Union Hotel

Hotels
8.2 (258 reviews)
401 First Street , Benicia , us

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Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Heating
Lift / Elevator
Express check-in/check-out
Fax/photocopying
Breakfast in the room
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Charming historic hotel
Great location with beautiful views
Cons:
Issues with cleanliness and amenities
Limited service availability

Categories

Cleanliness
7.7
There were issues noted, such as one towel that stank and overall cleanliness conditions that don't meet expectations.
Service
9.2
General sentiment was positive, although there were mentions of limited availability of front desk staff.
Location
9.2
Reviews consistently praised the hotel's location alongside charming views.
Room Quality
8.2
Some rooms felt run-down and features like the plumbing and mattress condition were not luxury quality.
Amenities
7.7
Missing breakfast services and some non-functioning amenities affected the experience.
Value for Money
8.2
Given the price, it aligned somewhat with expectations, but issues with amenities reduced overall value.
Food and Beverage
6.7
Breakfast was not provided as expected, even though there was a restaurant on-site.
Overall Experience
8.7
Overall positive experience with a balance of charm, despite several noted inconveniences.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-18 10:48

Property Description

Uniquely-Decorated Guest Rooms: Indulge in the charm of our uniquely-decorated guest rooms, each offering an en suite bathroom with a spa bath, European-inspired décor, and modern amenities like a cable TV and coffee machine.

Convenient Amenities: Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property and start your day right with a delicious free continental breakfast served daily.

Prime Location: Immerse yourself in the vibrant surroundings with art galleries, shopping options, and dining experiences just a stroll away. Plus, with a tour desk on-site, exploring the area is made easy.

Experience comfort, convenience, and style at our Benicia hotel. Book now for an unforgettable stay!

Important information:

Upon check-in photo identification and credit card are required. All special requests are subject to availability upon check-in. Special requests cannot be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: OAK

Property Policies

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 17 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    You haven't added any extra beds.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Groups

    No special conditions apply for groups.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 258 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.7
Service: 9.2
Location: 9.2
Room Quality: 8.2
Amenities: 7.7
Value for Money: 8.2
Food and Beverage: 6.7
Overall Experience: 8.7
C
Chantelle • couple • us
10
2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • us
8
Pros:

Ambiance

2026-06-11 • via Nuitee
B
brian • couple • us
7
2026-06-03 • via Nuitee
C
cooyon • couple • us
9
Remember the Union (the old republic) at the Union, the hotel.
Pros:

I like historical places. I am glad it is in the area. A number of reviews cited the the aged furniture. In the the big picture - in our room at least - it wasn't much of an issue.

Bathroom was spacious ... alas, the jacuzzi tub is nonoperational.

Cons:

n/a

2026-06-02 • via Nuitee
M
Martha • extended_group • us
10
I am a repeat customer
Pros:

Breakfast was just a snack

Cons:

A better breakfast would have been good

2026-05-29 • via Nuitee
A
Alessandra • couple • us
8
2026-05-28 • via Nuitee
S
SHIRLEY • couple • us
7
It had its quirks, but we really enjoyed staying in a historic hotel with character!
Pros:

The Union Hotel location was great for walking around town, and the continental breakfast (fresh muffins, fruit, coffee) was enjoyable. Our room was spacious, with a couple comfy upholstered chairs next to a table by the large windows, and the queen bed was comfy. The room was bright and sunny, and the heat pump worked well to cool and provide heat. The hotel staff was very friendly and helpful.

Cons:

Because Bookings.com doesn't use the hotel's actual room names, we didn't get the bay view we signed up for. (The hotel staff suggested calling the hotel directly to confirm requests for specific rooms.) There was a bit of deferred maintenance, with the bathroom sink not draining well, and a couple wall sconces not working, but the nightstand lamps worked well. There were no bathroom countertops, which was challenging.

2026-05-28 • via Nuitee
T
Tracy • couple • us
8
Lovely place and convienent.
Pros:

Convenience to where we needed to be. It’s quiet minus outside noise from the street.

