- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Hotel Durant
Rating Details »
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Telegraph Ave
2600 Durant Ave
(between Bowditch St & College Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 845-8981
2600 Durant Ave
(between Bowditch St & College Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 845-8981
- Price Range:
-
$$$
Sponsored Result
You Might Also Consider
Claremont Resort & Spa
- 155 reviews
- Neighborhood:
- Claremont
"I was here today for a training and this place is absolutely gorgeous!!! The view is breath taking...seriously, it took my breath away!!! I…" read more »
18 reviews for Hotel Durant
The Hotel Durant is an an awesome location... Right off of Telegraph... Tons of amazing places to eat... Right by the University.
You pay for the location, Which sometimes, isn't soooo bad. The room I stayed in was rather small; It was a single room but didn't have much room to walk around. It was nicely decorated though.
The staff was super friendly. There is a restaurant/bar in the lobby. Henry's. It was fine! It was actually quite busy because there was a concert going on at the University while I was there.
Overall, this was a decent place to stay in. If you are looking for a quiet place, and don't plan on going out much at all... I recomend going somewhere else.
Hope this helps! :)
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
Had I been on official business I would probably rate this hotel 3 stars. Since I was not on any kind of corporate business, I soaked in the charm and ambiance this hotel had to offer.
First of all, the lobby is awesome. It felt like I was in a beatnik time warp. Burning my bra at a protest and reading poetry at a coffee shop didn't seem like a bad idea during my stay. LOL
Our room was super small but the decor was right up my alley. The lamps I must say are VERY clever and almost undetectable at first. (I'll post a picture soon) Let's just say we thought about stealing them until we saw that the hotel sells them for $275 each.
The only thing I found to be a little annoying was that there was no A/C and we had to leave our window wide open for air at night. It's really noisy outside and if I had to work the next day like my friend, I would be a grumpy grump.
All in all, I loved experiencing Berkeley this way. It was the total package.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Economic inflation is a general rise in prices, resulting in each unit of currency buying fewer goods and services. Inflation, essentially, is a decline in the true value of money. And there is no place where inflation is more evident than a college town.
Because only in a college town could a hotel get away with charging $140/night for a cramped 10'x10' space that feels just like a dorm room and has an 8" stain on the comforter, low water pressure, a shower that oscillates between ice-cold and scalding, and a wobbly bed no sturdier than a cot.
The Durant blends kitschy school-themed decor with Rococo hotel opulence. Neither style is well-executed or fully incorporated into the other, resulting in a disjointed montage of a vintage round tufted couch and an ultra-modern bookshelf seat in the lobby. The guest rooms, likewise, have a dark wood bar with blue velvet paneling and bronze fasteners, set next to a school-style desk with guest information in a marble composition tablet.
This decor is both disconnected and skin-deep. Under the layers of paint and past the shiny faucet is a series of old electrical wiring and aged piping. And in the middle of the night, faulty wiring can be the apparition that scares you when it turns the light on while you're asleep.
The Durant Hotel relies on its proximity to the UC Berkeley campus as its selling point, while quality of services rendered is ignored. $140/night at The Durant is comparable to $65/night at the EconoLodge. So you see, your money is less valuable at The Durant... college town inflation at its finest.
Econ 101 by Janelle P. See, you don't even need to go to Berkeley for an education.
People thought this was:
- Useful (7)
- Funny (11)
- Cool (8)
as a friend and i went out to blakes on a sunday night we retardedly parked in the parking garage down the street not thinking about the time they closed.
well we got back after a show and found out they were closed and had to find somewhere to stay because it was so late and this happened to be right around the corner. Its cute, confy and fun! even though it was just a random place close by it was more than what we expected and we were so happy to have found it!
id most def come back and spend a weekend here!
I'll start off by saying that this is one of the Joie De Vivre hotels and we have had good experience at another hotel in this chain. The hotel has a college theme, being next to the UC campus, with pictures of students from the 60's and 70's everywhere, including on the keycards. The room was very clean with new furnishings. There was a mini heat wave before we got there and the room was very warm. I am not giving this 5 stars because of the lack of air conditioning. Otherwise it was great. There is a restaurant/bar located on the first floor.
Sure, I have been to grander hotels but it's all the little things at Hotel Durant, school-themed boutique hotel, that make it fun.
