When we returned back to San Ramon for our farewell party, we needed a place to stay. High on our list of requirements was location, a room with lots of space, and a fair room rate. I went online and found that The Residence Inn of San Ramonseemed the best pick for our requirements.
This hotel is located next to Market Place, a popular area strip mall. This Residence Inn looks like most other Residence Inns; they all have an apartment complex feel rather than a hotel feel.
We had booked a studio, and our rate was a great value at only $79. The room included a small kitchen, a small sitting area around a fireplace, a king-size bed, and a bathroom. The room was in good repair and clean. The size of the room certainly would feel spacious for a couple or even a couple with one child. However, with four of us, the studio was a bit tight. This was our fault and not the hotel's, as we booked it this way. However, for just $30 more, we could have had a one-bedroom unit, which would have given us the space we desired. In our studio, once the hideaway bed was pulled out and the extra rollaway set up, our poor studio turned into a sea of mattresses, where not one inch of open floor space was to be seen.
The hotel does offer a free breakfast each morning. It's served buffet style in the lobby and has fresh muffins, juice, waffles, cereals, and fruits. It offers enough to get your morning started. Our unit was about a half a block from the main lobby and breakfast area and was a nice walk each morning. Those not up for walking may want to request a room location that is closer.
The hotel offers a few extras, like free morning papers, an outdoor swimming pool, and outdoor barbeques. The hotel is right across the street from one of the best skateboard parks in the area.
The hotel adjoins a strip mall. This may seem rather uninteresting, but with a little exploring, you will find some of the best San Ramon restaurants just a few feet away. The Marketplace offers Hawaiian, Japanese, Mexican, Indian, and Chinese cuisines and pizza and a great microbrewery. They even have a deluxe supermarket if you want to keep a snack in your room fridge or pick up a roasted chicken.
Residence Inns are a very predictable product. They are always comfortable and roomy and offer all this at a fair price. They are great for an extended stay or for a family needing some extra space. We were happy with the San Ramon property and would not hesitate to rebook it in the future. Although on our next visit, we will upgrade to a one-bedroom unit for our family of four.