The Berkeley Hotel Review

Friendly and helpful staff. Clean hotel. WONDERFUL food! Nice balcony and views. Would recommend and visit again.

I went here for the Christmad breakfast. The food was good, but the service left a lot to be desired. Generally inattentive, I had to chase down waiters on more than one occasion for basics like water and replacements for flatware that had been removed from the table by the wait staff.

Absolutely worst customer service when checking in with Alfreda. She was so rude and not helpful. Is there something your not understanding? I almost felt like she was racist towards me. The only reason I even agreed to staying was after the experience with Ann and Will In the cobblestone there in the hotel later that evening.
There was gummy trash wrapper in our room when we arrived and hair all over the sink including a dirty mirror. We paid a lot of money for this trip. Quercy or Que I m not sure how to spell his name he was the greatest. I absolutely loved his personality toward us. I would only recommend this hotel for drinks. When we went to Alfreda in regards to our concern she just gave us a free meal and didn t say anything else or ask about what was going on. When I received my meal there was then visible egg shells in the eggs. I just really am upset. I can t believe this is the service we got after coming all the way from Oklahoma.

Great spot downtown. Room was on the small side but clean and had everything you need. Hotel staff was accommodating.

I've never experienced anything like the last hour and a half. Ho-ly crap. Since I wasted all that time at "lunch" I really can't afford to spend even more time writing this potentially lengthy review. I will do my best to make this quick.

Around 1pm we showed up with a party of four. We just needed a quick lunch. We waited in the dining room for about 10 minutes for our waitress to approach. She seemed stressed and without really welcoming us to the Berkeley, she started telling us that they've had a rough day and we should expect a 20-25 minute wait on our burgers. Huh?! No one even mentioned we were getting burgers. What was she talking about. She then explained they were promoting a new burger that was holding up the kitchen. Ok, no big deal. We've all been waiters before, we can relax and wait the 25 mins.

We started noticing EVERYONE in the dining room was looking around, waiting for service, even chatting with other tables to show their dismay. No one was happy. We ended up getting our food about 15 mins after everyone had cleared out. We estimated it was around 45 minutes after we arrived. When the food got there, it was wrong. All wrong. The $14 veggie pasta was supposed to have seasonal vegetables with mushrooms, etc. It was literally noodles, with 4 pieces of yellow squash. That's it. My friend ordered the Oyster Po Boy. Simple enough, right? When it arrived, it was a bunch of fried oysters on a salad. When she complained about it, the waitress snapped at her and said, "that IS the po boy".... um no. We asked to see a menu. ACTUALLY, they did have a po boy salad, but it was called something else. It was under the salad section. And you had to ask especially to get the oysters added on. Clearly, there on the menu under sandwiches was "Northern Neck Po Boy" which was a sandwich with..... oysters. Anyway, the waitress argued with my friend (who is VERY sweet and didn't even want to complain) and told her she would bring her some bread out so she could put the oysters on the bread herself. Wow.... It actually gets worse...

My chicken sandwich was overcooked. I couldn't eat it. We had had enough and decided none of us could eat this food for the pricey penny they were asking. I had to ask for a manager. Ten minutes later he waltzes out, and waited for us to speak. After we politely went through everything, he just stood there. He slowly said, "I can offer you 15% off your meal." ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Am I taking crazy pills or did this guy just offer me 15% for an entire meal that we didn't eat and took an hour to arrive. We got a bit louder, and admittedly, more irritated and basically told him that wasn't good enough. The waitress came back and said we were free to go. THEN, she mentions that we didn't actually wait an hour, because she checked the ticket and she put our food order in at 1:20, which means we were only there for 45 mins waiting. She literally argued with my very polite friend about how long we had been there. We did wait for her to come to our table for 10 minutes, plus I know she waited to put the order in. So she doesn't even know what she's talking about. She then claimed that the Berkeley is considered fine dining and that it usually takes about an hour. Well then, if you originally apologized to our table for the 20-25 minute wait we should expect, then say that it usually takes about an hour to get your food, something doesn't add up. Not to mention we've been there plenty of times and it has never taken that long. And if you can't handle a lunch rush in the middle of downtown Richmond, maybe you shouldn't be in business.

