This was our first trip to Oakland, and we found Maria's place to be a good place to stay in the area. It was a great value, and having the whole place to ourselves was nice. If you are staying longer, the access to an actual kitchen could be nice to prepare your own meals as necessary.
The area is a nice, quiet, residential area. It's conveniently located (a quick drive) to local restaurants, Lake Merritt, etc.
I would recommend Maria's place if you are in the area.