The front lobby is filled with all kinds of neat things to look at- a mobile of random quotes and quips, super neato bookshelves, newspapers on those big long sticks like at the library, old yearbook photos, a burned up bra in a glass case?!
I found every person at the HD to be super friendly, attentive, and cheerful. Every person I passed in the hall said hello. Both front desk clerks I dealt with (donning cute Hogwart's-esque uniforms) were helpful and warm.
Some more little touches- the SAT words shower curtain was a hoot, just like the Graduate poster and photo of the couple streaking. The snack tray/mini bar set up was nice and there were actually some healthy-ish snacks available (like Late July Organics crackers and trail mix) in addition to the basic candy bars (M&Ms, Toblerone, etc). Also available with those amenities- a reusable travel mug and an "intimacy" kit. I will not lie to you, I blushed a little when I realized that was, indeed, not a tin of Altoids.
Sweet TVs, comfy bed, and the bong lamps are actually for sale. What more do you need? A shiny apple from the giant bowl at the front desk, that's what.
All-around a good time at Hotel Durant. Especially impressed with how nice everyone was, except for our hag waitress at the hotel bar, but that's another review altogether.
Go get your study on!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Oh so hungover. I was in the Berkeley area and meet up with some of my heavy drinking friends. I didn't want to drive home and remembered The Motel Durant near by. Its been like over 5 years since I last stayed here. I stayed quite a few times.Wow, what a major change. From historic looking hotel with a nice sports bar to a clean hotel with, a non looking sports bar.
I found out it was under new management. I liked the old hotel because it had so much character. Now the staff is still nice but the staff of the past had all sorts of characters. Now its just boring but nice.
Who here remembers the crazy high strung general manager? Or the front desk agent with dreads that knows how to converse and make a guest feel welcome. Or the big gay front desk manager that chills at the bar after hours. The blond reservationist that always peeks behind the door. The night manager from Texas that hangs out behind the bar. The cool chill Filipino guy I was told was the influential captain for the FD. The fat teenage girl that looked scared. Get it? the FD had character.
Then you got the bell men. The grumpy old one with the floods. The young helpful one that freestyles with dreads. Don't forget about Sammy Davis Jr? He looked dead on like Sammy.
Then over to the bar. Man, you just feel like you know the bartenders since childhood. They will hang out, chill, drink, and make you feel like you are a guest in their own homes. Too bad the drunk ponytailed bartender that never charges is no longer there.
Well back to the review. I would recomend anyone to stay here if you are in Bezerkeley. Its the only nicest hotel in the city.
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
I just returned from a 2 day stay in Berkeley visiting my freshman daughter. I had read some negative things about this hotel, but heard it had been remodeled, plus it was right next door to my daughter's dorm (Unit 1). I loved it!
The room was small, but very comfortable. The remodel was very creative and reflected the hotel's proximity to the Berkeley campus. For instance, the walls were painted a golden yellow (one of the school colors), and the hotel card key was designed to look like a student ID and this guest number: 867-5309 (think of the song). The shower curtain had definitions of words printed all over it - some of them rather difficult! One of my favorite touches was the black and white photo in the bathroom, clearly from the 70's, of a streaking couple waving their clothes above their heads. It was somewhat out-of-focus, so as to obscure body parts. It was classic.
There was also a poster from the movie, The Graduate, a great deal of which was filmed in Berkeley. My room faced the campus giving me a great view. I enjoyed hearing the bells toll on the hour.
I didn't care for the pancakes I had in the restaurant but that's a different story.....I would totally recommend this hotel.
People thought this was:
- Useful (9)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (6)
Stayed here for business last week. The remodel of the classic building is very impressive. Especially the lobby/entrance areas. Funky furniture everywhere, including bedside lamps that look like bongs!
Service was excellent. Staff was very friendly.
We had dinner in the bar downstairs one night and it was quite good as well.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Hotel Durant isn't the place to stay if you're a secret agent or if you're an adulterous couple looking to escape your spouses. The walls are paper-thin and not in the oh-my-God-the-couple-next-door-is-having-sex, titillating kind of way, but in the if-I-turn-on-the-TV-the-whole-hotel-knows-I'm-watc hing-Spongebob kind of way. Seriously, an afternoon nap was ruined by the housekeeping staff yelling at each other down the hall.
