Graduate by Hilton Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Southside
Vibe
Counterculture icons set a distinctly Berkeley tone, while communal tables in the lobby give the collegiate theme a social center.
“Oski collegiate throwback”
Blue and gold patterns, vintage rugs and Oski references give rooms their collegiate character.
Originally Hotel Durant, this 144-room property was purpose-built for hospitality in 1928.
Henry’s wooden bar and Poindexter’s adjoining lobby lounge offer places for drinks and conversation.
In Southside, steps from Telegraph Avenue’s shops and restaurants and UC Berkeley’s campus.
Rooms
Blue and gold patterns, vintage-style rugs and references to Oski, Cal’s bear mascot, bring campus spirit into the bedrooms.
Wellness
A 24-hour fitness center accommodates early starts and late workouts, while bicycle rentals are included in the mandatory destination charge.
Backstory
The 2017 transformation took an unusual brief: imagine Indiana Jones’s pied-à-terre inside the former Hotel Durant, which opened in 1928.
Eat & drink
Henry’s serves American tavern fare and drinks at a wooden bar, while Poindexter Coffee off the lobby supplies morning coffee and pastries.
The neighborhood
Southside puts you steps from UC Berkeley and Telegraph Avenue, where shops, restaurants and student activity keep the surrounding blocks lively.
The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.