The best family hotels in Oakland and Berkeley
Written October 2026
Where to sleep in the East Bay with kids, which room to ask for, and which hotel has the pool that works in the fog.
Here's the thing nobody says about the East Bay: it's the same Bay Area weather, and the fog doesn't care that you packed swimsuits. So the question isn't just where to sleep in Oakland or Berkeley. It's what your kids do at the hotel at 4pm when the wind comes in. A kitchen helps. An indoor pool helps more.
Most of the hotels over here are not built around kids the way a resort is, with one big exception up in the Berkeley Hills. So this page is about what you can actually count on: a suite with a kitchen, a pool, a room with space to spread out. Each hotel says what to ask for and what it gives up.
It's sorted by where you sleep, because in the East Bay that decides how much you drive. Jack London Square and downtown Oakland are for the lake, the water and BART. Emeryville is the middle, between the two cities. The Berkeley Marina and the hills are for Tilden, the slide at Codornices and the quieter side of the trip.
Short on time? A kitchen in every suite: Homewood Suites in Oakland. A pool that doesn't care about fog: the DoubleTree at the Berkeley Marina. The splurge with a kids' club: the Claremont. A boat view and the ferry: the Waterfront Hotel.
How we picked
These are hotels we'd send a friend with two kids to. The facts under each hotel come from what the hotel and its brand say about the property, and its Play Day listing. The hotels' own pages wouldn't load for us, so we went by what those official listings say in search. If a fact is missing, we couldn't confirm it (not that the answer is no).
Only a handful of hotels are listed across Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville, so this is a short list on purpose. We left out the airport and the Contra Costa hotels, which are a real drive from the East Bay's main attractions. The weekend in Berkeley and Oakland plan uses several of these as its bases, and things to do in Oakland with kids covers what to do from them.
Jack London Square and downtown Oakland
Stay here if you want the water, the ferry and BART, and you're happy to drive up to the zoo and the hills for the day. Lake Merritt is a short ride from downtown. What you give up: it's a working city center, and it's quiet and a bit empty at night.
Homewood Suites by Hilton Oakland-Waterfront
Jack London Square
The kitchen pick. Every suite has a stovetop, a fridge, a dishwasher and kitchenware, so the milk, the leftovers and the early-morning cereal are handled without a restaurant negotiation. There's a hot breakfast downstairs on weekdays.
It's on the waterfront at the edge of Jack London Square. The pool is outdoors and the hotel closes it for part of the year, so think of it as a summer bonus. Ask about the two-bedroom suites if you're four or five.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Suites
- Yes
- Fridge
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, heated
- Free breakfast
- Yes
- Kids' activities
- No
Waterfront Hotel, JdV by Hyatt
Jack London Square
The fun one for a kid who likes boats. It's a nautical boutique right on Jack London Square, and some rooms look out over the water and the boats docking. The ferry to San Francisco leaves from the square, which makes it a good base for a car-free day over the bay.
There's a heated outdoor pool. The rooms are standard doubles, kings and studios, so ask for a studio if you want a little more floor space. This is not the hotel for connecting rooms or a kitchen.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Suites
- Yes
- Fridge
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, heated
- Kids' activities
- No
Oakland Marriott City Center
Downtown Oakland
The car-free pick. It's across the street from the 12th Street BART station, so you can get to Berkeley, San Francisco or the lake without ever finding parking. It's a big, plain, full-service hotel, and the rooms have a fridge.
We couldn't confirm a pool from a reliable source (sources disagree), so don't book it for swimming. Call the hotel first if a pool is on your list.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Suites
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, heated
- Kids' activities
- No
Emeryville
Emeryville sits exactly between Oakland and Berkeley, which is its whole appeal. It's a shopping and office district, so there's nothing quaint, but you're a short drive from the Berkeley Marina and from downtown Oakland.
Hyatt House Emeryville
Emeryville
Suites with a real kitchen, including a fridge, a microwave and a dishwasher, and a hot breakfast included. There's a heated outdoor pool and a hot tub, and the hotel has an area shuttle.
Bay Street's shops, restaurants and movie theater are a short walk, which is a lifesaver on a rainy afternoon. It's the one to pick if you'd rather split your days between Oakland and Berkeley than choose a side.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Suites
- Yes
- Fridge
- Yes
- Kitchenette
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, heated
- Free breakfast
- Yes
- Kids' activities
- No
Berkeley: the Marina and the hills
Two very different Berkeley stays. The Marina is flat, windy and open, with the Bay Trail and big lawns. The hills are for resort days, and Tilden is the closest park. Either way, you'll drive to most things.
DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina
Berkeley Marina
Book it for the pool. It's an indoor family pool with a separate indoor lap pool, plus a whirlpool and a sauna, so swim time doesn't hinge on the fog. The hotel also lists family rooms, so ask for one.
It's right on the water with views of the San Francisco skyline, and the Bay Trail and the Marina's open lawns are outside. Downtown Berkeley is a drive, not a walk.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, indoor, heated
- Kids' activities
- No
Claremont Resort & Club
Berkeley Hills
The splurge, and the only real kid resort on the East Bay. The Kids' Club has an indoor space and an outdoor play area, and the hotel runs movie nights and other family activities. There are three heated pools, including a kids' pool with a splash pad.
Ask for a family room when you book. It's up in the hills on the Oakland border, so it's a staycation first and a base second. Plan on driving to everything else.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Suites
- Yes
- Fridge
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, heated
Near the airport
Only one entry here, and it's for a reason: you land late or leave early, and you don't need anything else.
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
Oakland Airport
The practical overnight before or after a flight out of OAK. It has a shuttle to the airport and an outdoor pool, and it's about the easiest check-in you'll find with a tired kid.
It's on Hegenberger Road, out by the runways, so it's not where you'd base a whole trip. The zoo is the closest big thing on this list.
- Cribs
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes, heated
- Kids' activities
- No
Fog and pools
The East Bay's best pool day is a warm one, and plenty of summer mornings are cool and gray. The only indoor pools on this page are at the DoubleTree. The Claremont's pools are heated, and the Waterfront Hotel's is heated too. The Homewood Suites, Hyatt House and Courtyard pools are outdoors, and the Marriott City Center doesn't have one we could confirm.
Do you need a car
Mostly, yes. BART links downtown Oakland, Lake Merritt and downtown Berkeley, and the ferry runs from Jack London Square. But Tilden, the zoo and the Claremont are all up a hill, and a car makes the whole trip easier. If you only want a couple of days car-free, the Marriott City Center and the Jack London Square hotels are the ones for it.
Questions
Which Oakland and Berkeley hotels have an indoor pool for kids?
The DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina has an indoor family pool and an indoor lap pool. The Claremont has three heated pools, including a kids' pool, but they're outdoors.
Which Oakland hotels have kitchens?
Homewood Suites by Hilton Oakland-Waterfront puts a full kitchen in every suite. The Hyatt House in Emeryville has suites with kitchens too.
Where should we stay in Oakland with kids?
Jack London Square, if you want the water, the ferry and BART. Homewood Suites is the pick for a kitchen and the Waterfront Hotel is the one with the boat views. Emeryville is the move if you want to split days between Oakland and Berkeley.
Where should we stay in Berkeley with kids?
The DoubleTree at the Berkeley Marina for an indoor pool and the Bay Trail. The Claremont up in the hills if you want a resort with a kids' club.
Which East Bay hotel has a kids' club?
The Claremont Resort & Club in the Berkeley Hills has a Kids' Club with indoor and outdoor play areas, and a kids' pool.
Photos
Oakland Marriott City Center: Mx. Granger (CC0)
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