Aside from the second star knocked off for the lack of AC (the turbine engine ceiling fan didn't cut it), the rooms are really charming and the collegiate feel is palpable, right down to the composition book-style hotel menu and the bong lamp on the dresser. The staff is especially nice and helpful and the Hotel Durant may be the nicest hotel in the Berkeley area.
My favorite place to be during Cal football game days! If you are hoping to have a quiet night, don't stay here. Otherwise, it's the best place to be. They clear out the lobby and the parking lot, creating a huge indoor/outdoor beer garden with a rad DJ. You are close to the stadium which is helpful because after a few hours of pre-partying here, the walk up the hill to the game can seem treacherous.
The staff is great and my family and I have become such regulars during football season that they give us the same great room and know us by name (if you are there on football game days, you might spot some of us around wearing buttons in homage to room 118, the best one in the hotel).
While this place is by no means a 5 star hotel, it has everything you need, attentive service, fun atmosphere, and proximity to all the best spots in Berkeley (including campus).
Henry's, the pub restaurant downstairs, is a great place to grab a few drinks and have some yummy pub grub.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
It was overpriced although it didn't matter much as I was not paying for it.
It had a very interesting feel to it, with the school theme, quirky furniture and the iPod dock.
I would definitely try it if I were to stay near Berkeley again.
A big plus- the internet was free.
This is the hotel where they put up potential grad students who come to UC Berkeley on a recruiting visit.
Its okay. I mean, the rooms are clean and everything - but the linens, soap and furniture seem to come from the same place that supplies the Motel Six chain. Plus, the rooms are really small and heated by inefficient radiators.
On the plus side it is one block away from campus, inexpensive (ask for the UC Berkeley discount if you have any thread of a conncetion to the school) and you could do much much worse in Berkeley.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Great location. Funky rooms. Some are very large, some are very tiny. Some of the bathrooms date back to the original hotel in the early 1900s, but that's ok with me. I'm not into fancy bathrooms.
A few years ago they redid the elevators, putting in new ones, or at least the main one was replaced. Whew, what a relief. I just knew that old creaky thing was going to stop one day and I'd be stuck.
Check in is always very precise and well done. The restaurant is wonderful. Good food, good service. Great martini. Just don't go in on a game night. Yikes, that's scary.
The last room we had (and we've stayed in about 12 different rooms) smelled of Fabreze. I nearly gagged. But, I could understand why the housekeepers had been so heavy handed when I opened the closet and nearly passed out from the bad body odor smell. The last person who stayed there had not washed their clothes in a very long time.
We always stay at the Durant when we go to Berkeley, and we will continue to do so. It has its foibles, but it's still a comfortable place.
One other thing, you will pay for parking in their tiny little lot. I think it's around $10.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I stayed there once after a late night in Berkeley, as with the other reviews- decent enough place to stay.
Since then I have tried to book a room and have never been successful. They just jerk me around- I will call, get a quote for a room and when I call back an hour or two later they will up the price a hundred bucks or impose a 2 night minimum ("Only in town for one night?, thats no problem we just charge you the rate for two, you dont have to stay" Thanks. I wasnt clear on how being ripped of this way works). I am always booking for the same night I call, but that is no excuse.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
My room was totally adequate. The people at the front desk were pretty friendly, smiley, young. Great location! I didn't love the room service menu for lack of times for delivery. Their computers were down when I tried to check out.
The rooms and hallways are old and they smell that way. Rooms can range from comfortable to small. Mattresses are old too and they feel that way. The cleaning staff often forgets to lock your door after they're done--although I haven't lost anything from the oversight yet.
Service is good, and its on campus location is very convenient. I also dig the bar downstairs. And when it closes early--this is a random occurrence--you can always stumble over to Telegraph 2 blocks down for the bars there.
Lisa G pretty much summed it up. Nobody would mistake this place for a great hotel. If I were a visting potential student, I'd stay at the Radisson at the Marina. Actually, I was once, and that's what I did on a professor's recommendation. The Hotel Durant has a better location in the sense that it's closer to everything, but the location is in the middle of the hectic Berkeley craziness. Why not relax by the bay and take a cab into the excitement?