All in all, a terrible experience that will go down in history as worst food, service, and experience of any restaurant. I sincerely hope Chef Ramsay finds his way to this slop show and shuts them down.

I had the most wonderful time here. The staff are amazing, the cook is amazing, the room service was amazing, the room itself.. was amazing, even the price was amazing..

Fantastic space. Service has been great. No complaints.

I can for a wedding rehearsal dinner. The food and service was amazing. The hotel itself was beautiful and clean.

I stayed at the Berkeley on business. It is in a great location, in close proximity to all of my meetings, and has a very friendly and helpful staff. The rooms are large and comfortable. The only (very minor) drawback was the slow service at breakfast.

The hotel was good and comfy, but it did not offer many things, no pool, no gym, no arcade, it was just an old fashioned hotel in downtown richmond.

Upscale hotel, very comfortable beds and pet friendly. Only major issue is the lack of fridge in room.

It's a nice clean and classy hotel would visit again if I'm ever in the area.

My husband and I stayed here for our wedding night on 5/16/10. The front desk staff were great, and even upgraded us to larger room with a balcony. When we arrived to the room, it was large and clean. The king size bed was very comfortable and clean. Shower had great water pressure. I went down to the bar in the restaurant downstairs while waiting on husband and service was great, very friendly. Nice cozy atmosphere and Tobacco Company right across the street! Would definitely reccommend!

Historic hotel with great rates. Not huge and not super amenities. Not plush but very clean and quaint it has WiFi. Nice little bar. All good

LOVE the Berkeley...one of our favorite weekend getaway spots...

It was a nice hotel. Great location. Can hear neighbors from you room but not too bad

Love the valet props to James,Bar was great ,pricing for the hotel was resemble,amazing staff and we even extended our trip for one more day.The young woman ,Joe like a cup of coffee was amazing and all the staff really did care about their guest.

Good place but could be a tad more customer service oriented. Location in perfect though.

Loved this hotel! The staff were friendly and our room was well appointed and clean. We ordered room service our first night and found the food quality to be excellent!!

Great service by all staff. Comfy bed and QUIET room. Valet parking is very responsive. Only negative was dining room, something is off on service front. Breakfast just Okay, sausage overdone couldn't eat it. Eggs had farm fresh taste. Great location, not far from highways.

Nice room and comfortable bed. Close to the Capital building.

Disappointing for what you pay. Location is the only thing is got going

We were in Richmond for a family wedding this past weekend and we all stayed at the Berkeley. We were very busy coming in and out needing our cars on a moment's notice and the valet staff was more than accommodating to our needs. From the front desk to the housekeeping staff, absolutely the BEST experience with the most accommodating, friendly and professional staff. We hosted two events there on site and each were handled beautifully by Julie and Rebecca and their team. Charming, historic and excellent customer service and definitely a 5 star review.

I stayed at the Berkeley Hotel for one night while driving through VA. I arrived late that evening. Upon entering my hotel room the bathroom faucet was dripping which it continued to do so all night, and when you flushed the toilet the handle would get stuck down so that the water would run without stopping. The carpet had also not been vacuumed well and had crumbs all over it.

Upon checking out the next morning and retrieving my car from the valet, I discovered my seat had been moved and the radio station changed, and turned up extremely loud. I have NEVER had my radio changed by any valet service prior to this experience.

A few days later as I continued on my trip I realized I had left a belt of mine in the hotel room. I called and asked if they could check to see if it was there and I did receive a call back saying that they did find it and would mail it back to me, IF I PROVIDED A CREDIT CARD TO COVER THE SHIPPING CHARGES. I have NEVER stayed at a hotel that didn't send me something back as a courtesy! I will never say at this hotel again.

Stayed for an overnight on our way up the east coast. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Check in was quick and easy. Room was clean, linens were fresh, and the hotel was very nice. Would return again next time I am passing through Richmond.

