Durant Hotel Berkeley

Stayed there 12-14 January 2005.

Rooms are very small.

Could not get a warm shower without the water keep changing to cold.

heating very noisy, and construction noise during the day.

No internet in rooms.

Only good side: close to campus and nice service.

I agree most with the review of the member from

Ithaca, NY, October 17, 2003.

Location: great if you need to visit UCB.

Walking distance to several eateries.

However, what I want from a hotel is predominantly a nice, quiet

room so that I can have a good rest at night. I found

the place generally run down, rooms small and noisy, bathrooms

worn out beyond repair and in great need of replacement.

This hotel has the potential to be a nice time piece of UCB

architecture, but they seemed to have retained the worst of

the old in the rooms making the whole atmosphere rather depressing.

The entrance was nice, but who care as you only spend 15 minutes

there. It was however a refreshing (depressing?) alternative

to the generic Sheratons/HDay Inns/whatever that all seem to

look a like and provide for a very blah experience.

my wife and I had the pleasure of staying at the Durant Hotel in Berkley, CA from June 12 to June 16. The room was quite spacious and home like. The common areas were spotless and well-appointed. The pictorial displays in the hallways were unique and informative. The views of the campus and the Bay area was spectacular. It was a pleasant surprise not to need a car to get to the campus or dine at the many fine restaurants located within blocks of the Durant. In fact we found that the restaurant in the hotel was just as good as the ones we visited and comparably priced.

The staff at the hotel attend to your every need, often times without being asked. The wireless internet was a boon to my wife and I, as we were able to keep up with things without having to leave the hotel. We were impressed with the attention that is paid to the little things, e.g., AM coffee in the lounge, daily newspaper at your door, breakfast available for early risers. The bar is a real jewel. It is not like the usual hotel bar, but more like a friendly tavern, where guests and locals mingle and the kitchen is open late for the hungry. The staff is personable and hard working.

We eagerly look forward to our next visit

It's 2:15am, and I think the unbelievably loud noise from 4 floors below has finally stopped. When I called the desk clerk a while ago to complain, he said he wasn't surprised, because he had received other complaints. Apparently this is an every-Tuesday event. But just in case they decide to change days, my advice is to avoid the Durant 7 days a week.

This is a GREAT hotel if you:

* Like to be in close walking distance of campus



* Appreciate 1920's decor and rooms



* Love a great bar/pub where students as well as



Berkeley faculty hang out.



* Don't need your car frequently



* Don't mind paying a bit much for the convenience



of walking to campus.



* Don't like air conditioned rooms.



* Don't mind a small room.



It is an unsatisfactory hotel if you:

* Desire a quiet room



The hotel is at a corner of two noisy streets and



construction is going up behind it as well (October



2003). And you need to leave the window open



much of the year (see next)



* Expect air conditioning.



Rooms have no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan. If you like to sleep in a cool room, you need to



leave the window open and run the fan all



night long as street noise is percolating in with the



cool and lovely SF Bay night air.



* Love a modern bathroom - or just a bathroom



with a counter to park your toiletries. There is a



tub and a small sink and that's it. Water



temperature during a shower fluctuates



amazingly! Ancient and interconnected plumbing.



* Need your car frequently. Parking is limited



(and not always available). You may leave and



find the lot full when you return. You also need to



leave your car keys at the reception at all times.



When I checked I found out whyas my car was



boxed in by others that had to be moved to free



mine.



* If you expect free parking. Parking is an $ 10 per



night.



This hotel is a great choice if you appreciate UC history and if you

like to to minimize your energy consumption. It is not a good choice

for someone looking for a comfortable room, or someone who needs to

work after dinner on a laptop. There was no LAN connection to the

internet and not even power outlet in the vicinity of the small working

desk. Eventually I found an extension cord in which, after

disconnecting a lamp I could plug in my Dell power supply.

On balance I like this hotel, but it might not be everyone's choice.

I've stayed here several times over the years. THe hotel is clean and in an excellent location near campus. The hotel can get noisy on weekends because it is on a noisy street close to campus and has a nice pub on the first floor. THe rooms are smallish but well appointed and clean. All in all great location, nice hotel, a little overpriced.

I had read a couple of negative reviews of this hotel, so I was reluctant to stay here. But I was pleasantly surprised by the staff, food, and especially location. For example, I had booked a room facing the UCAL campus, and didn't realize how noisy it was going to be. I asked to be moved, and was, with no hesitation. My room was even up-graded at no extra charge. The adjacent restaurant has a good breakfast, with excellent, fresh orange juice! The only sort of negative thing was that there is construction going on behind the hotel and it was just a bit noisy, especially in the morning. I'd advise that one books a room in the more interior parts of the hotel if noise bothers you. The location just can't be beat; only two blocks from the shops, restaurants, and book stores of Telegraph Ave.

I stay at the Durant every year around Christmas time, when the hotel is usually a bit cheaper and almost empty. The service there could use some work, but the location is unbeatable - 5 minute walk to UC campus and seconds from Telegraph Ave stores. The rooms themselves are nicely outfitted, though they are somewhat on the small side and the bathrooms could use a little updating. However, I am always very busy shopping and eating in Berkeley so it doesn't bother me much. The available parking is great if you are just staying a few days - just put it in the lot and don't worry about it until you leave. The only problems I have had staying here involved a noisy, broken fan (our room was switched immediately) and vacuuming in the hallway when I was trying to sleep in. Neither would keep me from staying here again though.

My son and I recently spent 3 nights at the Durant. We found the room pleasant, the service friendly, and the the hotel situated in a quiet location. The Durant is a 2 minute walk from the University, the stores and eateries on Telegraph Road and a 10 minute walk from the BART station. The DUrant was built in the early 20th century with a 19th century ambiance which we personally feel very comfortable in. The hotel was very busy that weekend and we were given our room an hour late. The management upgraded our room which we thought more than adequately compensated us for the delay. I would note that the hotel has just enough parking space for its patrons. At any one time one half the cars are trapping or blocking the other half in place. The management very carefully explains why they need your car keys whenever you are keeping your car at the hotel. They also explain the consequences, e.g., a fine & early wakeup call, for blocking someone elses car and not leaving your keys. We highly recommend the Durant!

Absolutely the worst hotel experience I've had in several years, and I travel frequently on business. The service at this otherwise average hotel was absolutely unacceptable. As just one example: After a late evening out with my wife celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, we'd planned to sleep in late before heading off for a long weekend touring the Napa valley. For some unexplained reason, the "night auditor" of the hotel called our room at 6am to inform us that we were going to be charged a $25 penalty for not leaving our car keys at the front desk the night before. 6am! When we checked out later that morning, the manager refused to speak with us and we were forced to watch a very young desk clerk run harriedly back and forth between the manager's office and the front desk. A manager that isn't interested in addressing a guest's questions? Absolutely unacceptable. I will never set foot in that establishment again.