San Francisco - Claremont Hotel Files for Bankruptcy

Story (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F02%2F01%2FBU9K1HHE PP.DTL)

Sad. I thought it was still owned by the City of Beserkly. I guess not.

Also sad to see the Grand Wailea on the list.

some rooms were still going for over $400. It used to be a favorite of film crews here but not at those inflated prices.

some rooms were still going for over $400. It used to be a favorite of film crews here but not at those inflated prices.

$400 a night is not all that much for something that bills itself as a luxury hotel. The problem is that the rooms look a lot like standard Marriott rooms, at least in the photos.

Sad. I thought it was still owned by the City of Beserkly. I guess not.


Um, nope. It is fun to think of what the place would be like if it were City-owned, though.

We're members of the Club at the Claremont. From what I can see, this really doesn't affect the operation of the hotel or club. It's just that the Morgan Stanley equity holders got wiped out and now the Paulson creditors own the property (and several others).

$400 a night is not all that much for something that bills itself as a luxury hotel. The problem is that the rooms look a lot like standard Marriott rooms, at least in the photos.

Squeakr calls it correctly. The Claremont is not a luxury hotel and hence likely can't get away with luxury hotel pricing. For starters, the physical plant (unless it's been entirely renovated since I was last there a year or two ago) just isn't up to today's luxury hotel standards.

Squeakr calls it correctly. The Claremont is not a luxury hotel and hence likely can't get away with luxury hotel pricing. For starters, the physical plant (unless it's been entirely renovated since I was last there a year or two ago) just isn't up to today's luxury hotel standards.

Meanwhile, it is part of a group of hotels that filed, because they were all over-leveraged, and doesn't reflect specifically about the Claremont's performance. In any event, despite the Claremont's less than five star (or four star) physical condition, there just aren't very many nicer hotel rooms in the area at any price.

In any event, despite the Claremont's less than five star (or four star) physical condition, there just aren't very many nicer hotel rooms in the area at any price.

I was just about to point that out. There are a few nice boutique hotels in the East Bay, but the Claremont is the only 4-star resort in the area. It's only a mile away from UC-Berkeley, so it's the obvious choice for those looking for high-end lodging in or near Berkeley or Oakland.

I've never stayed at the hotel, but the lobby is very nice and it has a great spa. The Club has particularly nice swim, tennis and gym facilities.

When I lived in the East Bay (Albany) in the late 1980s, I recall the Claremont being marketed as a major conference center. I never understood that - its location on Ashby Ave. seemed wrong for that kind of use.

$400 a night is not all that much for something that bills itself as a luxury hotel. The problem is that the rooms look a lot like standard Marriott rooms, at least in the photos.

For our one very disappointing stay at the Claremont, our room was more like Motel 6 than Marriott - smallest most poorly designed most poorly supplied hotel room I've stayed at in 10 years.

For our one very disappointing stay at the Claremont, our room was more like Motel 6 than Marriott - smallest most poorly designed most poorly supplied hotel room I've stayed at in 10 years.

I think this is a problem at a lot of historic hotels. Some rooms are just awful.

I think this is a problem at a lot of historic hotels. Some rooms are just awful.

I am escared of almost all hotels that are referred to as "venerable."