Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt BART

Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt BART descritpion

Located a 4-minute walk from Lake Merritt BART Station, this motel is an easy BART ride from Oakland to San Francisco. It has rooms with free Wi-Fi and cable TV and provides free on-site guest parking.
A DVD player and a desk with a sitting area are featured in all of the simply furnished guest rooms at Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt BART. For convenience, each air-conditioned room includes a microwave, a refrigerator and a coffee maker.
Oakland International Airport is 9 miles from this motel. Oakland’s Chinatown is a 7-minute walk away. Featuring sports and entertainment events, Oracle Arena is 6 miles from Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt BART.

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Facilities of Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt BART

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available on site (reservation is needed).

General ：Non-smoking Rooms | Family Rooms | Heating | Air Conditioning | Designated Smoking Area

Reviews for Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt BART

Review 1：Large highway close by, so hear hum.

Review 2：Clean, comfortable enough. 5 min walk to BART, Neighborhood seems safe. Can't beat price for SF area. WIFI fast.

Review 3：No hot water, no shade on bathroom window. Anyone from outside or highway could look inside. The room smelled like piss or a dirty mop. There was a washcloth behind the trash can from the previous person. Which means the bathroom was not cleaned.This is more like a transient type of motel. People that get vouchers (homeless) and for "short stays"..if you know what I mean. This was an emergency stay because my cousin decided to tell me she was going to be in Petaluma at the last minute. I was here from PA to empty my storage unit. If I had more time I would have definitely would have stayed elsewhere!

Review 4：Front desk was very nice and suggested places for me to eat

Review 5：Staff was completely rude . Had issues with reservations from theBEGINinG and they made it almost impossible to make it happen. When Iarrived they lied and downgraded my room I will never stay here again!The non smoking room smelled like old ciggeretes nd had burn markseverywhere the shower was gross and small. I Do not suggest for anyone !

Review 6：Room smelt damp, bathroom opened onto a Jacuzzi room with no walls, bare wood and inner workings of room exposed. Boxes of toilets rolls and tables and chairs (used as a storage room). Noisy motorway and noisy AC. Walls paper thin could hear the occupant next door in the shower every half hour, cars pulling up and knock at her door coincided. I scratched through the night and woke with one bite on my ankle.

Review 7：Location was ok on the edge of Chinatown and 10 minutes walk into Oakland so was ideal.

Review 8：No close food, but, with a fridge, microwave and a little planning we did not starve.

Review 9：We had a pleasant experience. Previous reviews of bugs and noise, have either been addressed or were overstated. I have 20 years of pest control experience and found NO evidence of any infestation. Staff was friendly, polite and non intrusive. The location is wonderful, a 3 minute walk and you're at the BART station. 7 minutes on a train. And you're downtown or at the stadium. We stayed for 3 nights and didn't move the car.

Review 10：The area is a bit scary arround. The reception is always locked and you get the felling that your talking with someone in a jail

Review 11：Is very near the Bart station

Review 12：Quite a few homeless people living next door and across the road. Not a neighborhood to walk around at night.

Review 13：Clean and modern room (electricity and wifi). A clean bathroom and plenty of hot water. All appliances worked. Door locks use keycards, more secure than metal keys. Rooms are quiet, street noise is not audible. One mile from Old Oakland.

Review 14：Parking was a little tight but staff was very willing to accommodate and make room for my rental car (mid-sized).

Review 15：Great central location for my business travel and competitively priced - adequate amenities, a little dated decor but quaint. Quiet, clean and safe for a solo female traveler - I would not hesitate to recommend.

Review 16：The bathroom in my room was not cleaned well. The floor and tile grouting in the tub were dirty. I also fixed the sink faucet handle myself--it was really loose and just drove me crazy. The biggest thing for me, though, was that parking is a real issue at this hotel. I wanted to use my car, but didn't because I knew I would lose the great space I had.

Review 17：The location is the drawing card here--proximity to the Lake Merritt BART is excellent. My room also had a microwave, a refrigerator and a flat screen tv. I stayed 5 nights. Without a doubt, I would have paid a lot more if I'd stayed in San Francisco. Overall, good value for the money.

