- Convenient location for activities near the university
- Renovated 2008 and certified "green"
- Very comfortable beds
- Walls so thin you can hear almost every word spoken in the room next door
- 2600 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA
510-845-8981, 510-486-8336
Website - 144 rooms and suites
- Valet parking for a fee, or self-park for a reduced rate at a lot down the street, which can be crowded and is sometimes full
- Complimentary WiFi (and hard-wired connection)
- iPod docking stations, refrigerators
- 100% non-smoking
- Full-service restaurant and bar on premises, room service
- Pet-friendly (additional charges)
Decor is themed around the university, with room keys looking like student IDs, lamp bases that resemble chemistry labware and other similar touches, but set against a backdrop of muted colors. We enjoyed its tongue-in-cheekiness, but other online reviewers think it's a bit over the top.
Rooms are comfortable and functional, with all the modern touches - big, flat-panel televisions, iPod docking stations and fancy coffee makers. The beds are some of the most comfortable we've encountered in our travels.
Unfortunately, the millions of dollars put into the 2008 renovations didn't address one of the old building's biggest flaws, its thin walls. The folks in the room next door seemed to be talking at a normal volume, but we could hear every word of their conversation and every noise from their video game. Depending on how soundly you sleep, the hours your neighbors keep (and what they're up to), the racket leaking into your room could lead to a miserable night. At the very least, we'd recommend packing some ear plugs just in case.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer received complimentary accommodation at Hotel Durant. It has not influenced this review, but About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more info, see our ethics policy.
