My daughter has attended UC Merced for 3 years, so I've been up and back a lot in the last 3 years; have stayed at a lot of hotels. Hilton Garden Inn fills a niche that has been missing. The hotel is right on the exit for university parkway, so there is no need to travel through downtown if it's unnecessary for your trip. It's a quick easy to the university. This is also the fastest way to the university, even if driving from the north. This was my first time taking an electric car up, which was a leap of faith that the chargers would work. They did and it was really nice to see that there were 10 chargers, all new (as they were put in with the hotel) and I had no problems using them. The hotel is on the south side of Merced in area that was, a few years ago, just open farmland. They have built up the exit with 2 gas stations, a Starbucks, Chipotle, and a few other fast foods options as well as a Tractor Supply, all within a few minute walk of the hotel. The area is clean and outside of the downtown homeless population. I will use this hotel again, especially as it is directly on my path to the school, is clean, new, feels safe, and had a great staff.