My elderly parents insisted on staying here because of its convenient location. That, and the breakfast, is the only thing this place has going for it.

The rooms are small, dark, cramped, dark, unimaginatively appointed, and the overall feel of the place is run down. The service is bad--when my parents asked to change rooms because their room was so damp that it was aggravating my mom's asthma, they put them into another dark small room and there was no one who could (or would) help them with their bags. They had two small roller bags that I was able to carry for them both at once.

This place is tacky. Stay anywhere else!

I am a former student of UC Berkeley and have been travelling to Berkeley on business about once every month on an average for the past 4 years. The Rose Garden has one and only one attraction for me - it is close to the University. I have been forced to stay there as a last resort once every year or so, and need to keep reminding myself never to come back. These are some of the reasons, over my last three stays:

-- the room that had been requested and paid for, weeks ahead, was not available. This can happen - but they neither cared, admitted the problem, or provided any kind of resolution.
-- the incoming phone service at the reception is non-existent (every stay). Unless you have a cell phone, forget expecting anyone being able to contact you. There is not even an answering message that can direct you to connect to a room.
-- room service is non-existent. Since nobody answers the phone, nobody can take a request - be it a question or a wake-up call request.
-- the internet service they advertise and charge for is practically non-existent, except for certain public areas - and it is patchy there as well. As noted by others, too.

The above are the tangible reasons, which make any stay difficult for a guest who is not there only for a lazy vacation. There are many other more intangible reasons, which equally add to the unpleasantness fof the stay. As noted by several other reviewers, the staff are rude, unhelpful, unprofessional and seem to not really care about the guests - in fact, treat them with a certain brusqueness. I would hesitate to ask anyone to contact me at this hotel - and this is not a problem with any of the numerous other places I have stayed at in this town - or anywhere else for that matter.

There is not enough parking space, so if you return later than the other guests, you have to park elsewhere - this, in the area, is not easy.

The furnishings, while "pretty" are more run down than the better class of motel - there are stains and worn patches everywhere.

This hotel, in my opinion, only stays in business due to the scarcity of other hotels in the immediate vicinity. I believe it is still running on it's reputation from many years ago, when it was a newer, better maintained place, with a caring and professional staff. The buildings are historical, and nicer to look at form the outside than the average concrete hotel. And it must be admitted that the garden and outdoor spots are nice. As I said - a good enough place if you are willing to sacrifice comfort for period decor, do not require efficient (or ANY) service, and need a place close to the University.

Otherwise, there are many other places for half the cost with better amenities and service all along University avenue. And if you are here on business or for a social gathering like a wedding or reunion, consider the Marina hotels, Emeryville, or the Claremont resort. Equivalent (or lower) costs, much better in every respect.

It is also to be noted how the management responds to reviews on this site alone - responding never with a 'sorry', but always the 'we are fine and you need to take this' attitude, which is much more obvious in person. The building, grounds and location are charming - if the owners cared to fix the staff problems, this could be the most charming hotel in Berkeley instead of an overpriced nightmare.

I love the Rose Garden Inn because:

#1 THE BREAKFAST! you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to grab a donut - they have full breakfast all morning long, which includes scrambled eggs, sausage, home fries to die for, bacon, pastries fruit, coffee, bagels, etc., etc. in huge quantities buffet style, but like home cooking.

#2 The casual atmosphere: the buildings are grouped around a rose garden courtyard where there is outdoor and patio table seating. inside you can sit in the dining room, which has a cozy fireplace, or the front room which has cozy couches. cozy is a great word for the Rose Garden Inn. Clean, cozy, and casual.

#3 The people. The people are nice and make you feel welcomed but not intruded upon. Very warm people.

#4 TIME STANDS STILL AT THE ROSE GARDEN. It seems like I get the best night's sleep there and feel the most relaxed. For some reason, worries disappear and I feel rejuvenated after my stay. It's the way you feel visiting a friend who truly wants you there – it just feels good to be there.

I had the pleasure of spending a romantic weekend for two at the Rose Garden Inn. Not only did management place a bottle of champagne in my room free of charge, but the staff was kind, helpful and pleasantly discreet at all the right times. Our room was lovely, clean and equipped with a skylight and a wonderful fireplace. What more could I ask for! Thanks for a wonderful weekend.