Review 18：Great location that is close to a lot of the bay area and plenty of things to do nearby. Also a very great value and would definitely recommend this motel to friends.

Review 19：We were not familqiar with Oakland at all. Many hotels were booked and we were looking for something decent but as inexpensive as possible for 1 night. It was around 9pm when we pulled up. It didn't seem like the greatest area or motel at first and to be honest we were a little nervous. It turned out to be totally fine and the 2 guys in the office were really nice and helpful.

Review 20：Bugs. I've stayed there 4 times. This was first time there was a problem. Unfortunately, this brings all those good things down.

Review 21：Value, location, parking, microwave, refrigerator

Review 22：Roaches despite being super clean :-( noisy from freeway, limited parking spaces

Review 23：Location, free parking, clean, friendly staff, fridge, microwave, good size room.

Review 24：Clean with fundamental needs. Otherwise you're on your own in a rough neighborhood and the staff does nothing but collect the money from behind bullet proof glass.

Review 25：I didnt like the noise from the laundry room next door to my room late at night. I also came across a cockroach in my bathroom. The bed sheets were also worn out and there was no fitted sheet on the bed.

Review 26：When I walked in the room I was very impressed it was clean and nice. :)

Review 27：Unclean room (lighter and condom pack on floor under bed) and manageronly gave me $10 off the next night. I was in room 102 this past week.

Review 28：Price, free & secure parking

Review 29：The parking is terrible but I found a good spot.

Review 30：It was perfect because they had a nice large flat screen tv and they we're located next to the flea market.

Review 31：Little privacy, thin doors, much noise. And people who make the rooms won't let you sleep too long.

Review 32：Position because you can take the BART and quickly be in the centre of San Francisco.but not in the night. I had an car too and the parking is included. Quite place Oakland, a bit cheaper and no that crazy street traffic you find all the time in San Francisco.

Review 33：bed is directly under short curtains that don't block sunlight. Sunlight directly on pillows in the morning. Window is right beside a security lamp outside so it shins on your face at night too. Shower hot and cold are reversed. Coffee pot tank was coated in old coffee. Toilet paper holder was glued in place and fell out when paper was pulled. It was fixed same day though.

Review 34：Friendly staff TV was a nice model

Review 35：Twice I woke up in the middle of the night feeling really itchy. Eventually I started wondering if there might be bedbugs.

Review 36：The property has changed hands and the room has been upgraded with more electrical outlets.

Review 37：No hairdryer, iron, or ironing board in the room. Area around hotel a bit rough...but hotel itself seemed safe.

Review 38：Location Location Location! Right off the 580 Freeway about a 5 minute drive to the Bay Bridge...if you wanna do San Francisco but don't wanna spend an outrageous amount on lodging stay in Oakland and go over the bridge. Or you can take the BART, which is 5 minute walk from Civic Center Lodge.

Review 39：There is no food in the area after 8p.m.

Review 40：The staff and location, the easy accessibility to BART, the new upgrades and the Oakland airport and the super friendly staff

Review 41：Nothing.

Review 42：Everything was perfect. The room was remodeled, clean, well-maintained and the location was close to BART for traveling. The staff was friendly and the room was cleaned & sanitized daily.

Review 43：Parking was small. Room was not clean. There was dust over the bed head frame. Fridge was not clean.

Review 44：For the price the value of this room is more than adequate. Spacious and the fridge was nice. Friendly staff.

Review 45：can not complain about nothing

Review 46：always stay here when going to bay area. close to jack london and bart. rooms are nice. people nice. easy walking around. clean rooms everyday

Review 47：The only bad thing I would say is that the walls are thin. We heard noises coming through the walls throughout the night (especially from upstairs). Right next to highway, traffic noise.

Review 48：The room was clean. The bed sheets smell clean, too. It had a microwave, a fridge, a coffee maker, a hair dryer, and a flat screen TV (I've stayed in places that still have analog TVs). All that for a good price. It's one block from the BART to take you into San Francisco. And it's 3 blocks from Oakland Chinatown. Right next to highway makes travel to Santa Rosa or San Jose easier.

