If you are not familiar with the Bay area, it is well worth your time to read through this mini-tutorial on accommodations. The best place to stay for the Summer Institute will really depend on how much you want to spend, the number of people with whom you are staying, and your degree of comfort with non-traditional accommodations and methods of transportation.
For many, the cheapest and most convenient option will be to embrace "the sharing economy," i.e. to use Airbnb to find accommodations and Uber (in combination with BART) to get from place to place. Airbnb can put you right in the heart of Berkeley at a reasonable rate. On the other hand, your experience will be a little more unpredictable than what you are likely to get from a typical hotel or motel, so Airbnb may not be right for you.
If you prefer going a more traditional route, staying at a hotel in Berkeley, or within walking distance of a BART station, is also a good option. You may not need to rent a car, because Mangalam is located within a block of the Downtown Berkeley BART station. The downside of a hotel is that the more affordable areas are further away from Berkeley (and away from San Francisco), so this will either add to your commute time or costs. You should also know that the hotels and motels in Berkeley itself tend to be scattered, and many are not conveniently located Downtown or on a BART line – if you plan to mostly walk, be sure to check distances before booking.
If you plan on renting a car (or extensively using Uber or Lyft), Emeryville is also a good neighborhood to find more familiar hotel chains at relatively reasonable rates, and is relatively close to Berkeley. On the downside, Emeryville is not near a BART station and not very walkable. It will take about 15 minutes to drive to downtown Berkeley from Emeryville. Parking is $18 for the whole day in the parking garage next door.
Below is a list of reputable hotels located in Berkeley and their price points, ordered by distance from Mangalam Center.
| Hotel Shattuck | Immediately next door | $230-$300 | http://www.hotelshattuckplaza.com/ |
| Bancroft Hotel | 20 min. walk (1 mile) | $170-$180 | http://bancrofthotel.com/ |
| Graduate Berkeley | 20 min. walk (1 mile) | $140-$200 | http://graduateberkeley.com/ |
| Rose Garden | 25 min. walk (1.2 miles) | $180-$250 | http://www.rosegardeninn.com/ |
| DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina |
10 min drive (3 miles) | $220 | http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/index.html |
Other Useful Links and Information:
Airbnb
SabbaticalHomes
Berkeley Faculty Club: Might still have rooms available, this fills quickly
Uber
Trip planning: the best way to plan a trip anywhere in the Bay area is 511.org
Library Gardens Parking Garage: 2020 Kittredge Street, $18.00 all day, $2.50/hour