DELee

How about places in Chinatown?

David

boolean64

If you're asking about restaurants that are open (not asking about safety) plenty of places are doing takeout. Old Oakland is a much shorter walk than uptown or jack london square. There is a new pizza place called square pie guys. I think some restaurants in swan market are open, although the awesome mexican place just closed. I believe delage, a japanese place is at minimum doing takeout and may be open. A few others right around there. That area would keep me occupied for a few days.

DELee

I was asking if the restaurants in Chinatown and I guess Old Oakland as well are open at night given Kacee 's comment that "there's not much open at night in the immediate area" and Chinatown's (and Old Oakland's) just a block or two away from this hotel.

David

Kacee

Until very recently, literally everything's been takeout only, with indoor dining at 25% only allowed as of March 9. I haven't followed specific restaurant reopenings, as I'm spending most of my time in Scottsdale :-)

Downtown Oakland (like SF) has been awfully hard hit by it all. You'll still see lots of boarded storefronts from the violence in May/June.

You stay here because you need to be in the area. It's a fine property for that. Anything approaching a vibrant nightlife is still quite a ways off.

Eastbay1K

The convention center is now serving as a vaccine site for Kaiser Permanente.

I will be down there this weekend. If I find anything material to report, I'll let you know. I have noted that generally, even though indoor dining is permitted at 25%, many places haven't yet bothered at that rate, and remain outdoor or take out only.

At night, if you're "street smart" and look like you know where you're going, you should be fine. Old Oakland is almost out the back door of the hotel and hopefully has a handful of places open. Posting this is making me crave a Luka's burger and fries (about 10 blocks north up Broadway).- they've had outdoor patio service for a while, no idea if there's an indoor seat yet.

I'll also note that a lot of buildings remain boarded up with graffiti-type artwork, some of which is excellent and will hopefully find its way into the Oakland Museum at some point.

GateGuardian

I'm there Saturday, so will also update on the current situation of the hotel based of the info I'm getting on this thread.

Follow up question. I have a meeting by the harborfront in the morning and I plan on walking down instead of driving. I read there's a homeless encampment, so anyone know where it is so I can be aware of it and walk on the other side of the street (if required).

ryw

It's been a while since I've been down there (pre-pandemic), but there used to be some curbside encampments under parts of the 880 freeway underpass. I'd probably stick to walking on Broadway to go under the freeway, it's a major thoroughfare and you should be fine walking with purpose in the daytime (though perhaps someone who's been down there more recently will have some additional advice).

Eastbay1K

The issue is waking through the 880 underpass. During the day, the only really offensive thing is the odor of dried yellow liquids. It is right by the OPD HQ and while annoying isn't particularly dangerous. I've done that walk plenty of times. Just walk down Broadway to Jack London Sq. Great wine store on 3rd just east of Broadway (Mínimo) and a nifty Cider place on Broadway just below 3rd.

GateGuardian

I did end up staying at the Marriott for the week during the last week of March. The smell walking underneath the bridge was not an issue as I had my mask on. I would not have felt 100% comfortable walking down to the square at night if I was by myself. The hotel was primarily occupied by the national guard and health care workers working at the vaccine site at the convention center, so no upgrades avaialble. The rooms are pretty nice. I like all the wood paneling design they have and the corner room is pretty spacious.

In terms of food, the restaurant is open for takeout for breakfast and dinner. Nothing spectacular. I walked down to the Jack London Sq a few times for dinner at Scotts and Farmhouse. I highly recommend making reservations in advance because they fill up really fast and was turning away people. If you like drinks, Oakland District down the street is pretty good. They have outdoor seating, but it doesn't show on google info and they were turning people away without reservations.

Also, valet still not available. Parking is at the convention center. $40/night, $45/night if you need in and out privileges. There is a Hertz onsite and BART station close by if you don't need a car every day.

bennos

My recollection is that this hotel has very few suites (just a small number of hospitality suites on the upper floors). Judging by your photo, you got "upgraded" to the nicest of the odd-shaped end rooms that they typically put higher level elites in. The other "upgrade" used to be to a room on the lounge floor (IIRC 19F before it became an M Lounge downstairs), which was an upgrade of convenience, especially before they finished the elevator modernization.

GateGuardian

Here's the other "corner" room, which is significantly smaller.

Kacee

And whatever you do, don't park on the street except very briefly, and don't ever leave anything of value in your car anywhere in Oakland. For day parking, the City Center lot across the street is available at a huge discount through Spot Hero.

That looks inferior to the regular rooms.

ny747

Had a quick overnight stay two weeks ago with the family. No upgrade available so was in a basic two double room. Grabbed takeout from Farmhouse Thai which we ate in the restaurant on second floor. Got two passes for the restaurant for breakfast which came in handy as the kids woke up starving. Service was excellent -- they kept pushing us to order more food .

wcj1

Stayed here for a single night on September 1 as I had a free night expiring soon and I wanted to see a performance in SF that evening. I have stayed a couple of times before at the Courtyard, but not the Marriott.

It definitely seems quieter in Oakland than I remember (this was a Wed arrival and Thu departure). The app showed me in bay room that was a corner like in #39 above (I'm Platinum now) and my 4p checkout was confirmed in the app before I arrived (I don't remember it doing that before, but it has been quite awhile since I asked for one). I was expecting to be told the lounge was closed and that I could take breakfast in the restaurant, but the lounge is open daily now; I was told it would be continental breakfast until 9a and snacks/drinks until 9p. I was then offered points or a $10 F&B credit. I took the credit and was told it could be used in the restaurant.

I was hoping to use the credit in the market, so I wondered if I made the wrong choice, but I timed my food wrong that day and ended up using it on a $17 Turkey BLAT that came with shoestring fries and a pickle spear. I ate half before my show and half after I got back, and it was all still very good after sitting in the in-room fridge for 3 hours, even the shoestring fries, which I usually don't like, especially if they aren't hot. (And on arrival, I picked up a half pork adobo sandwich / tomato & mozzarella salad from Cafe Gabriela across the street (only open for weekday lunch currently) and that was very, very good.)

Breakfast in the morning was a bit better than continental with: 2 kinds of breakfast scramble bowls (one w/meat, one w/o), small fruit danishes and muffins, cups of cut fruit, those jimmy dean breakfast sandwiches, and other things that I cannot remember (I am pretty sure there was some cereal/oatmeal, but I forget exactly what.). Nice attendant. After 9am are the snacks/drinks that are mostly available during breakfast too: bottled water, pepsi, diet pepsi, zero sugar sierra mist, root beer, orange juice, apple juice, milk (2%, 1%, skim), yogurt, whole fruit, coffee/tea stations, and chips/smartfood popcorn/fritos (not out at breakfast).

I'm now in my 3rd hotel in 3 nights now, so I definitely feel like I've forgotten something else, but that Marriott turned out better overall than expected. Mind you, I don't mind staying in Oakland and the hotel is literally across the street from the BART entrance, as others have mentioned. I ended up taking the BART elevator into the station on departure, since my bag was heavy and I got a blister on my foot; I found the elevator to be in good condition. (There have definitely been times when I wanted to take the elevator at various BART Market St stations and didn't get in once the door opened.)

fmkgb

Hi, Any recent travel reports?. M Lounge still open?

Which BART station is across the street?

Is it safe for a female to walk around the area at night?

Thanks in advance.