Four Points Pleasanton, CA [Master Thread]
 

I just concluded my second stay at this property yesterday and have been extremely pleased with both the accommodations and service level of the staff. Even though this hotel is only a Four Points, it really makes for a nice business trip stay. Here are some examples of what I've experienced in my two stays:

• Free good quality coffee in the lobby each morning.
• Free computer in the lobby attached to a printer. Good for quickly checking emails or for checking in for your flight.
• Room service quality that I would call very good to excellent on all accounts. I don't think I had to wait more than 25 minutes for any delivery and the food was always hot and fresh. The menu items ranged from smoked salmon (wonderful by the way) to chicken kabobs which are out of this world.
• The front desk staff was familiar with the area and was able to give good dinner recommendations on the fly.
• The hallways are quiet, quiet, quiet. I know all hotels should be this way and this should be expected but there is nothing more annoying than doors that constantly bang all night.
• Lots of TV stations, much more than the standard bunch at larger hotels.
• FREE high speed internet that really is high speed. Lots of times free high speed turns into a sluggish beast.
• Nice location next to several major freeways.
• Refridge in the room.
• Nice new Four Points Comfort bed.
• Heater that really heats nicely.
• General Manager who is genuinely appreciative of his staff and comments by guests.
• Crazy rates of $65 a night if booked in advance.

I'll be back in the area twice in the next month and look forward to staying at such a great hotel once again.

Mike

Unless you want to exercise...
 

The gym at this 4Pts is one of the worst I've seen in a long, long time. When I've stayed at this location, I typically end-up going over to the Hilton at the Club for a decent work-out.

Quiet hallways NOT - at 2 am drunk young people talking loudly and slamming doors, etc. (called front desk who offered to send security but they had left by that time) Asked and was told that there were a number of unescorted young people in 2 other buildings (but who had obviously not stayed in their own building).

Staff IS very nice but they have a "mandatory" $1.25 phone charge - just include it in the rate and very unwilling to make minor concessions even for a platinum (eg asked to stay until 5 instead of 4 - offered to do it for an additonal 50% of rate I had paid! - and no they weren't in need of the room)! I find it insulting, annoying and consumer unfriendly (and yes I have mentioned this multiple times - yes they will take it off if I insist but why should I have to?

My experiences there have varied widely dependly on the kind of guest, special events (they have a nice setting for weddings), etc. The price is good but not out of line for that area. The hotel is old, spread out and has no elevators (all the buildings are 2 stories). It is scenic and has a lot of charm.
Not good follow up to a minor complaint I had - commented prev. on another thread.

Just my opinion

I spend about 15 nights a year here. I wholeheartedy agree with the comment about the gym. The hotel does offer a discount at a very-nearby gym ($6.00), but this gym is itself second-rate.

I've had some terribly incompetent front desk staff (...like the woman who couldn't insert the room key properly into the machine - upside down and backwards for her) and the person who gave me worthless directions. But this can happen anywhere.

Rates are indeed good. Location is fine. The property is nice and the rooms acceptable.

I have stayed here several times in the last two years as well. I wanted to chip in that the landscaping is the finest I have seen at any 4P location and many other *wood locations.

Regarding the gym and the competence of the staff, I think one is lulled into expecting a "more than 4P" experience because of the higher level of quality restaurant, rooms, pool, landscaping, etc., than one normally finds at a 4P.

They also have an oversized, nicely decorated room. Doesn't look like a 4 points to me. :D

Nize size pool too.

Thanks for the review on this hotel. I just recently started staying at *W properties, so I am getting used to the brands and where the hotels are located. I am happy that there is a property in Pleasanton; I should get a chance to use it in the next month or two.

Gym has been significantly upgraded. Two, new Life Fitness ellipticals, two new t-mills, and one bike.

$60/nt. on weekends are going to make this a perfect MR location at a great deal. Double points in Jan-Feb will get me over the top for Plat.

Jim

Is this the master thread?
 

there doesn't seem to be a master thread for this property -- this being the closest thing.

Any other updates at this hotel? I need to be at a wedding in Pleasanton in a few weeks and the Sheraton is sold out.

Gym still good?
Fridges still in rooms?
decent hotel overall?

any observations would help. Otherwise, I may stay in Newark, the South bay area, or on the Peninsula.

I don't know if I've ever stayed there long enough to know :D, although I've checked in there a few times.

I do not concur...
 

