OverviewLocated about a 3-minute drive from the nearest Highway 99 on-ramp and a 10-minute drive from Bakersfield's city centre, the Garden Suites Inn Bakersfield is geared towards road travellers who require a hotel with easy highway access and a free breakfast.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms offers free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a separate bedroom, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a microwave, a hair dryer and a desk. Rooms with a jetted tub are also available, as are smoking and non-smoking rooms. The hotel does not offer wheelchair-accessible rooms.
The hotel also offers an outdoor pool, a hot tub, meeting/banquet facilities, a business centre, guest laundry, free parking and a free breakfast. Up to two cats or small dogs, or one large dog of any size, per guest room is permitted for an additional fee of $5 per pet, per night.
Valley Plaza Mall is about a 3-minute drive from the hotel, while Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center and McMurtrey Aquatic Center are both an 11-minute drive away. Meadows Field Airport (BFL) can be found roughly 15 minutes away by car. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets $5/pet/night, not wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: October 10, 2013)
The GoodGuest reviews consulted for this analysis showed positive responses towards the breakfast, the staff and the rates.
Several reviewers enjoyed the hotel's free breakfast. They described it as plentiful and large, with a nice dining area. One guest noted, "The free breakfast was good, serving waffles, cereals, bagles, fresh fruit, and juices".
The hotel's staff were the source of many compliments by lodgers. They were described as friendly, professional and helpful with directions and area suggestions.
Some guests were pleased with the hotel's rates, which they described as fair and decent, and these guests felt the hotel offered good value for the money.
The Bad
Guest reviews sourced for this editorial showed negative responses towards the hotel's rooms.
Although some lodgers reported clean and well-equipped rooms, several guests were disappointed with their accommodations. They reported dated decor, worn furniture and carpets, broken fixtures, highway noise, cigarette odours in non-smoking rooms and some cleaning issues. A few reviewers reported cockroaches.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 3.1 out of 5 with a 55% recommendation rate from 77 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #46 of 57 Bakersfield hotels with an average rating of 2.5 out of 5 from 33 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 5.9 out of 10 from 18 reviews.
The author called the hotel on October 10, 2013 to verify some information.