Review 49：No breakfast or restaurant nearby was a very small minus. Being adjacent to a freeway did not create any discomfort.

Review 50：Room was 'dated' but recently renovated, comfortable and very clean. Staff was most accommodating. Having a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker in the room made the stay much nicer. For the Bay Area, a very good value. Thanks!

Review 51：The internet stopped working late in the evening of the first night of a two day stay. The staff blamed it on Comcast, but it never started up again and even Comcast is not that slow in fixing things.

Review 52：The rooms have been renovated with new furniture, carpet, fridge, flat screen TV, and improved bathrooms. The lighting and electrical outlets in the room were also new and much more convenient.

Review 53：Bad wifi. Too close to freeway, so noisy all the time from traffic.

Review 54：Very goood location from Bart transport system to surrounding area's. Car hire is a must to visit Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge.

Review 55：Though they have double paned windows, noise rom the adjacent freeway could be an issue for a light sleeper.

Review 56：Easy walk to BART station which is only 3 stops to San Francisco. Newly remodeled. Free, convenient, parking. Right off freeway.

Review 57：they messed up our booking and gave us a room with one bed for 3 people. Because everything was fully booked we could not get another room or an extra mattress. Staff was friendly and try to make the best of it with extra water and blankets and we did get $10 refund. The room also smelled like cigarettes.

Review 58：rooms are spacious, hotel is close to train and Bart station

Review 59：Our first room smelled bad after smoking. Were lucky enough to get exchange - this smelled badly after some air freshner but it was better than smoke smell. Room was in general dirty, stains on curtains and bed sheets etc. Area seemed to us terrible - full of homeless and begging people and slightly scary.

Review 60：We only booked this hotel as we were arriving late and wanted to be close to San Francisco in order to hit downtown early but not pay SF rates. From this point it was OK.

Review 61：Worn and grubby, though clean. Exterior is eye pleasing.

Review 62：Really good location, 3 blocks from BART, close to Lake Merritt, Downtown, Old Oakland, Jack London Square, Grand and Lakeshore. Water temp and pressure fine, coffee, microwave and fridge all functional.

Review 63：For us staying in Oakland was a good alternative to staying in SF as we flew into Oakland airport. Situated close to the Bart station and a 15 min walk to Oakland's downtown.

Review 64：No breakfast (juice, muffins), that I was aware of. Place is older n not sound proof, could hear people coming n going all hours of the night.

Review 65：The place was clean. No bugs at all.

Review 66：I was able to be myself with out any concern. The gentleman helped me out with milk from their home on my first morning. It felt like I was back in Fiji where we shared with family when in need.

Review 67：Everything was great!

Review 68：It was a great place to stay because it was close to San Francisco for a great value. I'm defidently staying here again! Is close to the Bart , it only took us 15 minutes to get to downtown SF. There was always things happening at night, on Friday night there was a get together area where all food truck gather & there was fun stuff to do. On Sunday morning , there was a flea market next to it. The staff always kept us inform of things going on in the area. If your in a budget this is a great place to stay.

Review 69：Wish they had elevators...but its all good.

Review 70：I enjoyed this motel.. It was very convenient.. Good price..any comments that say it was a horrible experience needs to look again..

Review 71：You can't use more than one appliances the TV was on needed to warm the food the power with out in the room so I turn off the TV the lodge need a license contractor to upgrade the electrical

Review 72：The location, the colors in the room out the way a good area

Review 73：Not enough channels to choose from, that's really it.

Review 74：Very nice location next to Lake Merritt Bart and buses, close to downtown, a little noisy from freeway. Friendly staff, good enough rooms for the price, clean not too old looking.

Review 75：I am not a picky person. I'm very laid back. I stayed here for one night and kept waking up because I was being attacked. I know what bed bugs are like because I've unfortunately experienced them in the past. If you carry them with you they're impossible to get rid of. Totally not worth the cheap rate.

Review 76：Although "no creditcard needed" for reservation, they cancled my booking as creditcard was refused....?????? it was midnight and I was out of a room in already overbooked Oakland, My creditcard was fine.....