This a Four Diamond hotel. It is beautiful, decorated with rich, dark wood. The staff are excellent: professional, helpful, kind, and thoughtful. The food is excellent and the bar is well-stocked. I believe, but am not sure, that the hotel welcomes dogs. The location is perfect. Everything about The Berkeley is charming.

Small plesent hotel, was only there a day so not the best to judge.

Lovely hotel! Rooms were very quiet and the beds were very comfortable. We were only here one night but everything was great. Complementary breakfast was a full breakfast. I would never have paid their prices for bacon and eggs but it was sit-down full service and not a buffet. I have to say the only pitfall is parking. No parking lot or garage, only valet as far as I could tell. I found a lot a block or so away and was harassed for money once as I walked to the hotel. Welcome to downtown Richmond!

Sunday buffet lunch had some very good food, and sitting near the window on Cary St. added some people-watching entertainment. If you're going for elegant comfort and not pinching pennies, it's a fine choice.

The room was very clean and very nice, the staff was very friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed the hotel.

Convenient location, clean and spacious rooms, friendly and attentive service.

Walls are a bit thin but all in all a very nice place.

Nice spacious room. Great front desk and valet service. A nice quiet dining area.

Staff were very pleasant. Room could have been cleaner. Flag pole outside the window rattled all night. (Not to say the wind is their fault, but the pole could have been placed elsewhere) toilet was so close to the wall I had to sit side saddle.

The rooms were great and the staff was very helpful telling us about places to go, see, etc. It's right in the heart of downtown.

Great hotel, very hospitable, great location. The breakfast is delicious and everyone that works there is really nice.

Love the room, but the bar scene across the street was too loud..but nice room and staff

Everything was very clean. Interior was stately. Amenities were give freely and quickly. Small gripe about there not being tongs for the ice basket. Also expensive parking but that's downtown Richmond for you.

This hotel was a pleasant surprise. Large rooms, great location and super location. I highly recommend.

Great centrally located spot right across the street from the Tobacco Company restaurant. Very nice atmosphere, has larger than expected rooms for a downtown location. Loved the historical touches with the reproduction maps. Some of the fixtures in the rooms did seem dated.

Wonderful hotel, huge rooms, beautiful dacor. This is absolutely my stop whenever I will be in the Richmond area.

Wow! Great location, accommodations, and customer service! Highly impressed with the whole establishment from start to finish.

When I arrived at around 7 p.m. on 28th August, I left my car in 12th Street in the green zone, where it said 2 hours 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. I assumed that I would need to put money in the meter at 8 a.m. so that I could stay until 10, but the receptionist specifically told me and the guest who checked in before me that this was incorrect and that parking was free until 10 a.m. Even when I said that I had assumed I needed to pay at 8, she insisted that it was free. When I went to the car at around 9.30 the next day, I found a parking ticket, which I took back to thehotel and complained to the morning receptionist. She, too, was surprised and thought parking was free until 10. She photocopied my parking ticket and pinned my card to it to pass to you.
I paid the fine that day, $25 + 3.85 admin fee.
I wrote to the manager to complain about the incompetence of his employees but did not even receive the courtesy of a reply.

Very professional! Room was upgraded for our wedding night and Patrick and all of the kitchen staff are excellent! They went very out of their way to make take great care of us.

They have terrible internet. It's completely unacceptable for a hotel that charges over $150/night to have wifi that maxes out at 1.5 mbps.

Room was impeccable, service was great but the staff was smoking at the front door so I had to pass through a cloud of smoke to enter. Otherwise amazing experience

Friendly staff, gorgeous room, and beautiful views. Breakfast was also lovely! My husband and I had a great stay here last night for our one year anniversary and we highly recommend it!

Great location, very nice interior, bar and restaurant staff was very accommodating.

My FIRST time staying at this hotel was in 2013 and it was a SPECTACULAR experience. The rooms were clean, nice and everything looked polished and clean. However, my second time staying was last month (August 2018).. It was TOTALLY opposite. I was so excited to stay there again and I arrived excited and looking forward to the same experience but unfortunately, that did not happen. The room I was given had strands of hair on the pillow and there were also marks on the wall. The bathroom mat (for the shower), was also dingy. When I called downstairs to get another room it seemed like the receptionist was upset because I wanted to change rooms. Although, out of the whole experience the older woman who was a receptionist was very friendly but the other person was short. I usually do not do reviews but with my high expectations for this hotel- that has also been awarded many years... I was highly disappointed... Hopefully, management reads this review and will ensure all other guest have a better experience. Thanks!

