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Reviews of Sens Hotel & Vanne Bistro Berkeley

2.5 out of 5
Sens Hotel & Vanne Bistro Berkeley
1538 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA

Reviews

8.4

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 161 out of 346 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 115 out of 346 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 39 out of 346 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 18 out of 346 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 13 out of 346 reviews" "

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Markus

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 1 May 2024
Thank you for staying at the SeS!

10/10 Excellent

Paulina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Historical establishment
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 1 May 2024
Thank you for staying at the SeS!

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 22 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for staying at the Sens!We look forward to host you again.

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed my stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 15 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for staying at the Sens!We hope to meet you on your next vist :)

10/10 Excellent

Rita

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 15 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for staying at the Sens!We hope to see you on your next visit to Berkeley!

10/10 Excellent

Melissa

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful staff in the hotel and cafe! Enjoyed our two-night stay to visit UC Berkeley.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 15 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for staying at the Sens!It was a delight to have you! We'll see you next time.

8/10 Good

Sam

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The room is clean and the service is good.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 15 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for staying at the Sens!It was great hosting your stay!

10/10 Excellent

Gloria Stella, San Francisco

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Front Desk on 15 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for staying at the Sens!We hope to see you on your next visit!

10/10 Excellent

Joel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
Response from Front Desk on 31 Mar 2024
Thankj you so much for staying at the Ses!We look forward to your next stay.

10/10 Excellent

Gisela

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I love this quaint hotel in the middle of Berkeley's Gourmet District.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023
Response from Front Desk on 22 Nov 2023
It's always a pleasure to host you and your husband.We'll see you next time!

8/10 Good

Fred

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023
Response from Front Desk on 22 Nov 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

6/10 Okay

Toni

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Front Desk on 22 Nov 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

George

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A small hotel that surprises you. There is a bakery in the front and the hotel in the back of the building. The rooms are small but well kept up. The staff were very nice and you wake up and get free coffee. It is a very good value.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Kimberly on 30 Oct 2023
We are certainly very happy you enjoyed your stay. It was a joy to serve you.Front desk

10/10 Excellent

lei

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Its pretty close to Berkeley campus, and located at safe neighborhood. Room is clean and cozy, good for a short stay at Berkeley.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Kimberly on 29 Oct 2023
I'm very sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy your stay. We would like to thank you for coming. It was a pleasure to serve you.Kimberly Front Desk

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Front Desk on 3 Oct 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

Christina

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Front Desk on 1 Oct 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!We look forward serving you again!

8/10 Good

Mark

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Front Desk on 12 Oct 2023
Thank you so much for staying at the SenS!We look forwards hosting your next trip to Berkeley!

8/10 Good

Clint

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Kimberly on 14 Sept 2023
Thank you for choosing Sens.

10/10 Excellent

Karan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean, quiet, convenient
Sweet hotel with a coffee shop downstairs, a grocery store next door, restaurants all around and parking adjacent. Our stay was only one night to attend a football game at Berkeley. The staff was friendly and the whole place was very quiet. I would stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Front Desk on 11 Sept 2023
Thank you so much for staying at the SenS! We look forward to see you next time!

10/10 Excellent

Amy, North Bend

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel is perfectly located close to an excellent bakery, wonderful restaurants and wonderful coffee in hotel itself
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Front Desk on 9 Sept 2023
Thank you so much for staying with us! It was such a pleasure to see you visit Berkeley after a very long time. We hope to see you again and sooner this time. We look forward to that day! :)

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay!
Stayed with friends - went to a show at the Greek. Adorable. Friendly staff. Quirky building - but it made it part of the uniqueness of the hotel. Enjoyed waking and hanging out in the coffee shop and then walking to shop the next day. Truly enjoyed this place and will definitely be back! Thanks for all the tiny details in the rooms - bathroom items, coffee in the room, the decor - and the flashlight in the closet made me smile 😉
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Front Desk on 9 Sept 2023
Thank you so much for staying with us! We look forward to host your next stay.

