Best Western Plus Airport Inn & Suites

This modern, three-story hotel was renovated in 2016 and now sports an inviting lobby with a TV and comfy furniture in bright colors. Some bar tables with high-back chairs rest in a corner next to the free coffee, but guests don’t tend to linger past registration or checking in and out. The bright breakfast room has similarly vibrant colors and ample seating. As a classic airport hotel with transient travelers, guests tend to stay to themselves here. Despite its proximity to the airport, the hotel is generally quiet, even at night. 

For this hotel, location is perhaps its biggest asset—and drawback. It's only a five-minute drive to the airport, but the area is gritty and some past guests have reported feeling uneasy about walking to the few restaurants that can be reached on foot. It’s certainly not advisable to walk around the area at night. In addition to providing transportation to the airport, the hotel shuttle takes guests to the Coliseum BART station that’s next to Oracle Arena and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. From there, travel times to downtown San Francisco are about 45 minutes (35-minute drive). It takes about 15 minutes by car to reach Jack London Square in downtown Oakland. 

These rooms are tastefully decorated in a style commonly seen in mid-range chain hotels, and they have a warm, pulled-together look. They don’t lack for color, done in shades from gold to muted green and red, with a touch of teal as an accent. The matching wooden furniture has a rich amber finish and includes headboards and desks with office chairs. Standard units are spacious, with enough room for upholstered armchairs. Studio-style King Suites with sleeper sofas also are available. Updated in 2016, guest rooms remain clean and generally well-maintained. Bathrooms aren't as attractive, with older shower/tub combos that look a bit dated, as do the tiled floor, but they're still tidy. Amenities are attractive and include microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. The rooms are generally quiet, but there are no notable views. 

This airport hotel runs a 24-hour shuttle to and from nearby Oakland International Airport and to the nearest BART station. It also accommodates early morning flyers, with free to-go breakfast bags for guests who don’t have time to partake in the free hot breakfast buffet, which includes eggs. Coffee and ice water are available all day, and vending machines sell soft drinks and snacks. There's no restaurant or bar on-site. For wellness, the fitness room offers a good choice of cardio equipment as well as a strength-training machine, and there's an indoor pool that's opened year-round. It has enough room for a decent swim, and there's an adjacent whirlpool and small outdoor patio with covered tables. Other amenities include a 24-hour business center with two computers and a printer, a guest laundry room with two washer/dryers, and valet dry cleaning and laundry service. On-site parking is free, but park-and-fly packages aren’t available. Wi-Fi throughout also is free.