I'm sorry, I stayed at this property for a few nights and just didn't enjoy it as much as the OP. I even got the corner suite for SPG members -- at least I got all the bathroom amenyties and free water. The room is pretty big and it comes with a microwave and fridge.

However, the walls are THIN and the noise leaks through the walls like water through a strainer. The beds actually gave me back problems and I woke up every morning with aches (the beds had little support and sunk in). I'm not saying Four Points is the worst, however, don't expect anything near a Cat-4 Sheraton (or a cat-3 Sheraton, for that matter).

Kel

Is this hotel....gone?!

I don't see it on the SPG website.

I had really grown to like this place. The Sheraton in Pleasanton is a no-way hotel for me. So if the Four Points is gone, I'm really going to miss it.

Still seems there to me:

https://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourp...propertyID=712

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

What a relief to know that I'm only losing my mind, and that this delightful little hotel is still out there!

Thank you, Mr. Lurker!

Any updates on this hotel from anyone who's stayed there recently?

I'd also appreciate any recent updates. I may be traveling to this area for a few months coming up. I've booked the first couple weeks here. Pending the hotel quality and other logistics factors, I'll decide if I should stay here or try to switch to the actual Sheraton Pleasanton. However, the Sheraton rates are $20-$50 higher, so I might be stuck at FP.

Also I read in the Sheraton thread that they have the 500 points per night "Green Choice" program. That is huge for building up extra points. I fear that FP may not have this...

The grounds of the Four Points are much nicer and it is definitely quieter than the Sheraton. The rooms are a little tired. Not much has been done with the rooms in several years.

The Sheraton faces the freeway on one side and a mall parking lot on the other. The rooms are ok--nothing special--though the ones facing the freeway are noisy. The Sheraton has a lounge with a couple small items in the evening and breakfast in the morning.

I am not a fan of either property but they are good for cheap in and out stays if you need night/stay credits. The Four Points is a bit nicer given the grounds and the Faz Restaurant which can be quite good.

Thank you for the input. I called both hotels to get some more information, which I have listed below. On paper, the Sheraton sounds better than the FP Sheraton. I will evaluate both and then stick with the one I prefer. Things like which one has a more comfortable bed is one of the most important questions.

Sheraton:

• BART Access - Walking distance to West Dublin/Pleasanton stop.
• Shuttle hours – 7AM to 11AM and 3PM to 9PM. They said it could also be available in the gap from 11AM to 3PM sometimes.
• Check in amenity (points / breakfast) – $10 food/bev credit or 500 pts
• Continental breakfast? In Sheraton Lounge 6:00AM-8:30AM and dinner 5:30PM-7:30PM
• In-hotel bar / restaurant? Yes
• Walking distance food choices? PF Chang’s (open til 11PM), Cheesecake Factory, CA Pizza Kitchen, many others
• Green Choice Program? Yes. 500 pts/night. Let them know at front desk – they are not fully converted to the system yet, so you can’t just leave the card on the door yet.
• Newspaper? Yes. USA Today and WSJ.

Four Points Sheraton:

• BART Access - 2 miles to West Dublin/Pleasanton stop. Hotel shuttle available.
• Shuttle hours – Standard morning/evening. Has to be back on property by 9pm, so last pickup would be approximately 8:45PM.
• Check in amenity (points / breakfast) – 250 pts OR continental breakfast OR local amenity such as bottle of wine
• Continental breakfast? Yes - see check-in amenity above. I think platinums would get this regardless??
• In-hotel bar / restaurant? Yes
• Walking distance food choices? BBQ place, American place, Chili’s, maybe 15 total, and many others 5-10 min drive in the shuttle
• Green Choice Program? Yes. I asked if 250 points - she said she thought it was less than that but wasn't sure. My experience from other Four Points is 250 points/night.
• Newspaper? Yes. USA Today and local Pleasanton paper available. If you don't want USA Today, you get a $0.75/night credit on the bill.

I will report my experiences in the next week.

Staff at this property don't seem to know what the SPG Platinum benefits are. Was denied late check out. Only asked to check out at 1PM. Finally was told 2PM was latest possible which was beside the point as I only asked to check out between 1230 and 1PM. 4PM would not have been an option. At check in was also offered a parking lot view traditional room. Only after having gone back to the front desk, was reluctantly given a deluxe room. All room types including executive rooms were available last night and the room given was among the worst. Can't say that I have been too impressed by this visit.

