HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES included being locked in my room without any ability to get out without engineering removing the door. When I called the front desk to alert them, their customer service sequence included: 1) laughing, 2) hanging up, and 3) ignoring my call from the room (discovered when they answered call from my cell).

After the doorknob and lock was removed in the early morning, the gaping hole was left for no privacy and no security. Finally, I was allowed to move my belongings to another room... at 7AM.

FOLLOW-UP CUSTOMER SERVICE included being ignored in three of my letters to corporate, including FAXed copies with proof of receiving them.

We were a little nervous about staying at this hotel after reading the reviews. I must say, our experience there was GREAT. The location is AMAZING and, unlike many (all) hotels in Berkeley, you do not have to climb over homeless people to get in the door.
Yes, it is a slightly older hotel, but the beds are new and wonderful which I think is the most important thing.
Yes, there is a "gong" that goes off in the Marina, but it IS NOT as bad as these people are claiming. We were in a Marina balcony room and were not bothered at all by it. If you turn on your AC (we just turned the fan on low) you cannot hear it at all. Believe me, I am a light sleeper and I was nervous about the important exam I was taking the following day, but I never heard it. SERIOUSLY!
Finally, I HAVE to rave about the room service!! We wanted to stay in and didn't know what would be good, so we tried a number of things on the menu. Honestly, everything was GREAT!!!! The food came after 20 minutes, the guy who brought it to the room was super nice and refused a tip. The BEST part was, he called our room 30 minutes later to make sure we were happy with everything!
Our menu recomendations:
The seafood chowder was awesome (my fiance is from Boston and he loved it)
The caprese salad (maybe the best I have had outside of Italy)
Cookie sundae (yum)

We visit Berkeley often to visit family and sometimes choose to stay in a hotel to give them a break. This time it was the Doubletree and we were quite pleased with our four day stay at Thanksgiving. Sure, it was showing some signs of age, but a major rebuild is underway. And, it would be good to have free internet in the room, instead of in public areas. But, the staff was extraordinarily friendly, the restaurant quite good (and fairly priced as these things go), there was a great pool just yards from our room (that opened very early in the day, therefore making it possible to avoid kids) and, well, one simply cannot beat the location: easy freeway access, wonderful walks by the bay, sunsets, the whole nine yards.

From the minute I walked in the hotel the staff was friendly, security escorted me to my room.

Room service was excllent, hot and fresh. The morning breakfast buffet was made to order.

I jogged along the ocean first thing, and it was refreshing.

I recommend this hotel!