annoying thing is the $50 resort fee! We didn’t use anything like the gym or pool. Would be nice if you got a rebate if you don’t check into one of the facilities.

Great hotel to stay when in Berkeley, CA I liked everything about the Claremont Hotel, Clb & Spa. From the staff at the front desk, to my room, to the daily maid service, to the facilities. All was top notch. All the staff I interacted with was terrific. The only issue I had was in the small bar off the lobby who both times was unable to make a cocktail (it was a regular cocktail, not special), as he didn't have the experience and the normal bartender who manned that station was not there during our visit in the late afternoon. One other event occurred in the same bar when we tried to get the bartender's attention earlier in the week and he just kept chatting to the waiter and both the bartender & waiter were paying no attention. This happened a couple of times.