Review 77：I asked for a smoke free room, and i didn't get it. The room smelled horrible and was stuffy. After I took a shower, I grabbed a towel thinking my friend can just jump in next. They are not those kinds of towels that hide anything. So I grab another and see a black bug with a red outline crawling in it! I dump everything in the sink on instinct, and we aptly leave. The next day, I had an allergic skin reaction that my doctor related as close enough to hives, and I stilk have scarring from it. Never again will I ever use this place.

Review 78：It is close to bart, and close enough to a bus depot.

Review 79：This place is infested with bugs and ticks. My pillow was full of ticks. Just a disgusting place to stay. I reserved two nights but only stayed one night after waking up to bug bites.

Review 80：A bit over priced for the age and suburb that it is located. I understand san fran is expensive, but next to a fwy in oakland shouldn't be

Review 81：Very easy walk to the BART metro station, wich made it easy to get into San Francisco city. Had all the expected things like fridge coffee machine and microwave.

Review 82：The neighborhood this motel is located in and the other patrons were so scary that I wound up not even staying at Civic Center Lodge, and stayed at a chain hotel near the Oakland Airport. I feared for my personal safety and the security of my property.

Review 83：Extremely Dirty room rodent dropping, bugs dirty sheets carpet turned my feet black from walking on them. AC did not work properly. Bed bugs!!! Staff was not willing to do anything. They would not even give me new sheets or remove the dirty clothing behind the dresser left from previous guest.

Review 84：Internet is ok location was ok

Review 85：BED BUGS. We got eaten alive. And there was nothing in the surrounding areas, no places to eat or anywhere to go. Just a lot of Asian markets and about a 20 min walk to Jack London Square. Also, mini fridge didn't work and tv sound was broken so there wasn't anything to do inside the apt. We paid for two nights and only ended up staying for one bc it was so bad.

Review 86：Close to BART

Review 87：Cramped room.Creepy space behind bathroom window.air vrnt atop of door let noise in.

Review 88：Fridge worked very well.Close to all bay area locations.Cant beat the price

Review 89：sketchy part of town questionable ice machine - don't think it's producing sanitary ice room had fridge/microwave that were both not working outdated motel

Review 90：close to freeway and BART good low-cost alternative for a downtown commute

Review 91：Heavy noise from traffic even in the night. Headlights from arriving and parking car in the night woke me up.

Review 92：Layout, size and facilities of the room/ restroom. Proximity to Bart station.

Review 93：Carpet & chair replacement are probably in order.

Review 94：While carpeting and chair upholstery were both spotty, all other evidence suggested a well-kept [though modest] motel: a good mattress, a sparkly clean bathroom, and a sizable room made this stay far less depressing than typical for this end of the price spectrum. For a last-minute booking, not a bad deal at all.

Review 95：When first arrived, the power was out, so was not able to check in, so that kind of sucked. One lamp didn't work and there was no bottom fitted sheet, only two top sheets. There was no tub, just shower, but that's ok. My hotel key card somehow became de-magnetized so that was annoying.

Review 96：The rooms were cleaner than I expected. The location to the Lake Merritt BART is great. It cost me the same here for three nights as it would have for one night in a hotel in San Francisco. Wasn't expecting it to be lush. But it was live-able. The free parking in the lot is so great. If you don't mind riding the BART to get into the city then I'd definitely recommend those on a budget to stay here. Even the little fridge was helpful. I would definitely stay here again.

Review 97：*No early check in available *If you arrive earlier than your check in you can't leave your luggage there * you have to stay out of the lobby waiting, they dont allow people to be in the lobby *Manager is so rude *Doors in the room didnt close right *you can only pay cash

Review 98：*Clean *Close to the bart station

Review 99：8:30am no answer. 9:00am no answer. 9:30am answer. Told to come to front desk. 9:40am Arrival at office, locked, 5 minute wait for response to bell. Next day. 9:00am no answer...

Review 100：Fridge, Microwave in room, cozy, and off street parking.

Review 101：Easy to get to. Clean. Safe. The A/C blocked the fwy noise. Manager? Owner? Very nice. Super price. Nothing special or fancy but very adequate.

Review 102：Noise from the freeway and nearby Amtrak train tracks. No good food in close proximity.