Just completed a stay here -- they have just replaced all of the beds with the new Four Comforts whatever. Bedding remains the older style, though. Furnishings are getting tired. Wish the rooms were as nice as the landscaping.

On my last two stays, I've reserved a king bed, and received two queens. They offered to move me the next day, but I figured it was more hassle than it was worth. That said, they don't appear to do any pre-blocking of rooms for elites -- so if you have a late arrival from a transcon, good luck.

That said, rates are pretty good, and the AAA Breakfast rate is often available for even less.

Not a bad little hotel. I definitely prefer it to the Extended Stay here in Pleasanton (don't go there; it is the pit of hell.) There is a Marriott across the street, with roughly the same rates and amenities. I think the competition from the Marriott is cutting into their business, which is why they invested in those comfort beds, and some other upgrades.

Anything is an upgrade, however, compared to the Extended Stay. I wouldn't want my dog to go there.......

I am staying at 4 points this week. Will report the results, the rate was the same as Sheraton, but it's close to work. I also have an alternative of staying in SF (or pretty much any hotel I chose, the budget has plenty of travel money), however this one is the closest one.
I am so torn between convenience of being next to the client site and being in SF with good food,higher end hotels, etc.

Don't underestimate the drive from downtown SFO to Pleasanton. It can take a long time, and if you have meetings you obviously need to be very mindful of when you can be someplace.

I do understand the allure of staying at say, the St. Francis instead of Pleasanton though. I try to stay in SFO as much as I can but sadly business realities often get in the way of personal wants!

Ask to be put into building 6. 5 would be second choice. Large patio doors that open fully versus Sheraton's sealed windows. No parking lot view potential.

Skip the freeway. Take the BART.
 

This Four Points is only about a quarter mile from the BART station. The Four Points has a free shuttle that will take you to the BART station; you will be there in 5 minutes.

I always take the BART from here to the airport, or anyplace in the Bay Area where we need to go. I never get on the expressway in this town - never. Traffic in the freeways in this town is ridiculous- and mind you, I have lived in Houston and Dallas, so I know what I am talking about.

So if you stay here, take the BART, and go to wherever you need to go. The BART is cheap, reliable, and has a minimum number of drunks/lunatics.....

LEONIDES is right. My hotel rate limit is $100, so the Four Points is about the best I can hope for in terms of close-in Bay Area accomodations (or the nearby Sheraton, adjacent to BART). As a result, I stay there a lot and, for the most part I'm a happy guest.

Four Points Pleasanton - Restaurant closed
 

Platinum who was intending to use my welcome gift for free breakfast on a 3-night stay. At check in, I learned that there was no breakfast because the restaurant is under renovation.

If there was advance communication, I must have missed it. I was surprised that they didn’t at least provide a grab-and-go option in the foyer.

Should I have pushed at check-in for some other allowance or concession?

When asking for compensation, you should always have something in mind to purpose as a solution. See what the property offers for compensation (if anything), and then negotiate if needed.

With the restaurant closed, would you want to move to a different property? Do you want a nightly rate reduction? Do you want additional Marriott points as compensation? What is the primary inconvenience for you, additional cost incurred for breakfast and/or having to spend more time to get breakfast due to a lack of an on-premise option?

In any case, I think some compensation is appropriate due to the inconvenience and additional cost incurred for breakfast.

--Jon

Breakfast for you plus a guest for 3 days (assuming you had a second guest) is 6 breakfasts. The terms and conditions (https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi) say that if the property doesn't offer that as a welcome amenity choice, it is supposed to pay you $50 in compensation. That seems like a fair amount of compensation in my opinion, and I would have no problem simply insisting that they honor the $50, although if they wanted to provide a reasonable number of points (5000+ instead, I would certainly accept that). Typically properties use a favorable "exchange rate" when they give points away (something in the neighborhood of 0.6 cents per point), so I don't mind taking the points in lieu of cash.

Sometimes the guarantee seems like too much of a "gotcha" like when an agent at a regular "Marriott" simply forgets to offer the $10 coupon. I have a hard time saying "aha, give me the $100" in those circumstances. But in your case, $50 might not even be enough to buy 3 breakfasts, so I would have asked for it.

You could claim the elite benefits guarantee. $50 at FP.

Does the Elite Benefit guarantee $50 have to be claimed when I’m checking in, or just before checkout?

Guess I should go read the T&C.

Before you leave.