2/10 Terrible

Sharon

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
***WARNING*** Moldy, mildewy, disgusting
First off, do yourself a huge favor. Do NOT stay here! Upon arrival we found ourselves in an extremely small room. That would have been OK, but when I opened the door to the bathroom I was hit with a disgusting moldy, mildewy smell (this was with the windows open when we arrived). When I discussed the issue with the desk clerk, she came to the room and smelled it for herself. She then offered us Lysol (really?) or a downgrade to a queen bed room, though we booked a king. Although they had vacant rooms with king-sized beds, they wanted to upcharge us for one, which I thought was completely absurd. We have stayed in many hotels, and this one is uniquely bad. It actually doesn't have any "office" per se as the front of the building is a bakery, and the rooms (which my husband referred to as cells) were behind the bakery. The desk clerk leaves at ll:00 pm, so I'm not sure how a guest would get in after hours as the entrance is locked. Beside my husband also referring to this place as a "skid row motel" rather than a hotel, he thought we would have probably been better off sleeping in our car (we are 70, by the way). Do yourself a favor and don't waste your money here. Consider yourself warned. (Photos below - notice that view!)
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carolina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Hdbd
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Front Desk on 31 Aug 2023
Thank you for staying at the sens!

6/10 Okay

Thomas

Business traveller
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The room was mildew(ish) smell, should have been aired out. The entry was awkward with little signage or direction how to get in after hours. There was attentive staff to open the door. No proper hotel lobby.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Front Desk on 31 Aug 2023
Thank you for staying at the Sens!We'll make sure to address your concerns.

10/10 Excellent

Alan

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Set in a buzzy area, with lots going on, the hotel itself was comfortable and human-scale. The staff seemed very helpful, and the room was comfortable
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Nathalie on 27 Aug 2023
Thank you for staying with us! We look forward to your next stay.

10/10 Excellent

Shanna

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Front Desk on 12 Sept 2023
Thank You for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

ping

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Front Desk on 19 Aug 2023
Thank you for staying at the Sens!

10/10 Excellent

Patti

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff (Beatrice especially) was very helpful and welcoming.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Front Desk on 17 Aug 2023
Thank you for staying at the Sens!

10/10 Excellent

karen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Delightful
We were delighted. A bit funky, very practical, clean, fun neighborhood, $8 parking next door, cafe downstairs. Loved the end room overlooking the street.... fun to have cafe and street bustle... felt very European. Had everything we needed.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Front Desk on 10 Aug 2023
Thank you so much for staying at The Sens! We truly enjoyed hosting you stay.

10/10 Excellent

Irma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good stay.
Stayed here as I was going to a show at the Greek theater. The hotel is 20 mins walking distance. Felt safe going to and from. Everything was clean and my room was big but faced the street. I felt safe. Good neighborhood. Will stay here and again. There is a small parking lot next door but you have to pay but it is not bad for the small fee.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023
Response from Kimberly on 13 Jun 2023
We love when our guests are happy. Its always a pleasure to serve you. Looking forward to your next visit.

10/10 Excellent

Kathy

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from Kimberly on 1 Jul 2023
Thanks so much, that's what we strive for. Happy guests, makes us happy

10/10 Excellent

Kay

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Response from Front Desk on 26 Jun 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

8/10 Good

Bethany

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Can’t beat the location. Right in the Gourmet Ghetto. It is rather a hands off operation. Very small staff, some barely acknowledge your presence. The rooms are clean and comfortable but there are no common spaces
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023
Response from Front Desk on 2 Jun 2023
Thank you for staying at the Sens!

10/10 Excellent

Eloisa

Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from Kimberly on 6 Jun 2023
thank you for the review, We enjoyed having you.

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent place to stay for a few days when visiting Berkeley CA. The hotel is conveniently located and is close to many dining and shopping options.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from Nathalie on 9 May 2023
Thank you for Staying at the SenS! It was a pleasure to have you as our guest and we look forward to your next visit.

