Hotels near Emeryville and L.A. Union station?

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gaspeamtrak

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Nov 20, 2006
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Ontario, Canada
Hi everybody !

I just booked my brother's trip last night.

He doesn't have a computer ( there are a few left like him :) )

I know this has been asked before, my brother will be arriving in Emeryville on # 5 on July 24 and departing the next morning on # 11 for L.A. for a two night stay in L.A.

He would like to stay close by both stations.

The hotel prices seem pretty steep in Emeryville but he doesn't want to stay in a bad area either.

Any info would be great. I know the gang always has great tips !

He will be flying back home from L.A.

Thanks for all the info!

:) :) :)
 
The EMY prices are pretty steep indeed! Would it be possible for him to overnight in SAC instead, hotels there seem a lot more reasonable. Vagabond Inn is close to the station there.

Metro Plaza Hotel is very close to L.A. Union Station, basic but fine on my stay a few years back.

Ed.
 
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There are no inexpensive hotels near Emeryville. I suggest Davis -- a small college town 15 miles west of Sacramento -- as an alternative. There are several nice motels within a short walk of the Davis depot. And a fun town to visit.
 
There might be some cheaper options, but they'd be in Oakland or Berkeley. I wouldn't worry too much about the safety in Oakland by the waterfront, but that's kind of an isolated industrial area. They have a few hotels there. There are some places in Oakland that are horrible, so you have to be careful.

The various motels around University Ave in Berkeley can be kind of sketchy because of the local kids who hang out at all hours. The DoubleTree is pretty nice though, but that's at the Berkeley Marina. You might need a taxi to get there. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any hotel in Emeryville. I've actually stayed at a few (for a party), we've had friends stay at some, and from working in the area I've been to a few for their meeting rooms.
 
Don't forget that the trains overlap from Sacramento to Emeryville. You can stay overnight at any of the stops.
 
For hotels near LAUS, the Metro Plaza is a good deal. However, if you are too tight on your travel budget, there are handful of motels in East LA (Immediately to the east of Downtown LA) that are a bit cheaper per night, but those tend to go fast, faster than the Metro Plaza at times. As for Emeryville, I don't know, but I would suspect that it would be cheaper compared to Frisco, which is just on the other side of the Bay.
 
The advice about overnighting in Davis or Sacramento instead of Emeryville is spot on!

As for LA,it depends on what time of year it is, what's going on during the time they are in town and, the phases of the Moon, it's LA!

I like trivago.com or kayak to find deals on hotels/motels.
 
Hi everybody! He is willing to spend around the $200 range. The Four Points Sheraton was around $215. The Hilton Garden San/Oak Bridge was coming in at $227. He was "sort of " ok with that...They are pretty close to the station...
 
When I was in the area, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn. I found the hotel very nice. I was able to walk to and from the EMY station.
 
Hi everybody! He is willing to spend around the $200 range. The Four Points Sheraton was around $215. The Hilton Garden San/Oak Bridge was coming in at $227. He was "sort of " ok with that...They are pretty close to the station...
The Four Points Sheraton you can walk between the hotel and station. If your not already an SPG member, sign up for it, book a cancelable rate, and keep checking back. There are deals and specials about a month out. Same situation in LA. SPG is known for having specials closer in. Many of them are SPG members only Rates, AARP, or AAA. Some discounts are up to 25% off but you have to be a member and those rates have to be prepaid when they come up.
 
When I was in the area, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn. I found the hotel very nice. I was able to walk to and from the EMY station.
I personally like the place, but they have different prices for a "bay view" vs a "mountain view". It's really a view of the Berkeley Hills, and it's more like a view of the freeway along with the noise. The Courtyard is the newest hotel in the area, and even the rooms that look over the freeway are well insulated against the noise. The Hilton Garden Inn started out as a Holiday Inn built in the early 70s, and it's not built with the type of soundproofing that can be used today.
 
I think quite a few of us used the Hilton Garden Inn as "party central" for the gathering a couple of years back, I certainly had no complaints... except catching Jim's cold. (Worth it for the cheap room share) :D

Ed

EDITED to correct Jim's name. Dave was meant to have the room originaly!
 
