Best Western John Muir Inn - Martinez, California

Martina Kelly

I spent six weeks with a mandatory break of one day here at the Best Western.
The two rooms I had were smashing.
The staff in the hotel were marvellous.and very helpful.

Breakfast was very good, with a great selection of hot and cold foods, juices, cereals et al.
Favourite was scrambled eggs, lashings of bacon and potato fritters.
Staff at breakfast were really, really helpful and very kind indeed.

A receptionist called Cynthia was exceptionally helpful during this stressful time in my life.

Thank you to all the staff for making my stay an excellent one.

Martina Perry.

Chris

My wife and I stayed at the Best Western John Muir Hotel in Martinez for two nights, and while the staff was friendly and accommodating, our overall experience was disturbing and unsafe.

Pros:
- The hotel staff made an effort to create a welcoming environment with Valentine’s Day decorations and some updates, such as a recently painted stairwell.
- The room was clean, as were the public areas and breakfast area.
- Having a kitchen in the room was a nice feature, even though the layout was awkward (the kitchen was essentially inside the closet/bathroom area).
- Hotel is located directly across the street from a shopping center that includes a grocery store and several restaurants, so this is conveneint.

Cons / Serious Safety Concerns:
- Dangerous Entryway – My Wife Suffered a Concussion
On the night we arrived, it was raining, and there were multiple “Caution: Slippery When Wet” signs at the hotel’s entrance. As we returned from dinner, both my wife and I noted the signs, tried to be very careful, and slipped and fell on the wet entryway. My wife suffered a concussion, and I sprained my elbow. A kind guest helped us up, mentioning that he had also nearly fallen, which suggests this is a known hazard. We informed the front desk, but there was no follow-up from hotel staff during or after our stay.

Additional Issues That Raised Concerns:
- Hot Water Ran Out – On Saturday morning, there was no hot water, which was frustrating and unacceptable.
- Significant Leak in the Lobby – A major leak over the reception area was being collected in multiple buckets right by the check-in desk.
- Burned-Out Truck in the Parking Lot – A completely burned-out, abandoned white truck remained in the parking lot during our entire stay, adding to concerns about overall maintenance and security.

Final Thoughts: If not for the public safety concerns, I would have rated this hotel 3 stars. However, due to the serious safety hazards, lack of follow-up, and maintenance issues, I can only give it 2 stars. I would never stay here again. The slippery entryway is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and it is clear from the design that this is a well-known issue.

Wendy White

Very nice hotel. Breakfast was very good... a nice variety.
Accomodations were very nice, no complaints. I love the area where it is located. It was fun to see the John Muir Historic Site which doesn't cost any money!! The only thing that stuck out to me is that the people at the front desk, although they were nice, seemed that they were just there to do the minimum requirements. They didn't seem to really care about the customer. Maybe they were having a bad day? But, it was a nice stay, and I would go back for sure!

Martin Horeis

We spent one night at this Best Western in Martinez. They house people under the custody of the county? to keep them off the street. We got very little sleep as the smoke alarm went off twice. Three fire trucks came and police cars arrived. It turned out that one of the men held in custody broke into the fire extinguishers and sprayed the hall ways and stair well. The police finally took the individual away in restraints. He was housed two doors down from us and had two women tending him. The manager gave us a refund of $35.00 which was not adequate. When I complained, I was accused of not caring about people in crisis.
We don't think that the motel should allow both paying customers and people in custody at the same time. Wish we would have known about this policy when I made the reservation.

Emily J

I couldn’t check in, because no one was working there. There was no bell to ring, so I called the phone number, but no answer. I started chatting with hotels.com to try and cancel the reservation without losing any money, and while I was doing that, an employee finally came out of the back room and checked me in, 30 minutes after I’d arrived.||The room was fine. It was quiet and I felt safe there. I did not feel safe coming and going in the parking lot. There were a lot of men loitering, and one woman who appeared to be on drugs.

Dawn Walker

"I work for a hotel and I understand customer service from management to housekeeping. This location has no idea what service means. You would be better off going to Motel 6, where rooms are clean, staff smiles, and management will make things right."

My husband and I faced several issues during our stay at the hotel. The initial room we were given had significant maintenance problems, particularly with the shower. When I requested a room change at the front desk, I was met with unhelpful responses. After reaching out to customer service, we were eventually moved to a different room, but the process was far from seamless. I strongly believe that the hotel can improve its procedures to better accommodate guests in similar situations.

You would think that this would be the end of it, but it wasn't. On our final night, my husband got sick and threw up all over the bed. When I went downstairs to get a new set of sheets, I was handed a brown blanket to sleep on. After that, I asked for a full refund, but it's been a month and all they gave me back was $82.

In conclusion, do not stay here rooms are not maintained and they do not understand what customer service means.

A J

I am still wondering why this place has so many bad reviews.
My experience from the very beginning was great. The lady at the front desk was very friendly, welcoming and professional. The room was clean and fully stocked with the items we needed. Breakfast was really good and the workers were friendly and kept the place clean. Overall me and my family had a great experience here. This is our second time staying here and we will definitely stay here again if we're in the area. Thanks for the great service.

Torri Suda

I felt the Location was nice. Staff not overly friendly, they do their job. Maids cleaned our room daily, we were pleased with service. Ice machine on all floors, self laundry, breakfast included - comparable to holiday inn. They also had a waffle maker.