Cons:

I didn’t have a desk to work at the one day I needed to work. There was no option.

2026-05-26 • via Nuitee
S
Silvano • couple • us
9
It worked well. I would go there gain.
Pros:

Old classic hotel. Friendly reception

2026-05-24 • via Nuitee
I
Ian • couple • us
1
We called the emergency number posted at the front entry, nobody answered, left messages, text, nobody called us back. W
Pros:

We never made it past the entrance. It looked nice, we chose it because of it being a bed and breakfast near our dinner reservations in downtown Benicia.

Cons:

Horrible management and zero help on their emergency phone number.
We found our room keys that didn’t work on our rooms door, they were clearly marked for another guests room.
I understood it was sold out, so we couldn’t just go into another room and be met by the guests of that room any time during the afternoon or night.

2026-05-11 • via Nuitee
D
David • solo_traveller • us
7
2026-04-20 • via Nuitee
D
Donna • solo_traveller • us
9
People were friendly and went beyond expectations to help out.
Pros:

I was researching family that lived in Benicia in the early 1900's and I wanted to get a feel for the era by staying in a historic hotel. I wanted to feel transported back to the time. I really liked the little booklet on the hotel that was in my room.

Cons:

You could hear a lot of the noise from outside, but this is a historic hotel and I would not have expected any different.

2026-04-14 • via Nuitee
V
Vetter • family_with_children • us
9
Pros:

Sadly we didnt get breakfast. I quess there wasn't enough people. Loved Kim at the desk. Super nice person.

Cons:

Breakfast

2026-04-13 • via Nuitee
M
Myung Jin • solo_traveller • us
3
Disappointing and disenchanting.
Pros:

I only liked the location—right on First Street, which is downtown Benicia, so all the cute shops and restaurants are right there. Everything walking distance.

Cons:

No staff at any time. Walls are paper thin—you hear everything and everyone all the time! While the furniture itself was antique, the room lacked charm and warmth. Such a cool, historic building that greatly missed all its potential. I ended up switching hotels after two nights.

2026-04-04 • via Nuitee
L
Lindsay • family_with_children • us
4
Historic hotel with lack of amenities.
Pros:

Good location. Historic building. Close to main street

Cons:

This reservation was supposed to have breakfast. There was no breakfast. The Front desk was supposed to be open in the morning. Room said from 7-9. Door to lobby said 8-10. At 9:15 nobody was there. Room was really dirty in multiple places. Bedding didn’t match the bedding in photos. Jacuzzi tub didn’t work.

2026-04-03 • via Nuitee
L
Leonard • solo_traveller • us
7
Pros:

Old school cozy

Cons:

Jacuzzi tub wasn't working

2026-03-25 • via Nuitee
E
Elaine • couple • us
9
2026-03-16 • via Nuitee
B
Bernard • couple • us
7
It met our requirements as a local place.
Pros:

It was adequate for our needs. We were attending a birthday party locally. We then spent a little more time on Sunday walking about the town. If we were to visit the town again, we would stay again.

Cons:

It was much like our age, Old. It is a "funky" place that has character.

2026-03-16 • via Nuitee
H
Hassan • family_with_children • us
10
Price and location is a Winner!
Pros:

Price and location is a winner!

2026-03-16 • via Nuitee
S
Scott • couple • us
4
This beautiful hotel has good bones but needs a makeover.
Pros:

Love the location and the architecture. You can feel the history oozing from this building. Ideal for walking in the best part of Benecia. Great view of the water.

Cons:

Staff only on duty for three hours in the afternoon. Otherwise feels like nobody cares about the people in the rooms. We've stayed in this hotel before and enjoyed the stay but this time was different. The place is getting really run down. The room looked like the maid did nothing more than a superficial clean. The water fixtures are just adequate. No amenities. States breakfast but nobody around in the morning and certainly no breakfast. Not even coffee. This grand old hotel is a beauty but she's desperately in need of some tender loving care from her owners. Definitely a shoestring operation at this time.

2026-03-04 • via Nuitee