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I grew up around the area - or at least have an idea of what it was like over the years from passing through Emeryville since the 1970s. I remember when the Holiday Inn (current Hilton Garden Inn) was the only hotel in Emeryville, along with the Watergate office buildings as the only tall buildings in town. That area that makes up the marina is all fill, which is kind of tough to do these days for environmental reasons. There's a push to add fill to San Francisco International Airport to space out the runways, but the chance of getting permission to add fill to San Francisco Bay is pretty slim.

It's definitely changed. Of course it was way after they lost the reputation as a den of sin, including a dog track, speakeasies, and gambling dens (the Oaks Club is still in operation). The best known part of town was the Judson Steel plant, where molten steel could be seen from the open door. The rest of Emeryville was industrial. It was before all the big condos, the trendy restaurants, and before Pixar moved in. There was no train station (I remember when it opened). The city started going for sales tax revenue with more and more retail and restaurants - especially the Ikea.

I kind of miss what it was, but certainly it seems a lot nicer than it used to be. But there are some deeply missed parts of town, like the driftwood sculptures that used to be in the Emeryville Mudflats.

http://blog.sfgate.com/parenting/2008/07/14/gone-but-not-forgotten-emeryville-mudflat-sculptures/

sf_mudflat_2.jpg
 
EMY:

I usually stay at the Hyatt House across the tracks. It's not as good as it used to be, but totally acceptable and a free breakfast. I've always received a room with a great view of the tracks.

They opened a Hyatt Place down the street. I don't know anything about it, but it shouldn't be too much farther to walk.

I have stayed at the Four Points. It's a hike, but walkable. Close to Bay Street, if that strikes your fancy.

I don't consider the Hilton Garden Inn to be walkable and wouldn't suggest it without a ride.

LAX:

I always hop the Metro Red Line into downtown. It's only a couple stops to much nicer hotels.

I have always stayed at the Sheraton, which is just around the corner from the exit for the 7th/Metro stop on Hope Street.
 
Hi everybody ! We have made a change where my brother will be staying in Emeryville, he won't ! We called Amtrak up and he will be staying overnight now in Sacramento at the Vagabond hotel the change tickets cost $ 47 extra, oh well. Thank you to "Caravanman" for the idea ! :) :) :) The hotel in Emeryville was going to cost him around $330 Canadian, ouch ! He is saving almost $200 Canadian.

We are still working on the LA hotels for his stay there.

I'm shutting my computer tonight as it is about "Die" and exchanging it tomorrow for a new one . I should be back on line by mid to late next week..

Thanks everybody for all the help !!! :) :) :)
 
I have a quick question about Emeryville. I'm staying there overnight one night because my previous train arrives at night and the next one doesn't leave till the next morning. I'll be at the Highlander Motel, which is a few miles from the station.

Will there be taxis there at the station waiting for passengers who might need them, or will I need to call one once I arrive?
 
My experience is sometimes yes, sometimes no. Good news is that you're at Ground Zero for Lyft and Uber. If you have a smart phone - iPhone or Android - and a US pay-go sim, this would be a good time to give one or both a try. Cheaper, faster response and more courteous than a cab.
 
I have a quick question about Emeryville. I'm staying there overnight one night because my previous train arrives at night and the next one doesn't leave till the next morning. I'll be at the Highlander Motel, which is a few miles from the station.

Will there be taxis there at the station waiting for passengers who might need them, or will I need to call one once I arrive?
No guarantees, but I've seen buses waiting there before.

I don't know if I'd recommend that motel though. It's 8 miles away from the Emeryville station, with an estimated fare around $30. And from outside it looks like your typical fleabag motel, but it does look like it's been remodeled inside. I don't know if I'd recommend any motel on Macarthur Blvd. I'm not particularly scared of being in Oakland, but those places give me the creeps.

https://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Emeryville-CA&from=Emeryville+Station%2C+Horton+Street%2C+Emeryville%2C+CA%2C+United+States&to=Highlander+Motel%2C+MacArthur+Boulevard%2C+Oakland%2C+CA%2C+United+States&fromCoord=37.8404487,-122.29181849999998&toCoord=37.7952485,-122.20266400000003

 
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