Review 103：Location, price, staff was very nice, bed and linen were comfortable. Very clean bathroom. 2 blocks from the Lake Merritt Bart station.

Review 104：The fact that the motel was not enclosed made me rethink my decision to stay there alone. I should have researched a little more about the location, etc. I was a little nervous walking to/from the motel so I didn't go out at night.

Review 105：The bathroom was clean! The room was comfortable, but tight. I really appreciated the lady at the service desk. She was helpful and kind. The gardener was nice, too.

Review 106：Very loud renovations on the roof just above our heads early in themorning without any warning, compensation or apology. Quite cheap ontoileteries: one tiny shampoo pack for two guests and no new soap inthree nights. No room to keep any luggage for a few hours andwouldn't offer any help.

Review 107：Location near bart station. Relatively clean. Not too expensive.

Review 108：I killed several fleas on my bed. The mattress "boinged" and springs popped when you laid down. One sheet had holes. Rug was filthy, filthy. Curtains were torn. Pillows were hard rubber, felt like cardboard. Upon arrival, I found a candy bar wrapper lying by the bed with a FINGERNAIL underneath it. Signs posted said no visitors and no illegal activity. A man who appeared to be a groundskeeper/security person looked like an old pimp hanging around staring at everyone's comings and goings.

Review 109：Would have been nice if the bathroom door closed all the way. I think it's been painted so many times that both the door and the jamb are just too thick to close properly any more....

Review 110：You cannot beat the price, and I don't want to hear a bunch of whining about how this isn't a 4-star facility, because you knew that when you booked it. Walk across the street to the swap meet on Sunday--a very good experience! I was surprised to find a mini-fridge, microwave and coffee maker in a room at this price. Certainly nice to have free parking on-site.

Review 111：WiFi was unreliable. excellent when it worked but often impossible. the owners?/managers? blamed my devices , which picked the WiFi up beautifully when it was working. the day before I left i saw the techie and spoke to him. He claimed he had heard nothing of the problems although I had enquired about how to solve my access to WiFi problems from day 1. I could not imagine how those responsible could advertise WiFi, refuse to call for technical help in the face of dissatisfied customers for several days, blame high tech perfectly functioning tablet and phone, and refuse to engage further on the subject. I made my enquiries and subsequent reports politely. They never looked at me, always averted their eyes and insisted it was my fault. Not good enough.

Review 112：easy walk to my conference centre

Review 113：This is a motel. The status of the facility is fair, but not perfect. The location is quite close to the BART station, but walking at night around the area doesn't feel very safe.

Review 114：The hotel is just 2 blocks away from the BART station, it's only around 15mins ride to downtown San Francisco. SO it could be a cheap alternative for staying at San Francisco when the prices are too high, or not enough rooms in the area.

Review 115：The location

Review 116：The beds are super comfy

Review 117：The hot water in shower/tub was not hot enough & need shade/curtain on window in bathroom.

Review 118：The bed was comfortable & warm.

Review 119：Room was very cold.

Review 120：Near to BART station.

Review 121：That I paid for a King room but got the queen room I had prior.

Review 122：The quietness.

Review 123：Expectations were low. They were exceeded! The room was comfy, clean and I had no complaints. Also, it was a great price.

Review 124：Older facility.

Review 125：Good lower cost value for an overnight stay

Review 126：A comfortable no frills Motel. If you need a place to sleep it is very good for the money.

Review 127：close to BART

Review 128：Room was small, but can't really complain for the price.

Review 129：Close to Lake Merritt BART which is great for easy access to the city.

Review 130：Location

Review 131：Cheap

Review 132：Not much didnt I like.

Review 133：The comfort of the room.

Review 134：It was cold and the blankets were too skinny and the heater was too loud.

Review 135：Location. Room was Ok, clean.

The Fine Print

You must show a valid photo ID and a credit card upon check-in. Special requests cannot be guaranteed and are subject to availability upon check-in. Additional charges may apply.Please note: The hotel does not accept pre-paid credit cards. Cash payment only accepted at check-out.Parking needs to be reserved. If fully booked, guests must park on the street for an additional fee.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.