Where to stay?

A couple of you out-of-towners have asked about where to stay in the Bay Area. I'll try to provide options that are both economical and fun. The best option is likely to stay in Berkeley or Emeryville. Of course I like to suggest 'alternative' options, because they can be more fun.

Vacation Rental By Owner is a great website for renting other people's houses/apartments! I'd recommend a place in Berkeley for something special.

Craigslist also has some good vacation rentals, also in Berkeley.

Some hotels that come recommended (from various friends and co-workers) are The Rose Garden Inn, Brick Path Bed & Breakfast, and the Berkeley City Club. A colleague also recommended the Downtown Berkeley Inn for its price.

A number of you Alumni of UC Berkeley, and these options may be of particular interest to you: The Women's Faculty Club, Berkeley Faculty Club, or you can use the Cal Alumni tool to locate a hotel.

For other hotel options, I would suggest checking out TripAdvisor which has helpful reviews for local hotels, including the Courtyard Emeryville or the DoubleTree at the Berkeley Marina (which I've been to for lunch and seems a very nice place to stay). I should note though, that if you are sound sensitive this may not be the place for you, as rather loud bell rings from a bouy off of the breakwater every half hour.