Nice staff, clean rooms, and great part of town. The and bar are also good

My wife and I stayed one night at The Berkeley Hotel. We enjoyed the stay with the exception of the air conditioning in our room on the third floor. We like a cooler room to sleep in, but the thermostat would only allow it to cool to 69 degrees fahrenheit. The happy hour at the Cobblestone Restaurant is a nice location. We had appetizers and an adult beverage. Their sweet potato fries were very tasty.

Dated, ball room was in the basement, box lunches not good at all.

Great small full service hotel in downtown Richmond, close to lots of restaurants

Nice hotel, food and drinks were great! Needs a little updating though

Friendly staff, beautiful hotel in a nice area, high class room. Only complaint is our room had a great view of the dumpster behind the alley.

The hotel is very well situated and its deco is very chic . However it is quite expensive: the breakfast isn t included and if you add it to the valet parking and the price of the room, the overall price is maybe 30% higher than an equivalent hotel chain.
Moreover it s situated in a cobblestone street, which is quite cool but during night you hear all the cars passing in the street (and surprisingly there are A LOT of them all night long!)
They charge your credit card for 69 dollars for incidental deposit but they don t warn you (until you discover it on your card statement). And for a suite for 6 people (2 adults, 4 kids) there were only 2 towels and one soap, shampoo and body lotion. You have to request more to have some more. This is not very chic, for such a so said upscale hotel.

Very low rent for a supposed 4-star hotel. One of the lamps in the room did not work, horrible internet and the "free" breakfast only comes if you purchase extra packages. The amenities are nice enough for events, but as a place to actually spend the night, there are much better options near by. Frankly I have had more comfortable stays at Holiday Inn.

Nice hotel on a very picturesque street full of restaurants.

This place is beautiful. Service is great every business have its bad days but, understand this. Berkeley would not give you bad service on purpose, so much great things there that other places dont do and have

The staff was attentive and hospitable. Room was fantastic and hotel is in a great location. I would highly recommend thos great boutique hotel.

Looks very nice. I wish parking was easier/cheaper.

Great boutique hotel in downtown. On a cobble street near some nice cafes, restaurants, and bars. They are dog friendly as well. Good service and comfortable beds

I liked the location of the hotel, it was very convenient for our stay however, amenities were not up to a downtown standard and the restaurant service needs a make over. Housekeeping needs to ensure rooms are being completely cleaned. However, I will say the valet stand rocks!

This is a downtown, boutique hotel. Our room was spacious and comfortable, although some of the people in our party had fairly small rooms. There are balconies on the fifth and sixth floors of you would like that. The service was friendly. The rooms were not filthy, but it wasn't hard to find dust or fingerprints or noseprints as the place is dog friendly. We had brunch in the hotel and it was very expensive and the portions were very small. I had the shrimp and grits and there was no more than a two ounce serving of grits. The service was outstanding.

The best hotel at the best location. Best room, furniture, location. I have stayed in many hotels and this is the best for me.

This hotel is very nice, and the service is top notch! None of the rooms have microwaves or refrigerators, though.

Great place to stay. Beautiful rooms and surroundings. Great staff, very helpful and friendly. Delish food. High five to Chef Will.

The location of this hotel is great. It's downtown near tons of easily walkable bars and restaurants. The hotel itself is just ok. Valet parking took forever at check in. We started with our car to make sure it got taken care of. One of our friends left their car, and it was still sitting there on the street nearly two hours later. Our room was pretty small though others in our group had decent sized rooms. The overall feel of the room is pretty dated, there are no helpful amenities - no mini fridge or microwave. No USB ports for phone chargers. The bathroom is spacious but also dated. Overall, I'd say this place is going for an old school Richmond vibe leaving it lacking in some of the more basic hotel amenities people have come to expect.