4/10 Poor

lana, Mesa

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
The property is in an excellent location and the cafe at the entrance was awesome. I would like to say I would stay here again but unfortunately not. Below is a list of reasons why: 1. Dirty!- there were rings from cups on the bedside table which obviously were not wiped down. I had to clean them 2. There was mold in the corners of the shower and including the shower mat hanging over the shower chair. Kind of disgusting to see when you are trying to get clean. 3. The bench at the bottom of the bed had a broken leg so when my husband put his LIGHT suitcase on it, the chair fell over. 4. The floor seemed to be not very clean especially the carpet. With Covid in our rearview mirror and paying almost $500 for two nights (doesn't include parking) this place should be way more clean and up to par. The stay was uncomfortable knowing it wasn't clean. Additionally the room is very small and was an inconvenience with luggage. Very unhappy customer.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Response from Nathalie on 4 May 2023
I apologize you felt this way and unsatisfied. We hope to be able to make it up to you in the future if you'll give us another chance. We'll make sure to address the issues you have mentioned.

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne, Stuart

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly, personable check in staff and very nice room. Includes a little outdoor patio, refrigerator, microwave and morning coffee at the cafe. Conveniently located next to a grocery store, close to campus and Bart.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from Nathalie on 4 May 2023
Thank you so much for staying with us! We look forward to your next stay.

10/10 Excellent

Katie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Response from Kimberly on 18 May 2023
Thank you so much for your review, We also had a great pleasure in serving. Hope to see you soon.Front Desk Kimberly

10/10 Excellent

Susan, Shoreline

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was charming and easy to access. Personnel were very helpful.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Response from Front Desk on 10 Apr 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

Mario

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect location. Very nice.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Response from Front Desk on 10 Apr 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

IVETTE

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Clean and conveniently located
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from KIMBERLY on 12 Mar 2023
THANK YOU SO MUCH

10/10 Excellent

Alexanderia

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from Front Desk on 7 Mar 2023
Thank you so much for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

IRENE, West Covina

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property is conveniently located near shops, restaurants. Safe area and friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from Kimberly on 5 Mar 2023
thank you so much for staying with us

8/10 Good

MARTHA, Santa Monica

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
We liked our room, we appreciated the coupons for coffee from the cafe downstairs. We love the cafe downstairs, it's great to be able to buy pastries and coffee and to sit inside. The hallways of the hotel are old and dirty, need updating. Very helpful to have parking, but a little confusing about what time of day it expires and when to buy the pass for the next day.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Response from Front Desk on 13 Feb 2023
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

10/10 Excellent

David

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
Response from Front Desk on 27 Jan 2023
Thank you for staying at the Sens

10/10 Excellent

Julie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Response from Front Desk on 16 Jan 2023
Thank You for Staying at the Sens!

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice Cafe and bakery in hotel. Friendly staff. Room comfortable, but alittle small.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2022
Response from Front Desk on 1 Dec 2022
Thank You for Staying at the Sens!

10/10 Excellent

Armando

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a unique place first impression looks like a coffee shop no lobby but doesn't matter is a nice place to be, the heater didn't work but not s big deal for me.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
Response from Front Desk on 17 Nov 2022
Thank you for staying at the SenS!

8/10 Good

Stuart

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location, staff. Rooms are nicely renovated, but building is quite old, and can be loud.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
Response from Front Desk on 14 Nov 2022
Thank you for staying with us

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean, charming, great location!
Clean, cute and friendly! And the most amazing coffee shop in the lobby. Next door to a fantastic market, walking distance to everything and affordable. The room was spacious and clean. We got there a little early for check in so we worked in the coffee shop and loved hearing old Cal professors debating things like nuclear physics :). Just an awesome Berkeley spot that we will be back to!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022
Response from Nathalie on 31 Oct 2022
Thank you for staying with us. We enjoyed hosting your family! We will see you next time :)